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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
My grandpa, whom we call Big G, got me into gardening at a young age. He used to grow fruits, flowers, and vegetables in pots and plots that would take up our entire backyard. Once I was old enough to assist him, he took me under his wing as his gardening apprentice. He was a seasoned gardener who had grown every plant you could imagine, and in his years had gotten pretty good at what he did. We would start the season by growing our plants from seeds in the basement. After a few weeks they began to germinate and sprout, and we let them grow until it was time to bring them outside. I would help Big G move the plants to our plots and raised beds so that they had more room to grow, and eventually produce fruits and vegetables that we were able to enjoy with our family and neighbors. Although Big G called the shots in our garden, my whole family would always take part and enjoy gardening together.
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This coming weekend, in Dioceses around the world, Pope Francis is gathering Catholic families and leaders to reflect on the family in the Church, especially the domestic family at home, as the means of growing in holiness for parents, children and grandparents. There are many challenges facing every family today in America and around the world.
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A newly planted garden is a kind of rebirth of the earth – an exercise in stewardship – a small celebrative space where creation thrives. We planted our garden a few days ago. The seedlings appear so fragile, so vulnerable to wind and rain. We hope they will flourish. We watch the growth and enjoy.
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Celebrating family life | Holy lives of inspiration
Today's gospel challenges us to go beyond culture wars and politics, to go beyond using the tools of violence and revenge to much more powerful weapons of holiness, silence, and prayer. It challenges us to rise to a much higher level: to recognize that there is a battle being waged about the very nature, dignity and purpose of marriage, an institution from God meant to bring people to God; an institution that God entrusted to us as the highway to salvation, that Saint Paul likens to the marriage between Christ and His Church.
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Celebrating family life | Learn more about our faith
So now at Mass these days, as we leave Easter behind and get into Ordinary time, we are hearing the Sermon on the Mount. What’s going on these texts?
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When our children were little, they often had the opportunity to “help” in the kitchen preparing meals or baking desserts. Kitchen activity involved specialized tools and appropriate clothing. The children put on aprons to shield from whatever ingredients were at hand. It could be a bit of an adventure. The apron was part of the job, a way of “getting into” the joy. We dress for the work to which we have committed ourselves. In a sense, we “put on” the task.
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