Our Home Shrine – Heart of Our Domestic Church

Folks, I must confess that ever since I was a youth I always had a space dedicated to the Lord, a “holy table” or “special wall” that would make me pause and reflect, even pray. At the times of my greatest unfaithfulness the space would disappear, I would take it down not to be reminded of the Lord. In those times I fled from Him as Jonah, refusing to know as Jonah refused that one can’t really flee God, particularly if one has already been touched by Him.

But I digress. Every time I returned to the Lord I would rebuild the sacred space. By His grace I haven’t run from Him in quite some time, despite circumstances that would have pushed my weaker self to flee before. The sacred space has reached an intriguing permanence and reflects what I think what is the current state of my mature faith. Here are some pictures:

Let me also say that the table is a real Catholic Church altar, or technically, “former altar” that was “deblessed” and thrown in the garbage after years of faithful service as a table of sacrifice. A friend and I rescued it and gave it a new lease of life.

The strip below shows pictures of the individual objects of my home altar. Click on any picture to see it larger.

 

The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council had this to say about the family as the “domestic church” in their Dogmatic Constitution On The Church, Lumen Gentium:

Finally, Christian spouses, in virtue of the sacrament of Matrimony, whereby they signify and partake of the mystery of that unity and fruitful love which exists between Christ and His Church,(108) help each other to attain to holiness in their married life and in the rearing and education of their children. By reason of their state and rank in life they have their own special gift among the people of God.(109) (7*) From the wedlock of Christians there comes the family, in which new citizens of human society are born, who by the grace of the Holy Spirit received in baptism are made children of God, thus perpetuating the people of God through the centuries. The family is, so to speak, the domestic church. In it parents should, by their word and example, be the first preachers of the faith to their children; they should encourage them in the vocation which is proper to each of them, fostering with special care vocation to a sacred state.

Dedicating a specially holy, sacred space in one’s home to the Lord Our God reminds us of all the events leading to our salvation and visibly confirms the presence of the Lord among and a focus for family prayer. It is in this domestic church where the father of the family realizes his baptismal priesthood in its best setting. I encourage all of you to dedicate a space of your home to the Lord, as you already dedicate your hearts to Him.

- Visit the Oblate Spring site to find out more about Prayer Corners, Home Shrines, Home Altars, Mary Gardens.

- Visit the Fish Eaters site to read more about The Domestic Church: The Catholic Home