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Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
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The readings today might seem unsettling, speaking of a harvest of judgment and troubling times. How many of us have stayed up late worrying about our children's future? About whether they'll be safe, happy, and find their way in a world that seems so uncertain? It’s natural to feel a sense of unease, as people throughout history have when faced with uncertainties about the future. Remember the anxieties surrounding Y2K? Or the predictions of Nostradamus? Even today, with concerns about climate change and global unrest, those fears can creep into our hearts.
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One stormy night, a young newlywed couple found themselves stranded on a remote country road due to fallen trees. With no way to continue their journey, they spotted a dimly lit farmhouse and decided to seek help. An elderly couple holding a kerosene lamp greeted them at the door. Explaining their predicament, the young man humbly asked, “Could we spend the night here? A spot on the floor or an easy chair would be enough.” The elderly woman smiled kindly and said, “Why surely, children. We happen to have a spare bedroom.” Grateful and relieved, the young couple retired for the night. Early the next morning, they quietly dressed, left $200 on the dresser, and tiptoed downstairs, careful not to disturb their hosts. But as they opened the door to leave, they were startled to see the elderly couple asleep in the living room chairs. Only then did they realize the “spare bedroom” had been their hosts’ only bedroom.
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First Reading Reflection (Titus 2:1-8, 11-14) Beloved: You must say what is consistent with sound doctrine, namely, that older men should be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance. Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to drink, teaching what is good, so that they may train younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers, under the control of their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited. Urge the younger men, similarly, to control themselves, showing yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity in your teaching, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be criticized, so that the opponent will be put to shame without anything bad to say about us. For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.
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November 11th is the Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, who was born in 316 AD and grew up in a military family. As a teenager, he also served in the army. He is the patron saint of soldiers. It is not a coincidence that Veteran’s Day in the United States is celebrated on the 11th of November in honor of those who have served, or who currently serve, in the military.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
Friends, I love this reading from Philippians because it reminds me of so many of the great Saints. Brothers and sisters. If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace and love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vain glory. Rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not only for his own interests but also everyone for those of others. ~ Philippians 2:1-4 Certainly, Saint Charles was a great pastor who radically changed the large Archdiocese of Milan in Italy for the better. Or Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who left her home in Albania, went to Ireland, and then to India. When she heard the voice of the Lord saying, “I Thirst for you to go to the poor in the streets of Calcutta." She would go on to spend the rest of her life seeking and finding the Lord Jesus hidden in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. Declared by Pope Boniface IV in 609 A.D, the day celebrates all holy men and women of God we do not know about, men and women who are not on the list of canonized saints, yet we know they lived, and we believe they enjoy eternal fellowship with God. These are the uncanonized saints who form part of the “great multitude” in heaven, men and women “who have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb” as the John tells us in the Book of Revelation. Besides celebrating their lives and seeking their intercession, we also look at them as role models who can inspire us in our own pursuit of holiness.
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