Invite God into Your Home

When our children were little, our son asked us, “Why can’t we see Jesus?” After all, we talked about him so much, why didn’t he ever come over and visit? His Daddy explained to him that he is in our hearts, and we see him in one another.

Research shows that the biggest predictor of adult religious practice is a sense and practice of religion in childhood. How do children develop an early sense of religion? According to the research, the first factor was that parents spoke about God and faith at home, in daily conversation. Being part of a faith community, whether the larger parish or an intentional group of families with similar issues (such as deaf families) helps those important conversations happen.

In the Christian family, we learn together how to treat one another as Christ would, and to act in our world with justice, love, and humility.

July 27, 2015

Religion Can Be a Main Source of Family Strength

July 27, 2015/ Lauri Przybysz

We don’t go to Church to get holy; we go to remember that we are holy. The Second Vatican Council reintroduced a concept that comes from the Church’s earliest tradition: the Christian family is a “domestic church”. This ancient teaching emphasizes that families can embody Christ in day-to-day experiences of their lives.

The “domestic church” metaphor may originate from the fact that Christians met and worshipped in private homes long before they erected buildings specifically for the purpose of worship. However, activities essential to the image of church -- education, hospitality, and care for the poor -- were carried out in early Christian households – and still are! Christian family life involves not only prayer in words, but in deeds, as well.