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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Holy lives of inspiration | Return to the Church | Saint Andre Bessette
Saint Joseph’s best friend and tireless disciple, Saint Andre, always said, "Go to Joseph. You have a powerful friend in heaven. He will never let you down." Brother Andre Bessette, born August 9, 1845, drew his last breath at 12:50 AM on January 6th, 1937. It was the feast of the Epiphany, but because of the holiday, no paper was published that day. The radio spread the news like the wind, and early that morning, all knew that the holy man who had founded Saint Joseph's Oratory had passed away. Before setting the date and time for the funeral, two rather unusual decisions were made earlier that morning. One was to preserve his heart; the other was not to embalm his body.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Return to the Church
As we have stepped into the New Year, we are reminded of the festive celebrations and activities that marked the past week. We’ve shared sweets, meals, laughter, and reflections on God’s Word. But as the celebrations subside, life begins to feel ordinary again. This transition can be dangerous, leading to laxity, a lack of enthusiasm, and a tendency to take things for granted.
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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.
Today, we stand at a great threshold—a doorway between the past and the future. As we close 2024, a year filled with joys and pains, triumphs and failures, we also prepare to step into 2025, carrying with us both our hopes and uncertainties. This moment invites us to reflect, give thanks, and renew our commitment to live in the light of Christ, who is the eternal Word.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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