Making Space for Christ: From the Heart to the Home

Jun 2

Space is one of Reform’s nine wellness pillars. A simple way to begin is by creating space in your home, physically and spiritually so that Christ can be central in our lives.

Have you ever walked into someone’s home and instantly felt welcome? Or alternatively, walked in and felt overwhelmed? Our material possessions and physical surroundings impact our health and sense of well-being. External clutter causes internal chaos; our bodies, minds, and souls crave order. When our homes are in order, our hearts can be more open and intentional in living for the Lord.

Here are a few simple ways to begin creating space right at home:

Create a Home for Everything: A first step in creating order in our homes is to go through belongings, clothes, storage and pantry items and identify their purpose and location in your physical home. If you cannot find a “home” for the object or purpose, it likely doesn’t need to be there and could be a gift or donation to another. As St. Thomas Aquinas says, "Peace is the enjoyment of order." We invite you to reflect: “Does this item support a Christ-centered life?”
Simplify Your Closet: Building a capsule closet is a great way to simplify our closets and to create more space for our Creator to dwell in our hearts and minds. To do so, choose a few staple pieces of clothing for your current season, foundational pieces that can be worn again and again. We invite you to reflect: “Is my closet Christ-centered? Do the ‘vestments’ I wear honor the Lord and the dignity of my body?” Find staples that fit not only the activities that fill your calendar but your commitment to Christ-centered living.
Poverty Check: The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFRs) have a beautiful practice of a “poverty check” each month. This is in an effort to release the things of this world that we often grasp onto and get in our way of really embracing and pursuing our relationship with the Lord. It is a simple practice in which you consider your home, your calendar, your pantry, your closet, your email, and most importantly your heart and mind to see where you are holding onto things unnecessarily. The Father of all creation loves to shower His children with His abundance, His love, and His mercy, especially in their poverty! We invite you to reflect: What is no longer essential?
Tend to Your Spiritual Home: Not only do we have physical spaces that we call home, but we also have our eternal home: Heaven. Our souls are made for eternity. St. Augustine makes this clear when he said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord.” We find ourselves cleaning our physical homes often, but we invite you to spend time decluttering and cleaning out your soul by praying through an examination of conscience and going to confession regularly. The sacrament of reconciliation allows us to create new space in our hearts for Him to dwell within us. We invite you to reflect: What is the state of my spiritual home?
Consecrate Your Home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: The month of June is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, along with the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Among the many pious customs involving the Sacred Heart is a traditional “enthronement” of the Sacred Heart (namely, a consecration of your house and heart to Jesus). In particular, as Jesus promised through St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, “I will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.” Over the years the Church has developed various types of enthronements that make the placing of an image of Christ’s Sacred Heart and Mary’s Immaculate Heart a more formal and spiritual event. Whatever method you use to dedicate your home to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart, the emphasis should be placed on spiritual preparation. (It is much more significant than simply hanging a picture of Jesus on a random wall.) We invite you to join your heart to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary so that you, your home, and your family are one with Him in all things.

By intentionally creating space for Christ to remain at the center of our hearts and homes, we become more available to receive His grace in everyday life and to welcome and love those around us. We invite you to pray about how the Lord is asking you to create space for Him this month and to allow Him to enter your life in a new way. By intentionally consecrating your physical and spiritual dwelling spaces to His Heart, may you experience the fullness of His love and mercy for you.

Act of Consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I consecrate myself and my whole family to You. I consecrate to You my very being and my whole life, all that I am, all that I have, and all that I love. To You I give my body, my heart, and my soul. To You I dedicate my home and my country. Mindful of this consecration, I now promise You to live a Christian way of life by the practice of virtue.

O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, accept this act of consecration, which I make out of pure love for You.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Your merciful Heart!

Amen.