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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Catholic Motherhood | Holy Thursday | Holy Week
By now, most of us are eager to celebrate Easter. Who else can practically taste the deviled eggs and chocolate bunnies? But before the joy and songs of praise on Resurrection Sunday, we pause to reflect on what makes that fateful Friday “Good” — the day our Lord suffered and died on the Cross. While the events of Good Friday deserve a lifetime of meditation, lately, I’ve been lingering on the day before: Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday. What Does “Maundy” Mean? The term Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum, meaning "commandment." It refers to Jesus’ words to His disciples during the Last Supper: “Love one another as I have loved you.” That’s another hard teaching, Lord.
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Holy Thursday | Holy Week | catholic family life
When Covid-19 hit my town, I was two weeks away from delivering my fifth child. Coming home to my other kids, with my husband off work for a short time, I honestly didn’t mind the stay-at-home orders initially. Winter melted away to warm spring air, and the loss of many material things and social isolation still held a feeling of hopefulness — maybe these sacrifices would prove fruitful. Yet amid the confusion and incredible pain so many encountered, we suffered incomparably with the closing of churches. Daily Mass was no longer offered, and Adoration chapels were shuttered. Jesus was hidden in plain sight, though for the first time since my conversion, he wasn’t accessible. There are many stories of people whose access to the Eucharist is limited. Blessed Victoire Rasoamanarivo (1848-1894) lived in Madagascar when the French Missionary priests left due to conflict. She was placed in charge of the faith of a Catholic community of around 21,000 people for three years. Without access to any sacraments, the community endured and became even more grateful for them when the priests finally returned.
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Family Activities | Holy Week | catholic family life
As moms, we are always looking ahead to prepare for the next thing, so it’s not too soon to start thinking about Holy Week! Every day during Holy Week has its own special focus, and in my family, we try to join in with the prayer of the Church by doing something special each day. Below are some concrete ideas to celebrate the week, especially with young children. Most of these things can be done around dinnertime or bedtime, so you don’t have to take a lot of time to be intentional.
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Holy Week | Living the Faith | catholic family life
Lent is quickly coming to a close, and Easter is around the corner, but there is something in between that sometimes gets overlooked in the midst of egg dyeing and last-minute Easter basket shopping. These three days, known as the Paschal Triduum, build a bridge from Lent to Easter and include some of the most richly symbolic and sensory liturgies of the whole year. They are often celebrated late in the evening and are sometimes lengthy, but if your family can make it to at least one of these a year, it is absolutely worth your while.
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Family Activities | Holy Week | catholic family life
If you’re like me, you’re finding yourself almost all the way through Lent with not a whole lot to show for it. This penitential season hasn’t been a total loss — sure, I’ve mostly ungrudgingly observed my small fast and I’ve checked the box of daily prayer, but life keeps coming at us a mile a minute. In typical “me” fashion, my guard is up, my heart is restless, and my soul hasn’t been transformed. The good news is that until that final perseverance when death calls us home, there is no deadline when it comes to transformation. We know that God gives countless opportunities to choose Him, even until our final hour. Like the good thief crucified next to Jesus, there is still time to change our hearts.
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Holy Saturday | Holy Week | Mother Mary
Do you have a hope, a dream, a prayer that never seems to come, no matter how hard you strive and ask? Perhaps you want to draw or create art, but the needs of your children come first. Perhaps a dear one has left the faith, and you weep with St. Monica for their return. Or perhaps you long for children, or for freedom from an illness, or one of the many other burdens of the human heart. May I suggest that, like me, you develop a devotion to Our Lady of Holy Saturday?
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