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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Eucharist | Gospel Reflection | Jesus heals
I have a question: “What do you need to hear from Jesus today?” Some of us could answer immediately: "I want Jesus to tell me if my loved one will get better." For others, we’d want Jesus to tell us whether to look for another job or school. Or maybe it is the perennial question: “Jesus, how do I get my life back on track?” We all experience times when we know we have things to decide or manage, but life has become so overwhelming that we either don’t have the energy to engage or don’t know where to start. This is when we need family and friends, like the Deaf man in Mark's Gospel. It says right in the beginning, “And the people brought to Jesus a deaf man with a speech impediment and begged Him to lay His hand on him.” Even if you don’t have someone to bring you to Jesus, we can always call on the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to approach Jesus with the faith of that man’s friends.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
At some point in your life, you’ve probably heard the phrase, "No good deed goes unpunished.” Now, maybe that sounds cynical, but as most can attest, in today’s Gospel, there are times when you can be criticized for doing or at least attempting to help someone. In Jesus’ case, the scribes and the Pharisees were keeping a close watch on him…not to learn or be healed but to find a reason to accuse him of something. Once again, this took place on the Sabbath in a synagogue, and among those listening to Jesus' teaching was a man whose right hand was withered.
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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
When I thought and prayed about today’s readings, two bullet points came to mind. The first is that we are spiritual men and women and boys and girls. The second is that we have a Savior who has come to set us free from the power of evil and redeem us. To the first point, you may have had a conversation with someone who says they don’t go to church, but they’re “spiritual.” On one hand, you might feel badly that they are not connected to their parish or yours…and all that it offers. But there’s reason for hope.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Quite a few years ago, I walked into the restaurant's bar section to pick up a takeout meal. Several guys older than I was were sitting at the bar, and I said hello. I got a lukewarm response, but undaunted, I introduced myself and asked if they went to the nearby church. One of the guys said, “No way, Father.” I asked him why, and he responded, “Well, my brother, who is one of your ushers, is one of the biggest hypocrites I know, and he and I don’t get along.” …Being a new priest at the time, this was a new one. So I simply said, “I’m sorry to hear about your brother, but maybe you could come to a different Mass. Besides, we’re all works in progress.”
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I have a question for you: Who’s the most generous person you’ve ever met? For me, it’s my parents, and if you asked my Dad, he’d say my Mom. They didn’t have the money of Bill and Melinda Gates, but they gave what they had in a way that brought joy to people who needed to have their spirits raised by someone who remembered and cared about them.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Depending on the day, hour, and amount of coffee we have—we’re all subject to forgetting things and even people. But as we know, there are different levels. For instance, getting out of your car without your umbrella, forgetting where you put your keys, or being unable to recall an elementary classmate's name when you run into them at the coffee shop! Then there are the bigger items, like remembering your husband or wife’s or other loved ones' birthdays or your wedding anniversary. These situations have something in common—distraction and a focus on something (or someone) else.
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