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Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
We are in a new phase of Lent. There is no longer a focus on penance but on promise. The Prophet Isaiah describes God's promise to Israel. During the Babylonian exile, Israel felt that God had forgotten them because of their grievous sin. They believed God had "kicked them to the curb" or "thrown them under the bus." God uses colorful figures of speech to reassure them of His love despite the discipline He had enforced.
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Today, we turn to the story in John 4, where Jesus encounters a desperate nobleman. This man's world is crumbling–his son lies deathly ill at Capernaum while Jesus remains in Cana. The nobleman pleads, "Sir, come down before my son dies!" These words, "come down," become a powerful refrain in this story.
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Lent activities | Sunday Gospel Activities | family prayer
Saints have been painted in bright colors because they were great leaders: kings, queens, emperors, knights in shining armor, even generals of armies like Joan of Arc, or brightly robed bishops, popes, and abbots. When you look at the choirs of saints in heaven, you are dazzled by all the color, all the talent, and all the most incredible human and holy accomplishments. When it comes to Saint Joseph — what dazzling colors do we find for him? No red of martyrs, no gold of world leaders, no pulpit of great preachers, no scroll of great authors. No, just a small workshop, a little hut with a battered shingle over the door that says: "Joseph and Son, Carpenters."
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Family Activities | Gospel Reflection | family life | family prayer
Dad: "Kids, it’s time for bed." Kids: "Throw us in bed! Dad, throw us in bed!" (Dad picks a kid up in his arms.) Dad: "Did I ever tell you about the three men in the book of Daniel who were thrown into the fiery furnace?" Kids: "No!" Dad: "Their names were... Shadrach... Meshach... and ToBedYouGo!" We can sometimes feel as if we too have been cast into the furnace; just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The fiery furnace is something we all come across in our lives. Not just once, but many times.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
Last weekend in the NFL, the Buffalo Bills faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in frigid conditions with temperatures around 17 degrees in heavy snow and high wind gusts. In another game, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Miami Dolphins in Kansas City, where the temperature was a bone-chilling negative 4 degrees with a wind chill of negative 27. There is an undeniable allure to sports that attracts crowds from all strata of life.
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Today, I would like to share a touching and inspiring story that reflects the essence of today’s reading. It is a story that reminds us of the importance of putting the well-being of others before rigid principles, a lesson we can draw from the actions of a charitable Protestant couple during the challenging times of World War II.
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