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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Today we hear Jesus in the Gospel journeying from town to town and from village to village preaching and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. With Him, He had companions – the twelve apostles who helped Him in the work of preaching and proclaiming the good news; and He also had an army of women like, Mary Magdala, Joanna, Susanna who attended to all the needs of Jesus and His disciples out of their resources. The preaching and the proclamation of the Gospel requires resources. Today we are being introduced to a group of women who provided for Jesus and His disciples so that they could continue to preach and proclaim the Gospel. They provided food, water, lodging, and if someone on the team didn’t have any money to pay for Caesar’s taxes, they put together some resources to take care of that.
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Jesus’ words, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” caused two very different reactions in Luke’s gospel. The first was the shock of Simon the Pharisee and the second was what each one of us feels when we go to Confession and are absolved of our sins: the joy of being unburdened by God through the grace of the Holy Spirit and the work of His priest, serving in the person of Christ.
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In the story of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, we encounter a seagull who refuses to settle for the ordinary. While the other birds are content scavenging for dead fish along the shore, Jonathan yearns for something more—he wants to fly higher and explore the deep sea. He challenges his community and, through determination, eventually soars to new heights, discovering a world beyond what others could imagine. Meanwhile, his companions remain content with their routine, never daring to dream or fly higher.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
My grandfather had a radio, and he was very fond of it. As a young boy, I noticed him exposing batteries from this transistor radio under the sun. Once, I asked him, "Are they wet?" "No!" he replied. "But why do you put them under the sun?" I asked again. "I placed them under the sun because they are already weak. The heat of the sun will restore their power." I don't know how scientific that is, but he believed that batteries, when exposed to the sun for some time, will regain some power to run flashlights or transistor radios for an extended time. Choosing the twelve disciples, walking on water, healing those who touched Him, the transfiguration, and the crucifixion, what took place before these powerful events in Jesus's life? Jesus spent the whole night on the mountain to pray, which I am sure recharged him for the following events.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
At some point in your life, you’ve probably heard the phrase, "No good deed goes unpunished.” Now, maybe that sounds cynical, but as most can attest, in today’s Gospel, there are times when you can be criticized for doing or at least attempting to help someone. In Jesus’ case, the scribes and the Pharisees were keeping a close watch on him…not to learn or be healed but to find a reason to accuse him of something. Once again, this took place on the Sabbath in a synagogue, and among those listening to Jesus' teaching was a man whose right hand was withered.
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Dealing with a severe or long-term illness can be incredibly isolating. Despite the support of loved ones and caregivers, it's common to feel alone and confined to our world, often limited to our room, bed, or even our own body. One of the most challenging aspects of being ill is the feeling that no one truly comprehends what we're going through. It's understandable why those dealing with severe or chronic illnesses can struggle to maintain hope.
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