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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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On this day of prayer for the legal protection of unborn children, we’re reminded of the temptation to doubt God. In today’s gospel, the scribes from Jerusalem were considered more respected than the Pharisees. And so, it was significant for them to make a claim that Jesus was both possessed by the devil and using Satan’s power to drive out demons.
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Last weekend in the NFL, the Buffalo Bills faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in frigid conditions with temperatures around 17 degrees in heavy snow and high wind gusts. In another game, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Miami Dolphins in Kansas City, where the temperature was a bone-chilling negative 4 degrees with a wind chill of negative 27. There is an undeniable allure to sports that attracts crowds from all strata of life.
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I believe today's First Reading, from 1 Samuel, deserves our undivided attention and thoughtful reflection. The Israelite army was again engaged in battle with their neighboring nation, the Philistines. In the initial encounter, almost four thousand Israelite soldiers were killed, which cast a shadow of gloom and despair over the Israelite camp. The elders couldn't help but wonder how and why the invincible chosen people of Yahweh, who were always supported by the mighty hands of the God of armed forces, suffered such a severe defeat. It was unthinkable for them to be defeated by a pagan army that worshipped demons, and it was indeed a humiliation for Yahweh as well. They decided to bring Yahweh himself to the forefront to teach the Philistines a lesson.
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One of the sacraments that I enjoy celebrating the most is the sacrament of baptism. It is always a joyous occasion. A young child has recently been welcomed into their family with great happiness and celebration, and now they are being welcomed into another family - the church family. It is in this new family where the children become brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of God, and temples of the Holy Spirit.
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Today, we remember and pray to St. Peter Canisius, priest and doctor of the Church. He lived in the 1500s and, as a Jesuit, worked in South Germany, Austria, Bohemia, and Switzerland during the Counter-Reformation. He was a tireless and influential preacher and teacher for adults and children. One of his famous sayings was, “If you have too much to do, with God’s help, you will find the time to do it.” That’s good spiritual advice at any time, but especially with only a few days left till Christmas Eve!
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I love Saint Joseph, a man of action, silent action. While preparing this homily, I felt inspired to see how St. Joseph would describe his experience to other people. Let’s pretend that we are listening to a monologue from Saint Joseph, which I read a long time ago. It goes like this …
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