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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
The explanation of Luke's Gospel on the driving out of demons from the man who was mute is rather complex. Jesus is making the point that Satan has his realm where he is active and strong, but someone stronger than him has come along. Of course, it is the Lord himself who announces the breaking in of the Kingdom of God. This Gospel reminded me of a remarkable story I read by a Harvard Professor and observant Jew, Roy Schoeman. This is one of the most remarkable witnesses I have ever encountered, and I want to share it with you today. Professor Schoeman writes, "During the spring of 1987, I took a few days off from work and went to Cape Cod to spend time communing with nature. I was walking in the early morning, in the woods just back from the beach, when God intervened, dramatically and distinctly, into my life to pull me back and put me onto the right path. As I was walking, lost in my thoughts, I found myself in the immediate presence of God.
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We live in a time where remembering is harder than ever. Our attention spans are shrinking faster than the lifespan of an Instagram story. We have passwords we can’t remember (I now have started keeping a word document for my passwords alone; and that document is password protected too, and I have difficulty remembering that password!), phones and keys we misplace daily, and memories that vanish somewhere between breakfast and lunchtime.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
What does the Annunciation of the Lord mean to you and me? How has it changed our lives? Today we give thanks to God and our Blessed Mother. We thank God that the Word of God took on human flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We give thanks to Mary for her saying “yes” to becoming the Mother of God. Each Monday and Saturday, as we pray the Rosary, we have the chance to reflect upon the Annunciation of the Lord in the first Joyful Mystery. We enter into that incredible exchange with the angel Gabriel greeting Mary with a blessing from God, then reassuring her: to not be afraid.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
A few years ago, my friend’s kitchen sink started leaking. Drip. Drip. His wife asked to call the plumber. For weeks, he ignored it. Finally, he thought, “I can fix this myself. He bought some tools, watched tutorials on YouTube, and dismantled the sink. Water sprayed everywhere; His children had a good laugh. His spouse sighed. His dog hid himself in the closet. Finally, he had to call in the plumper; a plumber arrived with his own toolkit, twisted a single valve, and said, “You just needed to tighten this.” The Plumper charged him 50 Dollars, but my friend had purchased tools costing more than $200 already. Lesson: Pride is expensive. That’s Naaman’s story. A decorated general but inflicted with leprosy, he’s told by the prophet Elisha to wash seven times in the muddy Jordan River. Naaman storms off, furious. “I expected a grand ritual.” But His servants—bless them— they nudge him: “If the prophet asked you to do something hard, you’d do it. So why not this?” Reluctantly, Naaman obeys. His skin heals. His pride cracks.
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Learn more about our faith | Love thy Neighbor
In the book of Genesis, we read the story of Joseph and his brothers. Jacob, the father of Joseph, loved Joseph so much that he even made for him a beautiful cloak with many colors and patterns. The affection Joseph enjoyed from his father stoked much jealousy among his brothers.
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What if I told you that hope is not just a word on a signboard but a lifeline—a promise that can transform your life, your family, and even the world? Recently, I saw a huge sign in downtown Chicago with the word "HOPE" shining brightly. It made me reflect on how hope isn’t just a fleeting feeling; it’s a call to action, a journey, and most importantly, a promise from God.
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