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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 | Learn more about our faith
If you have ever visited Rome and had a Catholic tour guide, you most likely were taken to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, whose dedication we celebrate today. If you haven’t been, I’d highly recommend it. It is a beautiful and grand basilica dedicated to honor our Blessed Mother. The original basilica was built in the fourth century under Pope Liberius and was named after him. However, after the council of Ephesus proclaimed Mary, the Mother of God, the basilica was repaired and reconsecrated to honor the Blessed Mother. It is called “major”…is because it is the oldest and largest church in Rome dedicated to Our Lady.
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In the Gospel of Matthew we hear, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
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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
The story is told of an unbeliever who died after willing his farm to the devil. The next of kin sued to have the will voided on the ground that this was a case in which the will of the deceased could not be carried out. After much legal research and judicial pondering, the Court decision read as follows: “It is decided that every effort should be made to carry out the deceased’s wish. And the best way to carry out the deceased's wish is to allow the farm to grow weeds, soil to erode, the well to run dry, and the house, barn, and fences to rot. In the opinion of the Court, the best way to leave something to the devil is to do nothing.”
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
In the Book of Jeremiah (13:1-11) we find a reminder to listen to God so that we stay close to Him in our lives. In contrast to the people of Judah who chose to disobey God, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus chose to listen and learn from God, even when they didn’t understand God’s ways. This holy family of two sisters and a brother became close friends of Jesus and naturally when Lazarus became seriously ill sent for Jesus to heal him. Jesus responds by saying, “This illness is not to end in death, but it is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” And instead of leaving immediately, surprisingly he remained in place.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
Today we celebrate the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne who were the grandparents of Jesus. Yes, Jesus had grandparents too! These were the parents of Mary. Today we remember all our grandparents both living and deceased, that God blesses them and gives them good rest. There is actually a global Catholic Grandparents’ Association with proposed activities and prayers that they can use in fulfilling their role as ‘grandpa’ and ‘grandma.’
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Brothers and sisters in Christ, in today's world, families face countless challenges – from the busyness of modern life to the distractions of technology, from the pressure to conform to societal expectations to the struggles of maintaining faith amidst secularism. Yet, amidst these challenges, there's a beacon of hope, a model of love and resilience: the Holy Family. Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) begins with the statement, “The joy of love experienced by the families is also the joy of the Church.” He further states “Every family should look to the icon of the Holy Family of Nazareth.”
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