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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Gospel Reflection | Sunday Mass | prayer
We live in a world of rules and protocols. Everywhere we look, there are guidelines, laws that must be followed, and traffic cops hiding behind billboards to enforce them. We are comforted, and kept safe, by laws. Yet sometimes laws that seem reasonable in one moment become self-serving in another. In yesterday's Gospel (Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23), the Pharisees are back in the game of trying to trap Jesus for His lack of strict adherence to Jewish law, this time as it pertains to the washing of hands and ritual purification before eating. As usual, Jesus doesn't mince His words. He calls the Pharisees hypocrites, citing Isaiah's prophecies as specific to them: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts."
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Parenting | family life | prayer
What subjects does your school of love do well, and where can your school of love improve? “The family is a school of love,” Saint John Paul II once said. I wish I had seen this phrase early enough to have taped it to my fridge when our five young adult children were little. It might have empowered me to see more clearly the sublime dignity in my role as a mother in the most intense hands-on years. As I meditate on this phrase now, and on the section of The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) where the virtues of the family are laid out, it’s clear my chances have not vanished entirely: not in my role as a mother nor as a daughter. Not yet, anyway.
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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.
Faith Life | Gospel Reflection | prayer
I came across a photo of me from long ago—very long ago. At that time, I was in great shape; I had what you would call six-pack abs. I worked out and ran three to four miles daily, which showed. Now, not so much. Now I fish. I try to convince myself that fishing is a sport, but I don't look like I used to, so it's difficult to convince people I'm still an athlete! Like any sport or endeavor, you must practice it if you want to advance. You must keep up with whatever is required to sustain your desired results, which, frankly, if you could see me, you would know I have not! This type of diligent workout routine is also vital for maintaining our spiritual health, bringing us to the Readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
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Catholic Faith | Spiritual Life | prayer
Let's celebrate Ordinary Time! It's the liturgical period in between the more illustrious seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter. It offers Catholics a unique opportunity to grow in faith and holiness through the ordinary rhythms of daily life. These periods are times when we can deepen our relationship with God and integrate our faith more fully into every aspect of our lives. The simple and seasonal day-to-day routines below can motivate you to make the most of Ordinary Time!
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Sheri Wohlfert shares a rainy-day reminder of surrender and gratitude.
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Hope | catholic family life | prayer
Call to me, and I will answer you; I will tell you great things beyond the reach of your knowledge. (Jeremiah 33:3) Tasting, touching, hearing, seeing, smelling … I learned of the five senses as a small child but could never have imagined how integral these are in our life. Our senses play an active part in the creation of memories and can trigger those memories too. The lyrics and mood created by songs often reflect our emotions, attitude, and perspective at a certain stage of our life. Scents of certain foods might remind us of special meals or celebrations—for me, rainy days always remind me of my mom’s baking. Family photos evoke visual memories that also bring forth with them sensations and emotions.
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