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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
My reflection comes from the Second Book of Kings. In that Book, we have heard about King Ahab and his pagan wife Jezebel—who instigated the murder of many people. Today's First Reading continues with King Ahab and Jezebel dead and their daughter Athalia (who was evil and a pagan like her mother Jezebel) at the center of things.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Today’s powerful Gospel verse raises two questions, one about the tail end of the Our Father and the other about not babbling like the pagans when we pray.
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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 | Why pray?
An Italian newspaper featured a story about a young couple in Milan who appeared to be deeply devoted to their faith. The priest at a cathedral reported that the couple regularly spent an hour or more sitting before a statue of the Virgin Mary. However, it was later discovered that their intentions were not as they seemed. Instead of praying, the couple was using the electrical plug behind the statue of Mary to recharge their cell phone. Whenever their phones needed charging, they would come to the church to plug them in, using the time as an opportunity to be together in a peaceful setting while their phones recharged.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
During a recent visit to India, I was deeply moved by the words of a Bishop who had chosen a life of solitude. His response to a question regarding his well-being was not just a personal sentiment but a profound lesson for all of us: "I am fine if all others are fine." This selfless love for all of God's creation resonates with the very essence of today's Gospel message, inviting us to reflect on our own lives and relationships.
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The story in the first reading begins on a reasonable enough note. King Ahab wanted Naboth's vineyard, which was adjacent to his palace, to grow his vegetables. King Ahab asks Naboth to exchange his vineyard for another one or to be given its value in money. Fair enough. King Ahab, who was king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 874 BC, was described in the first book of Kings as "worse than all his predecessors." (1 Kings 16:30)
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catholic family life | catholic parenting | children at Mass
As Catholic mothers, we have a great responsibility to raise our children in the faith and to help them grow closer to God. One of the most important ways we can do this is by taking them to Mass every Sunday, even when it seems pointless or difficult. Do you feel discouraged or frustrated by the challenging of bringing children to Mass?
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