| Is the Christian retreat to the hermitage of home | | | | into a worldly image. These communities not |
| life an abandonment of the evangelistic duty (Mt | | | | only provide stability, but also are carving a niche |
| 28:19) of the Church?... | | | | in the economy such that the secular world takes |
| Working at home and schooling at home are two | | | | notice, especially advertisers and marketers. A |
| identifiable trends of the emerging North American | | | | quick look at the online world of working at home |
| Christian culture in the new millennium, perhaps for | | | | and schooling at home will yield a plethora of ads |
| similar reasons. The school at home families | | | | encroaching on all sides of these web |
| want more control over the doctrines and the | | | | communities. The consistent abundance of these |
| environment that their children are subjected to | | | | ads on these sites is a strong indicator of a firm |
| while the work at home families want to divest | | | | market. So, the secular world is taking notice |
| from companies with highly questionable business | | | | and the opportunities for evangelizing are growing |
| ethics. This raises some serious questions for | | | | as fast as the ad space is. In fact, every ad is a |
| the future of Christ’s faithful. Is the | | | | tiny affirmation of our presence in the world. |
| Christian retreat to the hermitage of home life an | | | | With credibility like that we should have no trouble |
| abandonment of the evangelistic duty (Mt 28:19) | | | | viewing our interactions in our work at home |
| of the Church? Is the scholastic sequestering of | | | | marketplaces and our school at home support |
| our children going to shortchange their | | | | groups as chances for evangelization. It makes |
| communication skills with the modern and still | | | | for interesting conversation at parties too. As |
| highly secular world? The way to handle these | | | | any school at home parent will tell you, they have |
| problems can be found in the Holy Bible. | | | | often had to defend their position. And every |
| Jesus’ prayer for us in the garden of | | | | work at home parent will tell you that parties |
| Gethsemane was that we should not be removed | | | | make great business opportunities. |
| from the world but that we should be one so | | | | What might at first seem like a retreat is really |
| that the world would know that the Father sent | | | | just regrouping to consider a new plan. What |
| Jesus out of love for us (Jn 17:16-23). He also | | | | started as a safe place to raise children is fast |
| prayed at that time that although He called us out | | | | becoming the frontline in the battle to maintain |
| of the world we are no more belong to the world | | | | Christian and true family values. This living |
| than He does, which is where we gain our | | | | testimony given by our example is a large part of |
| understanding that we are to be in the world with | | | | the new evangelization. So take heart and be |
| out being of the world. | | | | reassured that your house, whether it’s |
| That’s why communities both off and | | | | acting as your office, your school, your home, or |
| online have developed in support of families who | | | | all of these is not a bushel you’re hiding the |
| make the school and work at home choices | | | | light of your faith under. It’s part of the |
| every day. They help us maintain our identity as | | | | shining city on a hill. |
| an image of God and keep us from being made | | | | |