The Liturgy of the Land: Cultivating a Catholic Homestead Book Review
Review of the book The Liturgy of the Land: Cultivating a Catholic Homestead by Jason M. Craig and Thomas D. Van Horn
I am excited to share with you The Liturgy of the Land: Cultivating a Catholic Homestead by Jason M. Craig and Thomas D. Van Horn. I eagerly waited for my copy of it to arrive, and when it arrived . . . as soon as my husband saw it, he started reading it before I had even cracked it open! But, he kindly left it at home for me to read when he went to work instead of taking it with him.
Who are the authors of The Liturgy of the Land?
In The Liturgy of the Land Catholic homesteaders Jason M. Craig and Thomas D. Van Horn share with readers the beauty of family life working together and being more in tune with God. As a family in modern society, we all tend to be going in different directions and at different speeds. Sometimes even away from each other and from God.
God called Adam and Eve, our first parents, to tend to the Garden of Eden. They also had a close relationship with God. The Liturgy of the Land talks about how living as homesteaders helps a family get back to a closer relationship with God and each other, prioritizing life in a different way than our culture does.
The book is beautifully illustrated, showing the day-to-day life and experiences of the authors and their families. We can learn from them about the ideas they had starting out, how they have grown through their experiences as homesteaders, and how their faith is an important part of their journeys.
What is The Liturgy of the Land about?
The Liturgy of the Land looks at homesteading from many facets: what it is, and how it impacts work, family life, faith, and our food. Looking at homesteading from a Catholic perspective, the book works to communicate, “the connection between our life working in nature and our life in God.”
How is homesteading related to our Catholic faith?
The authors share how getting back to the basics of the land in homesteading helps us as creatures of God to understand God better and cultivate a deeper relationship with Him.
Living in tune with the seasons and cultivating the land, we understand the rhythm of life in a new way. “It is by the cultivation of nature that we are brought into proximity and intimacy with the cultivation of faith and virtue.”
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Learning to appreciate God more
When we scale back from the business of all modern life tries to draw us into, we look more to God and can notice how He provides all we need. We can appreciate God more when we notice His goodness in the world and in nature.
“What a homesteader learns as he experiences the goodness and fruitfulness of nature is that the world is indeed abundant.” This helps us to then trust in God to provide all we need. It also helps us to notice the difference between needs and wants.
I could keep quoting this wonderful book, but it is best to read and enjoy it yourself. You will be able to savor the words and think about the messages the authors convey. In a world that prioritizes fast-paced life, families only communicating over the dinner table weekly, and convenience over slowing down, contentment, family unity, and being in tune with God and others, The Liturgy of the Land is a breath of fresh air. I highly recommend it.
Taking the next steps
The first part of The Liturgy of the Land discusses homesteading and its relationship to God. Part two is for those discerning beginning to homestead or expanding their homestead endeavors. The authors share a variety of enterprises one might consider.
From produce to eggs to animals to forestry, the authors break down each enterprise into different aspects so you can get a more accurate picture of what each one would take to implement. They discuss the time requirements, expenses, cash value, acreage requirements, production expenses, family friendliness, and much more for each enterprise they mention.
The Liturgy of the Land is a great book for …
The Liturgy of the Land is a great book for those who are looking to live a more intentional life in their relationship with God and the land. It not only dives into what this means as a Catholic person but has practical ideas and information for those discerning living more in tune with God, their families, and the land in a homesteading lifestyle.
The Liturgy of the Land by Jason Craig and Thomas Van Horn is in both print and e-book formats:
Tan Books: The Liturgy of the Land print edition
Amazon: The Liturgy of the Land: print OR The Liturgy of the Land e-book
Learn more about The Liturgy of the Land
To learn about how The Liturgy of the Land came to be and more about the ideas discussed in the book, be sure to watch this informative interview with coauthor Jason Craig.
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