When decorating a home, we may not always think of hanging sacred art on any of its walls. It simply never crosses our mind, other than maybe placing a single crucifix in the entire home.
This is unfortunate, as there are numerous spiritual benefits to having sacred art displayed in each of our rooms.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms the primary role of sacred art in our prayer lives.
Sacred art is true and beautiful when its form corresponds to its particular vocation: evoking and glorifying, in faith and adoration, the transcendent mystery of God – the surpassing invisible beauty of truth and love visible in Christ, who “reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature,” in whom “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” This spiritual beauty of God is reflected in the most holy Virgin Mother of God, the angels, and saints. Genuine sacred art draws man to adoration, to prayer, and to the love of God, Creator and Savior, the Holy One and Sanctifier. (CCC 2502)
Having sacred art in the home makes it into a “domestic church,” where we can constantly praise God for the blessings he has given to us.
Fr. Francis Xavier Lasance echoes these sentiments in his My Prayer Book.
A room with good Catholic pictures in it and without such pictures differ as much as a room with windows and one without those necessities. [Sacred pictures] are consolers of loneliness, and a relief to the troubled mind. They are windows to the imprisoned heart, books, histories, sermons which we can read without the trouble of turning over the leaves or straining the eyes. They make up for the want of many other enjoyments to those whose life is mostly passed amid the smoke and din, the bustle and noise of a large city. Pictures of Our Lord and His saints inspire us, give us courage, and induce us to bear our cross with Christian resignation.
If you are able, consider adorning your home with good, holy pictures of Jesus, the Bible and the saints. Especially as we spend more time in our homes, may they become little churches, where we are always reminded of God and his goodness to us.
And today we celebrate...