What does the tremendous popularity of home improvement and renovation TV programs indicate to you? Obviously people like to live in nice homes, but I also think they are popular because we want homes that are inviting to people who enter them. It's infinitely more important that our homes be places of love and support rather than have nice furnishings, but aesthetics help provide a warm invitation. Think of our parish in the same way--a place of love and support that is inviting to people who visit. My prayer is that we continue to work with the Holy Spirit to make our parish a home that invites people to enter as guests and they stay as active family members.
Our parish is a home into which we should be very eager to invite guests. On television, homes undergo an extreme make-over so they are aesthetically pleasing. The incredible thing about our parish home is that those who enter it undergo a make-over as well. It's called conversion. Through our conscious participation in the life of the parish we are converted more fully into the image of God. That's how our lives become beautiful and inviting. It's the best make-over anyone will ever get, so consider inviting a friend to our home!