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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
March 13, 2013. The world watched with bated breath. White smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel. Habemus Papam! “We have a Pope.” But what followed next stunned the world—not just the announcement of the name Francis, but the gesture. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, newly elected Pope Francis, stepped onto the balcony, looked out at the massive crowd, thousands and thousands who had gathered there at Saint Peter’s square, and did something no pope had done before. He bowed to the crowd. He bowed...
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
Imagine walking into your kitchen early in the morning. You're still sleepy. The coffee hasn’t kicked in yet. And then, out of nowhere, your five-year-old grandson asks, “Grandma where do people go when they die?” You are taken aback, what to answer. That jolt — that shift from the ordinary to the eternal — is what this Gospel feels like Doing What is Rite In Jewish tradition, funeral rites were sacred and precise. The body of the deceased was wrapped in cloth, anointed with spices and quickly buried- usually before sunset. But the mourning for the dead person was not rushed. For three days, it was believed that the soul would travel close to the body. During this period when the tranquility of the earth allowed space for mourning and prayer, it was customary for family and close friends to visit the tomb, especially early in the morning.
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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.
Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
Have you ever walked into a kitchen hungry, and just after someone’s baked fresh bread or simmered a pot of soup on a cold day? The aroma hits you before a word is spoken. You feel warmth, welcome, love. In our homes, smells, scent and aroma carry meaning. They speak when words fail. In his article, The Fragrance of the Ointment, J.R. Miller says that the fragrance of Mary of Bethany's ointment that filled the house is a beautiful symbol of Mary's life. "She was not an active follower of Christ, except in her home and quiet daily life. She did not leave all and go with Him, as some other women and men did. Her name is not connected, even in tradition, with anything startling or great. Our first glimpse of her is her sitting at the Master's feet as a learner. Into her heart, she received the words of the Master, which were life to her. Like a handful of spices, they fell into her heart and transformed her life into radiant beauty."
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There’s a story told of a little boy who came home from school one day, upset and confused. His classmate had laughed at his lunch, the traditional food his mother had lovingly packed. Embarrassed, he asked her not to send it again. His mother, heartbroken, didn’t scold him. She simply sat with him and said, “Son, sometimes when you carry something different, people throw stones. But don’t drop it, because It’s your treasure that you are carrying.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus is once again under fire, not for breaking the law or causing riots, but for being Himself. He says, “I and the Father are one.” And immediately, the people around Him pick up stones to throw. Not just metaphorical ones, real stones, the kind that silences, punish, and erase.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Today’s reading from the book of the prophet Daniel is gripping — like something out of a courtroom drama. Two respected elders, full of deceit, attempt to destroy the reputation and life of a virtuous woman. Susanna is cornered not just by their lust but by the terrifying weight of injustice. Imagine this: a young girl, falsely accused, standing in the center of a circle, condemned by powerful men. Her voice is trembling, her hands shaking, but her heart is rooted in something unshakable — truth when truth hangs in the balance. And yet, she stands firm, even when no one believes her. She cries out not to the world but to God. And God hears. That’s Susanna’s story — truthfully, it could be ours, too. Susanna’s story is not ancient history. It’s happening every day — when character is questioned, when assumptions are made, and when the voices of the innocent are too soft to be heard over the noise of pride, gossip, and power.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Let me start with a question: Have you ever tried to walk into the ocean slowly? You start with your toes. It's cold. So, you wait. Then your ankles. Still bearable. Then to your knees, still ok. But then comes that dreaded moment, the wave crashes, and you’re suddenly soaked to your waist. Some laugh. Some run back to shore screaming. Some just dive in. Ezekiel had a vision a bit like that, we hear of water trickling out from the Temple—starting small, ankle-deep, then knee-deep, then waist-deep, and finally a river so vast no one could cross it. Wherever this water flowed, life bloomed. Trees bore fruit. Salt water turned fresh. Everything lived because of the water.
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