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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Holy Women's History Month | Lenten Reflections | catholic mom | women's history month
I love making new friends in Heaven, because they pray for me and I can follow their example. I especially need role-models in my two most important earthly roles — as a wife and as a mother — so bonus points if I can find a heavenly friend who was also married with kids. A few years ago, while working on my book about married saints, I met and became fast friends with the Servant of God Zita of Bourbon-Parma. From here on out, let’s just call her Zita. Prefer to Listen—Audio version available!
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Let’s start with a story that sounds like a divine romantic comedy. A woman prayed to Saint Joseph for ten years for a good husband. Ten years! At that point, even the most patient among us might start drafting a strongly worded email to heaven. One Sunday morning she returned from Mass and knelt before her statue of Saint Joseph imploring him to grant her request. But after ten minutes, in a fit of irritation and despair, she took the statue from the table and threw it out the window.
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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 Women's History Month | Lenten Reflections | catholic mom | women's history month
The saints make themselves known to me in different ways. It’s almost like they are pursuing me for attention, popping up repeatedly on social media, public signs, and even mentions by friends. You’d think the saints were politely knocking on my front door to introduce themselves, “Hello, Maria, can we be friends?” Except for Saint Teresa of Avila. She barged into my life like a bull through a China shop. The result was a contentious relationship. Persistent on her part. Resistant on mine. Prefer to Listen—Audio version available!
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Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
Today we remember and pray to Saint Cyril of Jerusalem. He was biblical scholar, cleric, and eventually bishop of Jerusalem in the 4th century. Saint Cyril gave this great instruction: “We proclaim the Crucified and devils quake. So don’t be ashamed of the cross of Christ. Openly seal it on your forehead that devils may behold the royal sign and flee trembling away.” For those who feel like you’re up against it with our current political and secular ideology at this time, Saint Cyril had to contend with both political and doctrinal controversies following the Council of Nicaea.
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Holy Women's History Month | Lenten Reflections | catholic mom | women's history month
The short Old Testament book, Esther, tells the story of a Jewish girl who unexpectedly finds herself Queen of Persia and the last hope for the Jewish people. Admittedly, my interest in this biblical heroine was first peaked by the Veggie Tales episode (circa 2000) titled “Esther, the Girl Who Became Queen.” There is nothing that grabs your attention like the story of a beautiful green onion who has the courage to stand up to an evil gourd and powerful zucchini. Prefer to Listen—Audio version available!
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Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
Picture this: a family road trip. The GPS fails, the kids fight over snacks, and Dad misses the exit—again. Mom finally snaps, “Whose idea was this?!” Silence follows until one child mumbles, “I lost the map.” Another adds, “I hid the snacks.” Dad sighs, “I ignored the signs.” Mom laughs, “And I didn’t pack patience.” Suddenly, blame turns into confession, the tension lifts, and they pull over for ice cream, ready to start over. That’s the heart of Daniel’s prayer in today’s reading. Exiled in Babylon, he gathers his people and says, “We have messed up—all of us” (v. 5-6). There’s no finger-pointing, just raw, family-style honesty. Lent invites us to do the same: ditch the blame game and clean up together.
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