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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches: "But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world." Father Gaspar Selvaraj, C.S.C., shares a short reflection on the holy assurance of God's promises to never abandon nor forsake us, even in the most challenging circumstances.
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Learn more about our faith | Love thy Neighbor
In today’s Gospel, Jesus blesses as He departs and ascends. How wonderful God is that He would depart in a posture of blessing. At every mass, we offer Jesus back to the Father. And as the great offering ascends to the heavens, again we are blessed. Jesus departed to be received by the Father. To mount his throne in the heavens. Every mass, we are blessed to receive Jesus on the throne of our hands. As Jesus takes his place in heaven, He takes his place in our hearts.
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Living the Faith | catholic devotions | family prayer
My favorite priest came to speak to our mothers’ group a few years ago. At the time, my prayer time was GREATLY lacking. I didn’t pray at all, unless you include Mass on Sundays. He shared seven different prayers and practices that should be on our non-negotiable list. Ever since, I strive to do all the items he suggested, and when I fall off track, I go straight back to the list. If you feel called to up your prayer routine, try adding one a week or even each month to help build the habit.
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Catholic Faith | family prayer | pray the rosary
Several years ago, my mom found herself in a precarious situation. Financial struggles and the complexities of her ordeal made her problems seem insurmountable. Her mental health—and her very future—hung in the balance, and I did everything I could to help. At the same time, my wife and I were new parents, and the weight of trying to pull my mom out of her difficulties threatened to pull my marriage down with it. I felt trapped, as if caught between Scylla and Charybdis—every path forward seemed to lead to disaster. I was treading water, searching for something—anything—to hold onto, even just a tiny glimmer of hope. And that consoling presence I longed for? It was nowhere to be found. I remember sitting in my mom’s living room one evening, anxiety pressing down on me. I worried about her. About myself. About my wife and our child. Then, as if something deep within me was praying through me, I began murmuring the Hail Mary. Over and over, I whispered: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee… My thought—or maybe my hope—was that another mother might step in to help us. Without even realizing it, my mind had slipped into a practice I had learned as a child in Catholic school—the Rosary. That night, as I whispered each prayer, I asked for a miracle. And do you know what happened?
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Almsgiving | Christmas Season | Feast of St. Stephen | rosary
If you are someone who lends your favorite books to family members or friends only to find that the loan has become permanent, or sends thank you notes and birthday cards only to realize with a heart that sits somewhere between resignation and a slight ache that not everyone remembers your birthday or sends you messages of thanks, then the Church’s teaching on almsgiving and charity will be a source of much consolation—for in essence it is that only what is given away will be ours to keep. St Augustine places this teaching in the mouth of Christ as Augustine speaks of this to his congregation: “…on earth, my members were suffering, my members were in need. If you gave anything to my members, what you gave would reach their Head….I placed them on earth for you and appointed them your stewards to bring your good works into my treasury.” Then Christ laments to those who have not given to the poor and suffering, “But you have placed nothing in their hands; therefore you have found nothing in my presence” (Sermon 18, 4.).
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First Reading Reflection (Titus 2:1-8, 11-14) Beloved: You must say what is consistent with sound doctrine, namely, that older men should be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance. Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to drink, teaching what is good, so that they may train younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers, under the control of their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited. Urge the younger men, similarly, to control themselves, showing yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity in your teaching, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be criticized, so that the opponent will be put to shame without anything bad to say about us. For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.
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