x Close
World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Today, as we continue our Jubilee of Hope, we pray especially for all those experiencing disability, we pray for their families, and other caretakers. I thought of this special intention, as I reflected on the life of Saint Louis Grignion de Montfort. Saint Louis was born in France and lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He dedicated his life to the care of the poor and sick as a hospital chaplain and would later form the Missionary Priests of the Company of Mary and Daughters of Wisdom.
Share
We are still celebrating the Easter Octave. We give these special days the same weight or attention that we give Easter Day itself. We spend much time during these days reflecting on what happened in the immediate days following the resurrection of Our Lord.
Share
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.
March 13, 2013. The world watched with bated breath. White smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel. Habemus Papam! “We have a Pope.” But what followed next stunned the world—not just the announcement of the name Francis, but the gesture. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, newly elected Pope Francis, stepped onto the balcony, looked out at the massive crowd, thousands and thousands who had gathered there at Saint Peter’s square, and did something no pope had done before. He bowed to the crowd. He bowed...
Share
In Chapter 3 of the Acts of the Apostles, I was drawn to the reference of the “Beautiful Gate” at the temple. It was the place where the man who had been crippled from birth was brought each day to beg. It made me wonder why it had this name. A little research revealed that it was most likely one of the main entrances to the Temple Mount, perhaps leading to the Court of Women. It was a public place where many would have seen this man each day.
Share
Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
Imagine walking into your kitchen early in the morning. You're still sleepy. The coffee hasn’t kicked in yet. And then, out of nowhere, your five-year-old grandson asks, “Grandma where do people go when they die?” You are taken aback, what to answer. That jolt — that shift from the ordinary to the eternal — is what this Gospel feels like Doing What is Rite In Jewish tradition, funeral rites were sacred and precise. The body of the deceased was wrapped in cloth, anointed with spices and quickly buried- usually before sunset. But the mourning for the dead person was not rushed. For three days, it was believed that the soul would travel close to the body. During this period when the tranquility of the earth allowed space for mourning and prayer, it was customary for family and close friends to visit the tomb, especially early in the morning.
Share
Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
On this Monday in the Octave of Easter, with the fragrant incense and Easter lilies fresh in our minds, we hear Matthew’s account of Mary Magdalene and the other Mary immediately after they have discovered the empty tomb. It’s no surprise that they were both fearful and overjoyed as they ran to announce the good news to the disciples. It’s in this state and urgency to get to the disciples that “…Jesus met them on the way and greeted them.” They did what was right and natural to them, as “…they approached, embraced His feet and did Him homage.” For 21st-century people, it goes against social convention to imagine the two Marys embracing someone’s feet and doing homage because in some places and cultures, we have drifted from understanding that worshiping and expressing devotion to Jesus is proper to Him.
Share
