To follow up on last month’s suggestion of fasting from sacred images during Holy Week, this time I am going to talk about the interior of your home as a way of celebrating the faith, especially during this Easter season. Our homes are our “thrones” where we display what is important to us—our family, hobbies, interests, keepsakes, etc. In a way, it shows your heart. How does your faith come into play in your interior design? When someone walks into your home, can they tell you are Catholic? Take a little tour around your home and ask:
Do my decorations reflect my Catholic faith?
Does my home allow me to celebrate and live my faith?
Do I/we have a place to pray at home?
While I am at home am I reminded to pray?
If you find you may want to improve upon the sacred presence in your home, here are a couple of ideas to get you started:
Crucifixes (you may want one in every room)
Holy Water fonts
Images of Jesus (Sacred Heart, Divine Mercy)
Images of Angels
Image of the Holy Family/ Blessed Virgin Mary
Images of Saints
While I was growing up, when it came time to pray at home as a family, we knew where to go. We gathered around the piano, which was adorned with an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, the plaque of our family’s home enthronement to the Sacred Heart, etc. Now that I have my own apartment, I’ve made those sacred spaces where I too can go to pray.
Each Catholic family is referred to as the Domestic Church—they are the Church in secular society—and it is the role of the laity, those who are not members of the clergy or consecrated life, to bring Christ into worldly affairs. Start doing this by sanctifying your home. You’ll find you’re reminded to pray more frequently and will be evangelizing those who enter your home.