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As I reflected on today’s readings and Father Peyton's life, I was drawn to Luke’s account of Jesus’ healing through both word and touch.
St. Luke, who had a medical background, describes the man who approached Jesus as being “full of leprosy.” This detail tells us that the man suffered not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. In that time, leprosy rendered a person ritually unclean, cutting him off from family, community, and worship. He was expected to live apart, carrying the weight of isolation and rejection.
Unlike everyone else, Jesus is not afraid to draw near. Filled with the Holy Spirit, He reaches out and touches the man. Though ostracized and suffering, the man believes that Jesus can heal him both physically and ritually, and so he cries out in faith, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus responds with compassion and authority: “I do will it. Be made clean.” Immediately, the leprosy leaves him.
Christ Heals Through Word and Touch
Reflecting on this Gospel, I was reminded of the life and ministry of Father Patrick Peyton and the countless lives he touched through preaching, praying the Rosary, celebrating the Sacraments, and pioneering the use of media for evangelization. The source of all this was Father Peyton’s vocation as a priest of Jesus Christ, as a member of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and the deep faith he received from his parents, John and Mary Peyton.
Father Peyton reached millions worldwide through Rosary Crusades and rallies, as well as radio and television programs, and films. Yet he also ministered personally to families and individuals wherever he traveled—whether in large cities or small villages. His ministry reflected the same pattern we see in the Gospel: proclamation paired with personal presence.
In the film PRAY, which tells the story of Patrick Peyton, there is a particularly moving scene shared by John Leonard and his sister Anna Kelley. They recount how their father, Dennis Leonard, fell from a six-story building and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
The Power of Prayer
Instinctively, their mother called Father Peyton and asked him to come to the hospital. Father Peyton administered the Sacrament of the Sick and then spent the night praying, placing his hands on Dennis’s badly swollen head. Though Dennis was not expected to survive the night, he miraculously lived and went on to enjoy many more fruitful years with his family, thanks to God’s grace and skilled medical care.
Father Peyton would no doubt have preached often in his life on today’s Gospel, where Jesus heals through both word and touch. One of Father Peyton’s deepest convictions was his belief in the power of prayer—its ability to sustain hope and transcend moments of tragedy, such as that winter night in the hospital with Dennis Leonard. This belief also sustained him through the numerous challenges of his ministry, including financial struggles and resistance from those who were indifferent or hostile to his message.
His perseverance flowed from his understanding of himself as another Christ, united to Jesus through priestly ordination and able to pray in His name for others. Yet Father Peyton never forgot that, by virtue of baptism, all the faithful share in the royal priesthood of Christ. He constantly reminded parents that they had a direct connection to Jesus and that praying the Rosary-- together as a family welcomed Christ and His Mother into their homes.
As Holy Cross Family Ministries continues today, Father Peyton believed deeply that prayer—especially the Rosary—is an essential spiritual tool for families, bringing God’s grace into both ordinary moments and life’s greatest trials.
As we remember and give thanks for the life of Father Peyton, may we be inspired by the faith of the man with leprosy, by Father Peyton’s service to families, and by a renewed trust in Jesus, who continues to reach out and touch us whenever we call upon Him in prayer.
May God bless you and your families…as we seek to grow in union with God and our families…living out Fr. Peyton’s belief…that the Family that Prays Together Stays Together!
- Today’s Readings
- Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join, too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)