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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
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Every family has a special language of danger. In some homes, danger begins when your mother calls you by your full baptismal name. And you know the last judgment has begun. If she adds, “Come here,” even the angels stop singing. And the amazing thing is, she may be angry because you have done something naughty, not because she hates you, but because she knows you. The neighbor’s child may do the same thing and she will say, “Children are children.” But if you do it, suddenly there is a family council, an investigation, and possibly a lecture beginning with, “After all we have done for you…” That is Amos.
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Has anyone seen the commercial for a service that promises to clean up your online reputation? Having seen it multiple times and heard today’s first reading, can make any of us wonder, “What example, what legacy, will we leave behind for our family members?” In today’s first reading, we hear that Jehoiachin was only eighteen years old when he became king; can you remember being 18…there’s so much ahead and a sense of hopefulness, and yet Scripture gives a sobering assessment of the king’s reign: “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, just as his forebears had done.”
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Today’s Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist is truly unique among the saints. Not only is it one of only three birthdays celebrated on the Church calendar – the others being the birth of Jesus on Christmas and the birth of Mary on September 8 – but it’s actually a higher order of celebration than even Mary’s birthday. September 8 is what’s called a feast day, whereas today we celebrate what’s called a solemnity. So, for instance, if September 8 happens to fall on a Sunday, we don’t celebrate Mary’s birthday that year. But if June 24 falls on a Sunday, we still celebrate St. John the Baptist.
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In the song Take it to the Lord in prayer, which I believe many of us know, one of the lines is Take it to the Lord in prayer. Have we trials and temptation Is there trouble anywhere We should never be discouraged Take it to the Lord in prayer.
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Has anyone here visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa? It stands in Pisa, in the Tuscany region of Italy, in the beautiful cathedral square called the “Square of Miracles.” Its Construction began in 1173. It was meant to be the bell tower of the cathedral. But very early, after only a few floors were built, the builders noticed something embarrassing: the tower was leaning. Imagine the committee meeting. “Good news, the tower is beautiful. Bad news, it is already trying to leave us.”
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I would like to invite us to reflect on today’s gospel that focuses on the fragility of earthly security. The Lord says in the gospel “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth; store up treasures in heaven.” It is a reading where the Lord gently yet piercingly warns us about the vulnerability of our earthly collections.
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