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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Humility | Saint Andre Bessette | Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal | intercession of saints
“Let not the wise boast of his wisdom, nor the strong boast of his strength, nor the rich man boast of his riches; But rather, let those who boast, boast of this, that in their prudence they know me.” (Jer 9:22-23) The prophet Jeremiah speaks of the invaluable role of the virtue of humility in cultivating a life of faith. Jeremiah understands that humility is what guides us to know God. If one is so in love with their own wisdom, their own strength, their own wealth, they will never know the love of God. Humility is the strength to submit to the will of God, the strength to recognize that God is far greater than oneself. Our human nature often leads us to hold tightly to our own will and constantly seek control. We want to know how each day will go and want to dictate as much as we can. This so often gets in the way of recognizing God in our lives. Saint André's humble life of service and profound faith demonstrate that we, too, can boast, as Jeremiah spoke in the Scriptures.
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Blessed Mother | Celebrating Marian feasts | Christmas Season | family prayer
Each year, on January 1, in addition to welcoming another year, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. If unfamiliar with the phrase, ‘Mother of God,’ it would seem to imply some supernatural or divine being. It seems a little daunting to imagine ‘Mother of God.’ Perhaps the title brings to mind some supremely far away, celestial, or an unreachable person. However, in truth, the ‘Mother of God’ refers to Mary, the young girl from Nazareth, who, by her Fiat, brought to the world the Incarnation of God, Jesus... The title “Mother of God” is a Western derivation from the Greek “Theotokos,” which means “God-bearer.” This important title, which proclaims Mary’s divine motherhood, was proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus in 431. The foundation is based on the understanding that Mary is the mother of Jesus, whom we believe to be God. She would then be the Mother of God.
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Glorious Mysteries | Praying with images | family prayer | pray the rosary
Do you know the origins of stained glass windows in Catholic churches? Colored glass in windows has been used in churches since the early days of the Faith, but it wasn’t until the monumental Gothic works of the 11th and 12th centuries that the art form became a staple. These cathedrals were enormous works of stone and required a substantial amount of light to keep them from being gloomy caves of gray inside. To brighten things up further, they decorated them richly with beautiful stained glass rather than using simple translucent glass. These splendid works of art not only brought light to the cathedrals but bathed them in brilliant color; most importantly, they instructed the faithful in a simple, engaging, and, yes, beautiful way. These masterpieces, then and now, lift the soul to God.
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Joyful Mysteries | Praying with images | family prayer | pray the rosary
Beauty lifts the soul to God. There is something simply transformative and profound about seeing a grand vista, or an intricate work of art. It’s hard to put into words, but these things have an innate quality that makes people think and feel. A majestic view of a waterfall will often make someone stop and wonder at creation. A detailed painting evokes feelings of wonder and awe as we imagine the painstaking effort a skilled artist put into creating it. Beauty reminds us of God’s magnificence and the care and effort He put into the world around us.
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The-Rosary-In-Our-Hands | family prayer
Prayer has often been a challenge for me. There’s too much noise in the world and in my own head. Throughout most of my prayer life, I would start out with good intentions and rather simple prayers. I would try to simply speak to God, but as I did this, I would distract myself: “Oh, did I do my homework? Or what was the score of that hockey game last night? Did my brother give me my five bucks back?” Silly, simple things that really don’t matter all that much. But by the time I snapped back into focus on what I was supposed to be doing I would be frustrated and want to simply give up. Eventually, I started seeking new methods of praying and new strategies to keep my focus. I tried praying with Scripture, images, and more. While these helped, none of them really clicked for me. Soon enough, I stumbled onto the Rosary once more.
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