The Church is Born in the Home

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According to the Catechism (777) the Church is the community of believers who form the Body of Christ.

The smallest unit, the fundamental cell of the Church is not the individual, it is the family or a small community modeled on the family. This is because we were made in the image of God who is a Trinity of persons living in communion.    

There are larger communities such as the parish, the diocese and the Universal Church. But each of these larger communities presupposes and depends upon the health and integrity of the smallest unit, the singles cells of the body and that is the family or the small community.

The Christian family or a small group is the fundamental building block of the Church. For this reason, the individual believer and the larger Church needs small communities of people where they live for both the individual and any larger community to flourish.

The Church means a community of believers. If you don’t have this on the basic level, where you live, then you can’t have it on any level.

The Church is the Body of Christ. The family or small community is the fundamental cell of that body and if the cells of the body die then the whole body dies. 

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The Birth of the Church

In the Bible, the Acts of the Apostles shows us that the Church begins with a small community of believers in one house with Mary at the center.

Acts 1:13-14 presents to us the Apostles with several women and relatives of Jesus gathered around Mary in continuous prayer.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, suddenly they heard a powerful wind from heaven which caused a great noise that could be heard around the city and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Many people came to see what was going on and Peter stood up and proclaimed the Good News of the Gospel to them. And that very day 3000 people were baptized Catholic.

Yet, even when the Church was exploding with new members, the account of Pentecost ends by emphasizing the community of believers gathered in their homes and devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to friendship, to prayer and the breaking of the bread.

Acts of the Apostles relates that the Church begins in the home and ends in the home, therefore the life of the Church must remain built on small communities of people, gathered around Mary, dedicated to friendship, the teaching of the Apostles and prayer and they do this where they live. That is what we are trying to do with this movement.

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In his letter entitled The Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World, St John Paul II said “the future of evangelization depends in great part on the Church in the home.”

He did not say it depends on the parish priest doing more or that it depends on new and better programs, but on the Church gathered as families or small groups in the home.

St John Paul II goes on to add “The Christian family not only receives the love of Christ and became a saved community, but they are also called upon to communicate Christ’s love to their brethren, thus becoming a saving community.”

Then he states: “Thus, far from being closed in on itself, the family is by nature and vocation open to other families and to society and undertakes its social role.”

And what is that social role of the family? It has primarily two parts: to practice hospitality and prayer.

On the first he writes: “In particular, note must be taken of the ever greater importance in our society of hospitality in all its forms, from opening the door of one's home and still more of one's heart to the pleas of one's brothers and sisters…In a special way the Christian family is called upon to listen to the Apostle's recommendation to make hospitality your special care.”

As far as the prayer of the family or small community, JPII encourages all to make the Rosary the prayer of the domestic Church.

St JPII is saying the future of evangelization depends upon families and small groups who live a simple way of life of hospitality, friendship good conversation and the Rosary.

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How do we build a community of faith where we live?

Let’s take it step by step.

Step one is to pray the Rosary every day.

Step two is to share the Rosary or invite someone to pray the Rosary with you.

Step three is to invite someone to your home, give them hospitality, feed them, be genuinely interested in them, talk with them and invite them to pray the Rosary with you.

Where are you in the steps? We just want to take the next right step.

I see two scenarios – one for families with kids at home; and one for couples and those who live alone.

For those who are married and have kids of any age at home, you and your spouse pray the Rosary every day. Then you and your spouse and kids pray the Rosary together once a week. And then once at month invite another family or friends to share a meal with you and invite them to pray the Rosary with you.

Now, you may object thinking it is impossible to get your kids to pray the Rosary with you. I want you to think for a moment of all the important things you force your kids to do: personal hygiene, eat, homework, show up to practice, college applications, curfew…there are lots of important things you make your kids do because it is good for them.

Now, tell me which of those is more important or easier than sitting on the couch and praying this podcast once a week. They may not want to but it is easy – a lot easier than math homework or writing papers – and way more important. You may feel awkward inviting others to pray the Rosary with you. Ill take that up tomorrow.

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Now for couples without kids at home or those who live alone, you are still called to build a domestic Church.

Begin by praying the daily Rosary together. Then once a week invite someone to your home for a meal and the Rosary. Give them hospitality, feed them, talk with them and pray with them and build the Church in your home.

Your home is not your refuge against other people. Your time and your home are two of your most valuable resources you have to offer. It is the primary place to cultivate and build the Christian community.

How are you putting your time and your home at the service of building the Kingdom of God in souls.

To some degree we all fall into the trap of building a religion of comfort and privacy in our home. But if we create a private home and a private faith based on our comfort – our faith will wither and die.

Why? Because the Christian life is about friendship with God and friendship with others. And friendship takes time together, sharing life with others, good conversations, availability and prayer.

In that letter St John Paul said the Christian life is about charity – that means a life inspired and guided by the law of free giving which takes the form of heartfelt acceptance, sharing life with others, good conversations, availability, generous service and deep solidarity.  

But if life is based around yourself, creating a private world of your own so you can live as you like and not be bothered rather than this fee giving – then you will wither and die.

The law of free giving, hospitality and prayer is the way to true meaning and joy.