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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Today we are celebrating the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. Assuming that after the Annunciation took place on March 25, Mary left Nazareth and went to visit her cousin Elizabeth because her presence and much more, the presence of Jesus in her womb, was to be the source of very great graces to Saint John, His Forerunner. Elizabeth was six months pregnant and needed Mary’s attention, help, service and care since she was already in old age. Mary’s mind was still attuned to helping others and putting into practice, even if it was not yet written, the words of Saint Paul: “Your move must be sincere, Anticipate each other in showing respect, look on the needs of the saints as your own; be generous in offering hospitality.”
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When I met my close-to-one-year-old niece for the second time in India a week ago (she is my cousin's daughter, who lives next door), I didn’t realize a newborn baby could teach me anything. I presumed our relationship would be a one-way street—I would offer my love as an uncle to my newest niece, and she would be the beneficiary.
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Today's gospel evoked memories of my childhood when I and my classmates were eager to be the first in line for lunch or recess. I vividly recall my Saint Mary's High School teachers gently guiding us to form an orderly line. Often, a student who had rushed to the front would be sent to the back, a lesson in humility. Sometimes, we would line up in alphabetical order, and those of us with names towards the end of the alphabet would playfully lament their fate. No matter the order, there was always a shared desire to be near the front, a desire for recognition and status that we all understand.
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On Sunday night, my Dad and I watched the Memorial Day concert on TV. Like hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of others, we listened to the stories of brave men and women who have served our country. The backdrop was the United States Capitol building and the Lincoln Memorial, two iconic sites in the United States of America. But they would not exist without the men and women who have built and protected the United States and her sovereignty.
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Eucharist | Grandparenting | sacramental grace
Spring is in full bloom in the Northeast, and nature’s cycle of life, rebirth of color, blossom, and branches is all around us. It is a renewal that enlivens the soul and beckons us to be conscious of our place in creation. Our youngest grandson recently celebrated his First Communion. We were present to enjoy the Sacramental moment. The celebration began as the children devoutly processed into Church, their hands in a posture of prayer, pointing upward and forward.
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Family Rosary | Glorious Mysteries | family prayer | power of prayer
The first time I learned about Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. was during the middle of the pandemic. Although I didn’t know much about him, I’d heard his catchy phrase before The Family That Prays Together Stays Together. His life in devotion to Mary and the Rosary is represented in a new book, The Family that Prays Together Stays Together: A Bead-by-Bead Family Guide through the Mysteries, by Father Willy Raymond, C.S.C.
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