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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Holy lives of inspiration | Love thy Neighbor
When Pope Francis, whose birth name was Jorge Bergoglio, did one of his first major media spots after his election, the interviewer asked him the question, “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?”, and he answered, “I am a sinner.” While true, it was still a shocking opening response. It would have been as if Babe Ruth, near the end of his career, had been asked, “How would you describe yourself as a baseball player, Babe?” and he would have responded, “I’m a player who strikes out more than just about anyone else.” I mean, that was true, but it was also true that in certain seasons, Babe Ruth singlehandedly hit more home runs than almost all major league teams! Likewise, the Holy Father would have surpassed almost all of us in his prayerfulness and devotion and virtue. But he chose to lead with the truth that unites him to all of us: he is a sinner in need of God’s mercy, in need of the saving work of Jesus Christ.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
St. Paul, as he usually does, greets the Colossians, as brothers and sisters and reminds them and us that we have received the Lord Jesus Christ. He then encourages us to walk with Jesus and to have our lives rooted in our faith in God. But as Paul often does, he also draws to our attention to a potential pitfall that he wants us to avoid…
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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 lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
On September 8 each year, we celebrate not just a birthday, but the dawn of hope. The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary marks the tender beginning of God’s promise—through the birth of a daughter who would become the Mother of our Savior. Mary’s life offers families today a model, especially in a world where parents juggle endless demands, children face digital distractions, and households often feel scattered. Her example speaks through three simple but powerful qualities: humble presence, hungry hearts, and sacred wisdom.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
St. Paul and St. Mother Teresa direct us to seeing God in this world, amidst the ordinary and challenging times that we face. St. Paul reminds us that “Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. Over two thousand years later, it’s easy to fly by those words, especially: “…the image of the invisible God.” If we stop to think about it, we like the first Christians are seeking to see God too…we sensate beings crave for visual, auditory, and tactile proof like the first disciples after Jesus’ resurrection.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
In today’s Gospel, we find a powerful snapshot of the Christian life. Jesus enters a home filled with worry. Peter’s mother-in-law is sick, burning with fever. Without hesitation, without conditions, Jesus goes to her, rebukes the fever, and heals her. Her response is immediate and beautiful: she gets up and serves them.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
Every week on a Monday I visit Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton or what is now known as Boston Medicals South. The hospital chaplain once in our conversation told me something striking. He said, “You can always tell when a great experienced doctor has walked into the room. It’s not just the white coat, it’s the atmosphere. Patients sit up straighter, nurses move with more confidence, and even the families waiting outside breathe easier. It’s not that the illness disappears instantly. It’s that the presence of authority that changes the air.”
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