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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
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We know that many Saints are remembered because of their piety, virtue, and devotions they practiced. It is not the same for Saint Jerome. Saint Jerome whose memorial we celebrate today, is known to have had a very bad temper. He could turn that temper into a vitriolic pen. He could write strong criticism to those who taught or advocated erroneous teachings. This is because he loved Jesus Christ. For him, those who were erroneous were enemies of truth and God.
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Today, we talk about something going viral! This is mostly on social media. For instance, if someone writes, “A man bites a dog.” Everyone is curious to ask who that person is. How is it possible for a person to bite a dog? But if we say a dog bites a man, the surprise won’t be the same. Now moving to the Gospel of today, Jesus' message, his works, and the works of his disciples have gone viral. Everyone must be speaking about them. However, this does not sound good for Herod the tetrarch. His forefathers had tried to stop Jesus even from the time of his birth and had failed. It is astonishing how Herod seems not to know Jesus. Even people within his court. People of the inner circle must have known Jesus or heard about him. But just to clarify how terrifying the truth might be, some were saying John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. Let us recall the main message of John the Baptist: Repent, prepare the way; the Kingdom of God is at Hand. Jesus comes, initiating the same kingdom. The reaction of Herod is justified because he feels threatened by another Kingdom. So, he affirms I beheaded John the Baptist, who is this I hear of? The scriptures say Herod asks, “Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
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Truth vs relativism? Morality, religious truths? As we heard yesterday St. Paul continues his apologetic teachings. He continues his kerygmatic, which is public proclamation and defense of Jesus' resurrection. The truth of the resurrection is the foundation of Christian faith. Christ's Resurrection is the strength, faith, hope, and ark for Christian faith. At Christ’s death, everything seemed to be lost. If He had not risen from the dead, as St. Paul asserts, we would be false witnesses, and our faith would be in vain. Perhaps, Christ would be perceived like any other Roman criminal. St. Paul gives us reason for faith anchored in Jesus' Resurrection. From scripture we find five reasons fitting for faith in Resurrection of Jesus (Thomas Aquinas).
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Today we commemorate the memorial of St. Augustine of Hippo, Bishop and Doctor of Church. This comes after we just celebrated his mother Monica yesterday. St. Augustine conversion life is highly attributed to the prayers of his mother. There are many things that we take from St. Augustine given his extensive wisdom on Theology, Philosophy and Scripture. Augustine born from North Africa, Algeria today, was baptized by St. Ambrose, and later became a bishop. There is a famous saying of him that, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in God.” This restlessness of not despair but of hope in waiting. Hope in doing all what is necessary, that we do not miss to be part of the wedding when the bridegroom comes. It is a calling to be alert, wise, and keep our lamp with oil always. The parable of ten virgins we heard was Jesus' teachings at Mt. Olive just few days before his arrest, and crucifixion. It is quite extensive, spiritually enlightening, and a warning of staying awake. In the Jewish wedding, it stretched for days. The bridegroom would come to the bride's home mostly after nightfall. The bridesmaids/virgins were required to meet the bridegroom on the road and escort him. Through the street the party would continue and so they needed lamps. Lacking a lamp and oil was a shame, failure and insult to the bridegroom.
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Charity is the center and heart of the Church’s social doctrine. Every responsibility and commitment is derived from charity. This is synthesis of the entire law as Jesus teaches us. This is built in real substance of personal relationship with God and neighbor. This is a relationship that stems from the family and small groups to social, economic and political wellness. We know the condition to love God comes to us because HE himself is love and everything has origin in God’s love. All goodness in us is shaped by this reality and everything of and for love is directed towards God alone. As Jesus today reminds us that love of God and neighbor summarizes everything we can know from God’s commandments. Charity is the love we receive from God and give it out.
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Strongest stories in our families are built from certain landmarks. And many occasions are about those moments we managed to come out something that we thought we could not make it. When people gather as family, they always recall these stories, And they will begin like… “Do you remember how far we have come from? Do you remember that moment I did not want to speak to you for a week, but I could not resist. Do you remember when you borrowed me money I lent you even when you had not paid previous debt. Do you remember when you I bought you that beautiful golden wedding ring….and the story continues with do you remember…
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