Scripture reveals that God’s people are a family, and it’s no coincidence that God chose this image to explain His love for us and the love we should have for each other. In today’s world, Christian families have an incredible opportunity to be witnesses to the Gospel.
Some may not encounter priests or religious in ordinary life, but there are many more lay Christians in our society. The family, long called the domestic church, is of primary importance not only in evangelizing but also in handing down the faith to the next generation.
A recently published book, The Prodigal Church by Brandon McGinley, offers a bracing and practical “roadmap for renewal” of the Church today. Not surprisingly, much of the book focuses on the family home.
The family is “one of the most potent images of God’s love and the surest earthly representation of His relationship with His people,” McGinley writes. In his book, he gives many suggestions of ways that Christian families can fulfill their vocation.
But do families realize how important their witness can be? These inspiring quotations from Church teaching and from McGinley’s fascinating book remind us of how important the witness of Christian families really is. We hope they will encourage you in your vocation within your family home.
