x Close
World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
In the Gospel of Matthew, following the genealogy of Christ, we are introduced to Joseph. Let me share with you a remarkable story I once came across, a story of courage, trust, and unseen protection.
Share
Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
We all know what a dilemma is. It is a perplexing situation in which a choice has to be made between two or more desirable or undesirable alternatives. Going by that definition, it may be said that it is a choice of the best among the better or worse. Facing dilemmas is like going to a restaurant with an enormous menu. You spend ages deciding between two dishes, only to blurt out “I’ll have the usual” when the waiter or waitress takes your orders! In Matthew's Gospel, the chief priests and the elders find themselves in that exact type of situation. They challenge Jesus’ authority but, in turn, find themselves challenged and in a dilemma about how to answer that question of Jesus. So, they end up choosing the worst of the worst alternatives with that reply: We do not know. Or, in simple terms, no comment.
Share
Brief and contemporary inspiration focused on hope and family prayer will be delivered to your inbox! Articles include live video, written word, and links to resources that will lead you and your family deeper into faith.
Healing the family | Return to the Church
Many of us have encountered the acronym "RSVP" countless times in invitations for various social or religious events such as marriages, baptisms, birthdays, and wedding anniversaries. RSVP is an abbreviation for "Répondez S'il Vous Plaît," in French, which translates to "Reply if you please." The purpose of RSVP is to let the person sending the invitation know whether you accept or decline the invitation. Today, Jesus, the King of all Hearts, offers us a powerful and comforting invitation: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened..." (Mt 11:28). Every invitation contains essential elements: who it is from, who it is to, what it entails, and when it is offered. Let us examine these aspects of the Lord's invitation.
Share
Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
Today, we celebrate a profound mystery of our faith: Mary's Immaculate Conception. From the moment of her conception, she was preserved from original sin and chosen by God to bear His Son, Jesus Christ. Mary was uniquely prepared not just to carry Jesus in her womb but to live her entire life as a vessel of God's grace. But this feast isn't just about Mary. It's about us, too. Think about that for a moment: God didn't just choose Mary. He chose us, too. Saint Paul reminds us, "In Him, we were also chosen" (Ephesians 1:11). Because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, every one of us is invited to carry Him in our hearts and to bear Him into the world.
Share
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
There’s something powerful about discovering the extraordinary in the ordinary. I once heard a story of a man who moved to a new town and visited a nearby church. While admiring the beautiful stained-glass windows, he noticed an unusual phrase. One of the windows bore the words: “Glory to God in the Highest.” But the letter "E" in “Highest” was missing, leaving the phrase to read: “Glory to God in the High St!” This unexpected twist made him pause and reflect. High Street was the name of the street where he lived. He realized this was a message for him—he was being called to glorify God, not somewhere far away, but in his own neighborhood, on High Street, in the small, daily acts of his life.
Share
Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
The Nicene Creed, which we pronounce on Sundays during the Mass or on other solemnities, is also called the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. This Creed is a deep and powerful statement of Christian faith. It is accepted by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and some Protestant churches. This Creed was created and adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The council wasn’t just a gathering of scholars debating theology; it was a holy assembly of people who had suffered greatly for their faith. Many of the approximately 318 bishops present bore the marks of intense persecution—missing eyes, maimed hands, or limping from injuries inflicted during the reigns of emperors Diocletian and Maximian. These visible scars led Theodoret, an ancient writer, to describe the council as “an assembled living army of martyrs.”
Share
