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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Assumption | Blessed Virgin Mary | Celebrating Marian feasts
We kayaked across Yellowstone’s Lewis Lake, up the Lewis River and halfway across Shoshone Lake to the campsite. Stepping out, stepping back, a different perspective unfolded as we celebrated the Eucharist on the shore. This gaze opened into infinity, finding and awakening vision: the faculty to be able to see and to understand, where sometimes only nature can reawaken this sense. At the same time, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 15, in a similar and complementary way awakens our vision, yet with even greater clarity and depth.
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Assumption | Catholic Family Fun | Celebrating Marian feasts
Some days in the Liturgical season, by their cultural and religious nature, lend themselves more towards celebrating, such as Christmas and Easter, than others. However, it seems a missed opportunity not to find some way to acknowledge, and yes celebrate, every Solemnity, Memorial, or Feast in the Catholic Church. For families, feast days can offer beautiful teachable moments, special time set apart for living our faith, and even the creation of lifetime memories. This month, the Church will celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15, commemorating the entry of Mary into heaven—body and soul. The Assumption falls into the category of “Solemnity,” which means it is among the highest rank feast days celebrating a mystery of faith.
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Today’s saint, John Vianney, best known as the Cure of Ars, must have found consolation in today’s gospel, where Jesus is rejected by His own in his native Nazareth. Of course, a different set of circumstances, but if our Lord can be rejected, then it’s not hard to understand how people make mistakes in dismissing people as not relevant or not good enough. Today’s saint was incorrectly rejected, but it did not deter him.
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Learn more about our faith | Return to the Church
Jesus always spoke to the crowds in the ordinary language of the time. To the shepherds he addressed giving the examples of sheep and green pastures, to the farmers he spoke giving the example of sowing and reaping, and to the fishermen he spoke giving the example of fishing.
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I recently was filtering through some old family photos and papers. I find it helpful to sift through the many things we store in boxes. I’ve discovered that over time, some items we have kept can take on new meaning, and sometimes it’s easy to let go of things we no longer treasure. It’s good to simplify.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
The parable of the hidden treasure is one of the shortest and simplest stories that Jesus told to illustrate the value of the kingdom of heaven. In Matthew 13:44, Jesus says: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
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