The Castle, God, and the Meaning of Home – A Spiritual Reflection

Justin Uzabeaga
May 27
3 min read

Revised Video Transcript - Fr Justin Uzabeaga MGL

🏡 Make Yourself at Home – What Does It Really Mean?

When someone says, "Make yourself at home," what do they really mean?

Often, it’s a way of saying: Feel comfortable. Relax. Help yourself—go to the fridge, kick off your shoes, and be at ease. It’s an invitation into intimacy, into trust. But beneath that simple phrase lies something much deeper.

There’s a scene in the beloved Australian comedy The Castle, directed by Rob Sitch, that powerfully illustrates this. The main character, Daryl Kerrigan, is an ordinary man whose home is threatened by a corporation seeking to expand the nearby airport. They offer him money—a good price, in fact. But no matter what they offer, he refuses.

Why? Because for Daryl, home is not something you can buy.

As he says (paraphrased):

"You can acquire a house, but you can't acquire a home… because a home is not built on bricks and mortar, but on love and memories."

What a beautiful quote. A house is just a structure. But a home is something sacred. It’s the shared meals, the laughter, the photos on the wall, the quiet moments, and the relationships that make it alive.

🕊️ Making God at Home

In the Gospel reading today, we hear Jesus speak about making His home in us. What does that mean? How can God make His home within us?

Scripture tells us:

“If anyone keeps my word, my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23)

This is the promise of the Holy Spirit. At baptism, we are given the Spirit of God—fully, definitively. Christ dwells in us. But here's the real question:

Are we making Him at home?

Are we living in virtue? Are we praying, listening, and allowing God to transform us? Are we inviting Him to truly dwell within us?

🤔 “But I Didn’t Feel Anything…”

I often ask people, especially after baptism or a spiritual event, “How did it feel?”Some say, “It was amazing!”Others say, “Honestly, I didn’t feel anything.”

But the truth is, it’s not about feelings. The Spirit has been given. The deeper question is:

Are we nurturing that gift? Are we making space for God to be at home in us?

Through faith, through prayer, through obedience, we open the door for Him to move more freely in our hearts—guiding, healing, and shaping us.

🌍 Citizens of Heaven

Did you know the word "parish" comes from the Greek paroikia, meaning sojourners in a foreign land?

The early Christians knew:

This world is not our final home.We are citizens of heaven. Our journey here is temporary, but our eternal home is with God.

The book of Revelation paints a stunning picture of that home:

“God will dwell with them… He will wipe every tear from their eyes… There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”(Revelation 21:3-4)

We long for that place. But even now, we can taste it—when we let God dwell deeply within us.

🛐 A Simple Invitation

So today, I encourage you to pray:

“God, I invite You to be ever more at home in my heart. I surrender to You. Anything in me that is not of You—my habits, my desires, my sins—transform it, Lord. Let me be in deep, intimate relationship with You. Make Yourself at home in me.”

And especially through the sacraments—don’t let them pass you by. See the wonder in them. Recognize that God is drawing you deeper into His presence in ways more profound than we can comprehend.