x Close
World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
One of the most interesting conversations I ever had when I was a young seminarian was with a nun friend. It was like a debate about the Ten Commandments. She kind of scolded me for taking the Lord's name in vain and told me that I would never make it to heaven if I didn't stop doing it. In my defense, I explained that other people violated commandments worse than what I did. They committed adultery, stole, killed, and lied. So, I felt that taking the Lord's name in vain was a minor offense. Surely God wouldn't turn me away for such a minor infraction when others had disobeyed the gravest of His commands.
Share
Learn more about our faith | Love thy Neighbor
I don’t have any scientific data, but I’m willing to bet that St. Anthony of Padua is in the top ten for people’s intercessory prayers! Whenever we’d lose something in my family, my Mom would tell us to pray to St. Anthony, and we’d find it … and like our friends’ experiences, he had a great track record of success in the Marcham home, resulting in donations to the Franciscans in Boston.
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.
Today as on many days, a lot is going on in our Mass Readings: A eulogy for holy men who are not known by most but nonetheless are known to God and their loved ones. And God blesses them and their children and children’s children. The famous scene of Jesus overturning the money changers’ tables at the Temple, As well as Jesus cursing a fig tree for its lack of fruitfulness!
Share
Learn more about our faith | Love thy Neighbor
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth. A couple of years back when I visited the Holy Land, we went to the old town of Ein Karem. This is believed to be the town where Elizabeth and her husband, Zechariah, lived. It is the town where Mary came to visit. It is in hilly country, and the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth is way up a hill. Below the hill is a well where Mary is believed to have gone to fetch water for home use.
Share
Holy lives of inspiration | Love thy Neighbor
My hometown basketball team, the Boston Celtics, used to have a star player by the name of Paul Pierce. His nickname was “The Truth.” The people that gave him that nickname weren’t trying to be sacrilegious or blasphemous, only pointing out that he was the real deal of what it means to be a star in the NBA.
Share
Love thy Neighbor | Strengthening family unity
Today, as we gather as a family, let our hearts be filled with joy and overflowing gratitude for the Word of God that has been proclaimed to us. In Acts 17, we hear from the Apostle Paul that we are God’s offspring and that He is not far from us. In fact, it is in Him that we live and move and have our being. In John, we hear Jesus promise to send the Holy Spirit who will lead us into all truth. From these proclamations, we learn about the incredible power of God's love and the boundless blessings that await us as we walk together in faith as a family.
Share
