World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Strengthening family unity | Why pray?
Saint Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews uses the metaphor of running the race of life to Heaven. Way back in the 70’s not many adults ran or jogged in races, that is until marathon runners like Bill Rogers and Jim Fix made it popular for everyday people of all ages to go out for a jog or run. I was a young teenager when this was going on and because my family was into playing and attending sports, we used to attend the Boston Marathon each spring up on heart-break hill, the most challenging part of the course.
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Saint Paul was a man of action. For years he persecuted those who followed the teachings of Jesus until his conversion on the road to Damascus. Then once Jesus spoke to Him and opened his eyes to the truth of Jesus, he became a man on a mission, not just for the salvation of his soul, but every soul that he could evangelize.
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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 | Why pray?
Yesterday, I asked several of my co-workers a question about the Our Father prayer. I asked each of them when you pray the words: “…thy Kingdom come thy will be done and earth as it is in heaven…”—what does the part “thy will be done” make you think of? Three people said in so many words: I think about God having a plan. Each of them finds a sense of peace and reassurance in knowing that God has it all figured out. So, what do you think about when you say to God the Father: “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” ---what comes into your mind? What are you or I signing onto when we make that prayer?
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Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
The Holy Father has proclaimed 2025 a Jubilee Year, a sacred time of renewal, reflection, and grace celebrated every 25 years. This year's theme is "Pilgrims of Hope," which invites all Catholics to embark on a journey of faith and transformation. Today, we're called to reflect and pray for all those involved in the World of Communications. Traditionally, this involved radio, television, newspapers, and magazines. Now, the world of communications has exploded to include the digital world, allowing people to communicate with people worldwide who share their particular interests.
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On January 23, we remember and pray to Saint Marianne Cope, a religious of the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York. Sister Cope served as a principal and teacher in New York schools and helped establish two Catholic hospitals. From there, she went to Hawaii to serve the lepers of Molokai, where she met and assisted Saint Damien for thirty-five years.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
Certain readings cause me to have some trepidation when said in mixed company—and by mixed company, I mean people with Boston accents and those without. The words “harden not your hearts” are not only a challenge for some people to say, but they are also something we all need to guard against. Fidelity to God, belief in God, is something that we all can agree is how we are made to live. However, as we hear in Holy Scripture and may personally experience, we don’t always remain faithful to God as we should.
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