HOME – THE MOST SACRED SANCTUARY

by: Norberto Betita

The house is only an ordinary building structure when nobody dwells. It is only when utilized as an abode of a growing family that the house becomes a home. This family dwelling may be a mansion of luxury, or an expensive condominium or single housing unit, or a semi-expensive brick-house, or a simple to medium residential unit, or a row-house, or a log cabin, or a bamboo and “nipa” hut. The structural composition and architectural appearance, and location of the home do not make it sacred. It is the moral structure and spiritual character of the family that contribute much to making the home a sacred sanctuary. If all will try, every home can be just as sacred as all others.  

Why do I have to say that the home is the most sacred sanctuary?

When the first child is born all loving attention, wonderful dreams and visions start to flow into the family. Priorities are realigned. Moral and spiritual structures are improved. Family happiness becomes paramount. As children grow in number the challenge increases and the desire to maintain family joy and gladness develops into a more permanent goal. These children are taught even from the time of infancy the best first lessons of life---morals and righteousness. The home then starts its God given and most sacred role as the first nursery, the first kindergarten, the first school. It is in the home that the first principles of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ are taught. It is in this sacred sanctuary that prayer, love, charity, obedience, choice and accountability, reverence to God and His work where children find firsthand learning. Nowhere can we find a place that each family member stands taller as they kneel together in daily prayer to their Maker. Never a place can we locate where children enjoy reading the scriptures daily than in the home. The home is the first place where children learn right and wrong and the consequences of their choices. There is no better place for a growing teenager to receive the best counsel and inspired direction but only in this blessed and most sacred sanctuary. Answers to personal and family prayers are generally revealed in the home. The churches and schools contribute much to the morality of children and youth. But it can never diminish or replace parental responsibility and the sanctity of the home.

Building the home into a most sacred sanctuary is a role that every parents are divinely appointed to perform. These parents maybe the most prominent or the least known in the community they reside, it does not matter. I know of a friend who has five children---four daughters and a son. When these children were born and growing he was earning a living as a peddler of home utensils. As he grows older and the children are in high school, he lost his small business and shifted to raising a breeding boar for rent. The shift was difficult but he struggled, finally sending three of his children in college. His wife was a full-time mother and together they taught their children to live righteous lives. In his limited capacity and meagre resources, he was called and voluntarily served as presiding authority of a branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He has since served in various capacities faithfully. Now all his five children are married and living simple but righteous lives. All are in church service. What makes the family far from common is that despite that all have their own family and separate homes, they regularly come together in his most humble little home to do wholesome family activities together, remembering the days of childhood and adolescence. But even more, they have missed the wonderful memories of the old and most sacred family sanctuary.

Exactly like my good friend I also have five children of my own---four daughters and a son. I also have my own share of the difficulties of life when I started my family. In my early days my wife and I have one single ideal which is continually directed to guiding our children into the paths of righteousness and to prepare them to live lives of virtue and holiness. Learning correct principles from the canon of scriptures and voices of the prophets and apostles are part of their daily menu of spiritual food. Starting from a rented single room where we once reside and on to a wooden house in a squatters’ area, and finally at our own permanent humble home, we made them feel that such dwellings---the home, is a sacred place of refuge for them from whatever storms they may encounter in life. All along their growing years they have honoured the moral and spiritual learning they have gained at home. Now four of them are married and have children of their own. They all have served and are serving in different capacities in the church. Yes, they were never excused from the trials of life. When experiencing life’s storms they never fail to come back and find shelter at the most sacred sanctuary they once knew---our home. They always feel safe, even our grandchildren.

On occasions I would be awakened in the stillness of the night while sleeping crowdedly with my wife, daughter and grandchildren in our small living room. As I sat on a chair and stare at them sleeping like logs despite the uncomfortable condition, my heart is filled with sincere gratitude that in my lifetime I have built a safe and sacred haven for my children and posterity.

My life may have a few remaining stride to walk on in this journey. The hastening tide of life’s lonely trek often jogs my memory to the brilliant and dynamic experiences of the friendly past. I am reawakened to vivid reflections of the wonders of vibrant spiritual gatherings we do together as a family while the children are young and growing in venues simple, the sacred sanctuary of home. Our family training of those passing days transmit clear and profound motivating legacies of lessons learned as they ring anew into our weary mind and soul, bringing each to a realization that the home is indeed a blessed and most sacred sanctuary.