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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
catholic family life | family prayer | pray the rosary
Both my husband and I were blessed to have grown up praying the Rosary with our families. Rain or shine, no matter what was happening, when it was time for the Rosary, all activities ceased, and we gathered to pray. My parents waited until we kids were older to have us join them in praying, so there were no toddlers present causing mayhem, and it was actually a peaceful rendition of a family Rosary. I’m not saying we would be on the front page of the Faith & Family magazine, but maybe somewhere near the back. Carrying On the Family Rosary with our Toddler With our upbringing, it was an easy habit for me and my husband to continue praying the Rosary when we started our journey as a young married couple. Now with a very active 18-month-old, the tranquility of our Rosary is — how shall we say — lessened. I have a feeling that Our Lord and the Blessed Mother share an amused glance when we begin our Rosary because it’s such a comedy routine these days. After dinner, one of us cleans the kitchen from all the gunk that has accumulated in the past 12 hours. The other one entertains our toddler with dominoes so she doesn’t run through the dirt piles that are being swept together in the kitchen. Both my husband and I are brain-dead at the end of our respective long days.
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The Lord uses the analogy of “the waiting” of an expectant mother and the going through the process of labor, to explain the experience of waiting for him during the time he will be away before the final establishment of the Kingdom of God.
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Learn more about our faith | Love thy Neighbor
In today’s Gospel, Jesus blesses as He departs and ascends. How wonderful God is that He would depart in a posture of blessing. At every mass, we offer Jesus back to the Father. And as the great offering ascends to the heavens, again we are blessed. Jesus departed to be received by the Father. To mount his throne in the heavens. Every mass, we are blessed to receive Jesus on the throne of our hands. As Jesus takes his place in heaven, He takes his place in our hearts.
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Some years ago, I visited a family I knew well in the parish right after their third child was born. The older two, aged four and six, were buzzing with excitement. The four-year-old daughter tugged at my sleeve and asked, “Father, how did the baby get in Mommy’s tummy?” Now, as you can imagine, the mother froze mid-diaper change. The father blinked, looked at me as if to say, You are the priest. You answer this one! But then the older child chimed in with great authority: “It’s okay. I already told her. God puts the baby in, and when it’s grown, the hospital gets it out.” And that was the end of the conversation to my consolation.
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Learn more about our faith | Love thy Neighbor
Let me begin with something every Indian, whether in Mumbai, Delhi, Dallas, or Denmark, knows deeply in their bones: no matter the crisis, there’s always a song and dance for it. In Indian cinema, if you have watched, characters break into song at the strangest moments. A couple just met five minutes ago? Suddenly they’re on top of the Alps, dancing in sync. The hero is heartbroken? Cue the sad violin on a rain-drenched street. A wedding is coming up? Get ready for six different dance numbers with matching costumes. Even we Indians laugh about it, but deep down, we also love it. Because these songs aren’t just music, they’re the language of the soul.
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family prayer | forming children of faith | pray the rosary
Prayer is difficult to explain and accomplish with squirming, young children. Mass can be an hour of tension trying to get little ones to sit still and be quiet, so much so that you have trouble listening or paying attention yourself. And trying to get through a whole Rosary with children can be frustrating. As a mother of adult children, I’d like to share three tips for praying with your children that worked for us when they were young. Encourage Personal Prayer at Bedtime When our oldest was very little, I made up a short prayer for us to say together every night while tucking him into bed. It was personal and pertinent to him, easy to remember, and taught him the key components of prayer: Awe, Thanksgiving, and Intercession. It went like this: “Thank you, Lord Jesus, for another fun day. Thank you for my health, my faith, and my family, especially Daddy, Mommy, [insert names of other loved ones]. Please help with [intention]. Amen.”
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