Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do…but how much love we put into that action. –Saint Mother Teresa
Review and Comments
Well, here we are. However many weeks of being at home. However many weeks of trying to figure out this slightly new way of living. This year started out a little crazy with life and has gotten progressively more crazy, which hopefully excuses me from my lack of book reviews. But I am back and trying to make a valiant effort in forging ahead.
Theology of the Home was a Christmas gift and I devoured it right away, but it was not quite what I expected. Upon first glance, the book seems to be a type of home design book, but it is so much more than that. While it is full of absolutely gorgeous photographs of even incredibly impressive homes, it breaks apart the home and discusses at length the importance of each individual part.
Interspersed with personal stories, the book discusses our Catholic faith and how it can be present in each spot and with each task that must be accomplished within our homes. All of the aspects of where we live come back to that feeling of “home” and how it implants in us the desire to spread the love of God with the rest of the world.
I love the book for what it is. For those of us caught up in the cyclical day to day, it is a wonderful reminder that what we do behind the walls of our homes, the things that no one sees, will eventually reach the rest of the world.
I love that it begs us to invite others, despite the condition of our homes, to serve, nourish, and comfort. These feelings that begin with our families spill out into the world.
It provides a hope beyond household design, a hope beyond accomplishment, and a place to rest and love.
Perhaps, while we are in our homes this long period in our lives, we can begin to look at it a little differently with the help of this book. By applying the beauty of our faith to the everyday beauty of our homes, we can hope to reach the multitudes.
Additional Reading/Information
- Watch a preview of the book
- Read “Tools for Building a Domestic Church” from the USCCB website for some practical tips.
- Read Kendra Tierney’s Catholic All Year Compendium. You can read our review here.