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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
Have you ever walked into a kitchen hungry, and just after someone’s baked fresh bread or simmered a pot of soup on a cold day? The aroma hits you before a word is spoken. You feel warmth, welcome, love. In our homes, smells, scent and aroma carry meaning. They speak when words fail. In his article, The Fragrance of the Ointment, J.R. Miller says that the fragrance of Mary of Bethany's ointment that filled the house is a beautiful symbol of Mary's life. "She was not an active follower of Christ, except in her home and quiet daily life. She did not leave all and go with Him, as some other women and men did. Her name is not connected, even in tradition, with anything startling or great. Our first glimpse of her is her sitting at the Master's feet as a learner. Into her heart, she received the words of the Master, which were life to her. Like a handful of spices, they fell into her heart and transformed her life into radiant beauty."
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There’s a story told of a little boy who came home from school one day, upset and confused. His classmate had laughed at his lunch, the traditional food his mother had lovingly packed. Embarrassed, he asked her not to send it again. His mother, heartbroken, didn’t scold him. She simply sat with him and said, “Son, sometimes when you carry something different, people throw stones. But don’t drop it, because It’s your treasure that you are carrying.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus is once again under fire, not for breaking the law or causing riots, but for being Himself. He says, “I and the Father are one.” And immediately, the people around Him pick up stones to throw. Not just metaphorical ones, real stones, the kind that silences, punish, and erase.
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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.
“If you make my word your home, you will indeed be my disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31) It’s been great to be back home, here at Holy Cross Family Ministries headquarters, before returning to service at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. We started our mission at Lourdes about 10 years ago, having realized that Father Peyton had a great devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Right around now, the last two weeks before Easter, it’s not hard to lose our focus on Lent. It’s been about four weeks since Ash Wednesday and human nature being what is it is we can start to trail off in our prayer, fasting and charitable works. So, today’s gospel from John is perfectly placed on our Lenten journey, our preparation for the great celebration of Easter; in it, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and now us about His divine origin and mission.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Today’s reading from the book of the prophet Daniel is gripping — like something out of a courtroom drama. Two respected elders, full of deceit, attempt to destroy the reputation and life of a virtuous woman. Susanna is cornered not just by their lust but by the terrifying weight of injustice. Imagine this: a young girl, falsely accused, standing in the center of a circle, condemned by powerful men. Her voice is trembling, her hands shaking, but her heart is rooted in something unshakable — truth when truth hangs in the balance. And yet, she stands firm, even when no one believes her. She cries out not to the world but to God. And God hears. That’s Susanna’s story — truthfully, it could be ours, too. Susanna’s story is not ancient history. It’s happening every day — when character is questioned, when assumptions are made, and when the voices of the innocent are too soft to be heard over the noise of pride, gossip, and power.
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I recently made a visit to India. I visited the cities, and I visited the countryside. I spent time with high profile people like the Archbishop of Bangalore who live in places that look like palaces, and I also visited very poor people who live far out on tiny strips of land in rice fields, in a tiny room that floods when it rains, and even snakes may find their way into your room. India is so diverse—wealthy and poor, urban and rural, westernized and native—that it can be challenging to figure out people and figure out things.
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