Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Sam Rocha

Home
Catholic
A House is Not a Home: Domestic Church and the Art of Homemaking

A House is Not a Home: Domestic Church and the Art of Homemaking

Last updated on: February 4, 2015 at 6:13 pm by Sam Rocha

A House is Not a Home: Domestic Church and the Art of Homemaking 2015-02-04T18:13:08-06:00 Sam Rocha

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This is part of the Patheos Catholic summer symposium, anticipating the Church’s “Synod for the Family” in October.

I write surrounded. By boxes. We are moving into our new place in Vancouver, British Columbia. This is the 14th move of my 31 years of life, excluding small and transitional moves.

I have now been a resident in three countries: the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

There is a process of thinking and way of being, an attitude and approach about the place where one lives, that becomes very intentional and clear when there is instability and flux. The experience of displacement can often create an even stronger sense of place. Home in absentia.

I don’t know where my body ought to be buried when I die: This is a nostalgic reduction, nostalgia for nostalgia.

But, as Luther Vandross croons, “A house is not a home.”

“Blessed are the poor.” The poor understand, often in a tragic but nonetheless beautiful way, what makes a home. If you are not poor and want to feel “at home,” let the poor host you, become their guest. Experience true hospitality.

A “homeless person” is a poor description. Houselessness is one thing, homelessness is another.

There are people who live in mansions who are homeless. There are those with no roof over their head, who are houseless, who have a rich and lasting home.

Jesus Christ, a wandering man who spent the night in the garden of Gethsemane, was not homeless — only houseless.

In another sense, we are all homeless. This is not our home. But there is room for both, and hope keeps the balance.

A home begins with people, not things. If you want to have a beautiful home, always begin with the person and the community of persons, try as best you can to keep the material and consumerist commodities at bay.

There can be a home without a house, just as there can be a Church without a church; the luxury of a material house is important, but begins with gratitude.

After gratitude, and grace, comes teaching: Catechesis through space and place, a domestic church.

Decorate your house, if you have one, with symbols and religious art, sure. But don’t forget about love, show that love in how the space is used and organized.

This is mystagogy: To sanctify one’s home to reflect and show fidelity to its most essential ecclesial function so as to teach.

Nothing fancy, but don’t make it up, let the liturgy guide you. Colors, mood, food, and time.

To “sanctify” is nothing more or less than to make holy. A sanctified dwelling is a home. Make your home today in imitation of the Church, first in your heart and the lives of those you love and hate (whom you must love), and take it into your house.

Our home is always already in love, and this love is what binds together, and transforms anew, the family.

Education

Liturgy

pastoral philosophy

philosophy of education

SYNOD

SYNOD FOR THE FAMILY

Previous Post

July 2, 2014

The July Experiment

Next Post

July 8, 2014 A Christian Case Against the Literal Reading of Scripture

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category aesthetics audio class notes conversation Education En Español Interviews jazz jazzhop link Liturgy Music Nonsense pastoral philosophy phenomenology Philosophy philosophy of education photo Poetry Political Theology quote Race regular Schooling Uncategorized video Weekly Apocalypse

Select a Month June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many books are in the Old Testament?

Select your answer to see how you score.

66 39 27 42