“Catechesis is the echo of the word of God”
— Pope Francis, January 2021
Whenever God says something to us, he asks us to “echo” it to those we love.
When he gave Israel the great commandment to “love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength,” he immediately followed with: “Take to heart these words which I command you today. Keep repeating them to your children” (Deuteronomy 6:7-8). In the same way, before Jesus ascended, he gave the Church the great commission to baptize and form disciples (see Matthew 28:19).
It’s in echoing the word of God that the word takes root in our hearts. Echoing the word of God isn’t just for the benefit of our family and friends. It’s also for us. Speaking about our faith makes it concrete and real. It creates the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to join us in communicating the love God intends for us.
It also makes us feel awkward. What am I supposed to say? How am I supposed to say it?
That is why our archdiocesan Marriage and Family Life team provides parents and grandparents a resource called “At Home with Faith,” which provides quick, easy ways we can share the faith with our families. The website includes weekly emails, social media and videos suggesting a simple but effective question to ask or thought to share, such as: “What did hearing the Parable of the Prodigal Son at Mass today make you think about how God feels about us?” Or: “I read Sunday’s Gospel passage from my Bible and then prayed about it for five minutes today. I don’t know why, but it felt like doing that made the whole day go better for me.”
The power of “At Home with Faith” isn’t in the cleverness of the words we say, but in the simple reminder and practical tools for sharing our faith.
It’s especially powerful when combined with the celebration of the Eucharist. Mass is an incredible spiritual experience, but we don’t always recognize it at the time. That’s OK. By letting “At Home with Faith” remind us to echo words of faith, we can help ensure that the words of Jesus take root in our families’ hearts.
Connect with ‘At Home with Faith’
Sign up for free weekly emails to help strengthen your family’s faith. Visit athomewithfaith.org, where you can also read the latest issue.