Cup of fresh, strongly brewed coffee, softly glowing lamp, cozy blanket, cardboard journal, curly-edged Magnificat (a monthly Catholic prayer aid), and the right side of the pilly, old couch in my living room. That is my prayer spot. Just thinking about this corner of my home and I can almost hear my name being called to nestle into the corner of the couch to sit with the Lord.
What does your prayer spot look like? Do you have a self-created sanctuary in your home?
The word sanctuary comes from old French and Latin words meaning a structure that has been set apart for worship or a sacred space. The small corner of my home that I described above is the unlabeled sacred space I create for myself in the morning. It’s the space where I start my day with God, in the quiet and calm of the early morning...and the aesthetics help!
This is where I am transformed.
There is physical warmth in the coffee and blanket. The soft, golden light of the lamp glow on my journal is like an invitation to come sit down to open up the day’s liturgical readings. To me, this is a place of beauty inviting me to rest with my Heavenly Father. It is simple, but it is where I am renewed and transformed.
PC: Susanna Bolle
Swiss theologian and Catholic writer, Hans urs von Balthasar said that
“Beauty works its way into our bones, into the sinews of our life, indelibly marking us, and then setting us off.”
This is similar to Bishop Robert Barron’s comment that
“Beauty is the arrowhead of evangelization, the point with which the evangelist pierces the minds and hearts of those he evangelizes.”
With this in mind, beauty is the launching pad for sending us out on mission. With just a little thought, time and intention, you can create a place of beauty; a sanctuary within your own home. Simple words from 19th century designer and writer William Morris have guided me.
He said,
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
These are words which I try to take to hear in my efforts to maintain a thoughtful home. They lead me to pause before buying the next new gadget. Instead of asking myself “Will this gadget help me save time?” I ask myself “is this gadget worth the time it will save me? What will I do with the time saved?”
Before I buy a piece of art I ask myself, “What does this call my mind and heart to? Do I find it to be beautiful and will it create peace in my home or contribute to clutter?”
What do you find to be beautiful?
What brings beauty to your life and calls you to Christ and thenceforth to mission? Think through the times in your day or your week during which you have felt most peaceful. Consider your surroundings during these moments. Is there a sigh, smell, or touch that stands out? This exercise may help you identify what is beautiful to you.
When you identify these things, you can use them to help you create your own peaceful place.
When writing about cooking, Joanna Gaines, owner and operator of Magnolia Home, wrote,
“I began to light a candle, turn on good music, and open the window by the sink. That little ritual set this time apart, and I began to look forward to it even more.”
What can you do to help you look forward to setting apart time with the Lord?
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