x Close
World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
In the Gospel of Matthew we hear, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
Share
Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
The story is told of an unbeliever who died after willing his farm to the devil. The next of kin sued to have the will voided on the ground that this was a case in which the will of the deceased could not be carried out. After much legal research and judicial pondering, the Court decision read as follows: “It is decided that every effort should be made to carry out the deceased’s wish. And the best way to carry out the deceased's wish is to allow the farm to grow weeds, soil to erode, the well to run dry, and the house, barn, and fences to rot. In the opinion of the Court, the best way to leave something to the devil is to do nothing.”
Share
Brief and contemporary inspiration focused on hope and family prayer will be delivered to your inbox! Articles include live video, written word, and links to resources that will lead you and your family deeper into faith.
Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
In the Book of Jeremiah (13:1-11) we find a reminder to listen to God so that we stay close to Him in our lives. In contrast to the people of Judah who chose to disobey God, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus chose to listen and learn from God, even when they didn’t understand God’s ways. This holy family of two sisters and a brother became close friends of Jesus and naturally when Lazarus became seriously ill sent for Jesus to heal him. Jesus responds by saying, “This illness is not to end in death, but it is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” And instead of leaving immediately, surprisingly he remained in place.
Share
Blessed Virgin Mary | Family Rosary | praying the Rosary
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us. (Romans 8:18) I’d prayed the Rosary for two and a half years before I finally confessed to my friend, Father Joe, “Father, I don’t think it’s working. I feel more miserable than when I started.” Fr. Joe smiled at me and simply replied, “That’s a good thing … because it means you’re being purified.”
Share
Compassion | Grandpa's Garden | Grandparenting
I can’t recall precisely when our children discovered how much evil and suffering there is in the world. We tried to protect them for as long as we could. Maybe the little hurts of early childhood were a gradual introduction. At some point, they became aware that the world endures terrible suffering, much of which people inflict on each other. Today, violence and revenge seem almost taken for granted. It’s ironic how frequently some of us impose misery on others. We hope to teach our children how to respond to the vicious and to treasure the virtuous.
Share
Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
Today we celebrate the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne who were the grandparents of Jesus. Yes, Jesus had grandparents too! These were the parents of Mary. Today we remember all our grandparents both living and deceased, that God blesses them and gives them good rest. There is actually a global Catholic Grandparents’ Association with proposed activities and prayers that they can use in fulfilling their role as ‘grandpa’ and ‘grandma.’
Share
