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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Today Jesus promises rewards for those who give up their loved ones and possessions for His sake and the Gospel. He says, “No one has given up home, brothers or sisters, mother or father, children or property, for me and for the Gospel who will not receive in this present age a hundred times more." But, of course, giving up something or someone is not only for priests and religious who renounce family and personal property to imitate Christ more closely. We can all learn to sacrifice something to witness Christ's presence in the world.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
You might be puzzled by this phrase, and I almost hear you thinking, "What on earth is 'Baptism in the Holy Spirit?'" We all understand baptism with water – we've seen it many times. Sometimes it happens when adults come to faith in Jesus and step forward to be baptized to seal their commitment to Christ. But most often, it happens to babies when parents present them to be baptized, or 'christened' as it's still often called. But what is 'Baptism in the Holy Spirit?' If you feel confused about this, you're in good company!
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
In 8 AD, Ovid, a Roman author, penned a story about Greek Gods Zeus and Hermes, who took on human form and visited a thousand homes in Phrygia seeking hospitality. Zeus and Hermes disguised themselves as human travelers in Phrygia. They go from house to house searching for food and lodging but are refused a thousand times.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Like any good parent, teacher, or coach, Jesus prepares the first disciples and us when He says, “From now on, I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe that I AM.” In this case, Jesus, during His teaching about serving others in God’s Name, mentions that one of them will betray Him.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
For centuries, only four apostles were honored with special feasts in the Catholic Church: Saints Peter and Paul, Saint John the Evangelist, and Saint Andrew, the brother of Peter. June 29 was the day to remember the remaining apostles. But in the sixth century, the bodies of Saints Philip and James were brought to Rome from the East, where they were initially buried. Having arrived together at the same location, both apostles share a feast day.
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Today’s gospel takes place during another Jewish festival, the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple. Jesus is walking just outside of the temple in the Portico of Solomon, a long porch-like area that opened up into a large temple plaza. This is the setting where the Jews, most likely the religious leaders, confront Jesus.
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