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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Blessed Virgin Mary | Christmas Season | family prayer
Today 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 the Mary, the young girl from Nazareth, who by her Fiat, brought to the world the Incarnation of God, Jesus...
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Catholic Faith | Christmas Season | holy-family
My daughter has nicknames for the Holy Family. I’m overstating it. She’s one and a half. She thinks she’s saying their names when she calls them Jeejee (Jesus—not to be confused with Gigi, her grandmother), Mon (Mary), and Fofef (Joseph). But I like to think of them as nicknames she uses as she gets to know the people I hope will be even more important to her than her parents.
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Blessed Virgin Mary | Catholic | Christmas Season
Alleluia! Jesus is born! The Emmanuel is here! Christmas has always been an important date on my calendar. Growing up, I used to celebrate it surrounded by family and friends, prayers, and good food. Christmas novenas were a tradition in my family as well. We used to gather with our neighbors for novenas in preparation for Christmas. At church, I loved all the happy songs of praise and the bright decorations. The lights at night made me think of how Jesus brought light to the world when He was born. Ultimately it has always been a magical season for me.
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Advent | Almsgiving | corporal works of mercy | family prayer
The Corporal Works of Mercy—feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and shelter the homeless—can all be categorized with one powerful word: Almsgiving. We often associate that word with Lent, but the truth is people and organizations who serve those in need require assistance all year long. As Christians, we must love and care for those in our society who are in most need. That is why it is important to continue the practice of almsgiving year-round. On the Feast Day of Saint Stephen, we remember his role not only as the first Christian martyr but also as one of the first deacons! As a deacon, Saint Stephen was charged with giving alms to the poor and serving those in most need. On the Feast of Saint Stephen, December 26, make time to reflect upon how you can best serve our brothers and sisters in need.
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Family Activities | celebrating Christmas | family prayer
Most of us are familiar with the Christmas song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and how it represents symbols of Catechism for the early Christians with the gifts that God gave to us. From the partridge representing Jesus Himself, each day brings numbered gifts to represent various elements of our faith. I think that it's helpful to dig deeper into these Gifts of our Faith and to see how they apply to us individually while introducing key feast days within the season of Christmas. We can use these gifts from God as a journey in gratefulness and faith-building prompts to pray in the new year ahead!
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