I was trying to find the contact information for a nun who did some restoration work at the Father Peyton Center, on a Mary statue on site that had developed a crack. I recalled her being affiliated with a religious group and inquired if they knew how I could contact her. The person who gave me her information wanted to discuss the Museum of Family Prayer, here at the Father Peyton Center.
He mentioned that some people who visited the museum questioned why at the entrance to the museum we had visuals of people of all different faiths practicing prayer. Why this, when Venerable Father Peyton preached about Rosary prayer, and was a Catholic priest. I tried to explain, but I was not sure if I had made it clear or not.
Later, as I withdrew to our chapel at the Father Peyton Center, I let the Holy Spirit know that I was looking for inspiration.
I began to read St. Paul’s words to the Romans, and stopped when St. Paul says, "It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."
My thoughts returned to the conversation I had with the man who questioned the approach we took with the Museum of Family Prayer. There are those who believe we should have spoken exclusively about the Rosary and Catholicism, and not feature other religions. We made the decision because God belongs to everyone.
God is the father of all of humanity. God came among us to justify, to make right all men and women, believers and non-believers.
In his letter to the Romans today, Paul asked if there was an occasion for boasting. It was not my intention to boast, but Father Peyton preached to 28 million people in his lifetime, of all different faiths. We are a worldwide ministry in 17 countries helping families pray.
In the gospel today Jesus had words of caution for Pharisees who took away from people the key to knowledge. They limited people’s world view, closing doors to new possibilities by trying to stop people from entering.
The Museum of Family Prayer welcomes people of all faiths. That’s what Father Peyton had in mind when he declared that families that pray together stay together, and that a world at prayer is a world at peace.
