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The Domestic Church Part I:
The Family as Priest, Prophet and King
by Brian
Since the Catholic family has such an important role to play within the Church and society, I thought I would take a brief look at how the family shares in the three-fold mission of Jesus Christ as priest, prophet and king.
The Family as Priest
The family shares in the priestly mission of Jesus through the reception of the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Eucharist, the source and summit of Christian life, will help the family grow in sanctity, while the Sacrament of Reconciliation restores the family's relationship with God and with one another.
Along with receiving the sacraments the family is called to be a community of prayer. What type of prayer should the family embrace? According to Church documents the prayer of the family is the most Holy Rosary. Every Pope from Leo XIII to John Paul II has recommended that the family pray the rosary together.
Lastly, the family is called to offer spiritual sacrifices to Our Lord. This simply means that the work we do, whether it be great or little, can be offered to Our Lord for His glory and the salvation of souls.
The Family as Prophet
The family is called to "welcome and announce" the Gospel message. Like the Church, the family must constantly be "evangelized" and "evangelizing". This means the Gospel message must be put into practice within the home and carried to others outside the home, especially other families and the "unchurched". Our actions, even more than our words, can be more effective in reaching those who have no other means of hearing the Gospel. As Pope John Paul II mentioned in an address in 1979 "…the future of evangelization in great part depends on the Church of the home".
The Family as King
Through this office the family is called to follow the second half of the greatest commandment "love your neighbor". The family, like a king, is called to serve. Service is a form of charity, which must dwell within the home and be practiced outside it, especially through "hospitality" and helping those in need.
St. Alphonsus Ligouri saw a deep connection between the love of God and love of neighbor. In one of his works he quotes St. Catherine of Genoa who had this to say about charity: "If you want to know how much a person loves God, see how much he loves his neighbor." Love of God and love of neighbor go hand in hand. As St. John says in his first letter "…for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." (1Jn.4:20).
The family as the domestic church is called to be priest, prophet and king. Through prayer, evangelization, and charity the Catholic family can participate in the new evangelization and help contribute to the restoration of our society and culture.
"The future of the world and the Church passes through the family." (Pope John Paul II)
"Holy Family of Nazareth, bless & protect our families!"