x Close
World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Today’s readings give us two emotional farewell moments. In the first reading, Paul gathers the elders of Ephesus, knowing suffering awaits him. Yet he says with remarkable peace: “I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord.” In the Gospel, Jesus prays to the Father on the night before His Passion: “I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.” Both Paul and Jesus speak about one thing: finishing the work God entrusted to them.
Share
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Imagine being a devoted fan of a football team. You know every player's name, you wear the jersey, you have the mug and the car sticker, and you never miss a match, you scream at the television, and you even try to coach the team from your couch telling them how they should play. But one day someone asks you, perfectly casually, "Did you catch the championship final last month?" And you say, with complete confidence, "What championship? What is it about? That is roughly the situation Paul walks into when he meets those twelve men in Ephesus.
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.
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
There is a fascinating detail about earthquakes that engineers often mention. During a serious tremor, people rarely run in straight lines to the nearest exit. Even when the exit is obvious, panic makes human beings irrational. Some freeze. Some scream. Some grab the wrong things. In the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, rescue workers said that many people came out carrying absurd objects in panic: lampshades, television remotes, frying pans, even grocery bags, while leaving behind passports, money, and valuables including toddlers. Fear rearranges the brain.
Share
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
In John’s Gospel, Jesus says something very honest and deeply encouraging: “I have told you this so that you may not fall away.” Jesus knew that His disciples would face difficult moments—rejection, suffering, confusion, and challenges to their faith. So before those struggles came, He prepared their hearts. And that is how God works in our lives too. Very often, God prepares us long before we understand what He is doing.
Share
Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
Thomas Merton, a great Trappist monk, is one of those people whose life exemplifies how a seemingly isolated monastic existence could still become powerful for global connection and spiritual insight. He embodied the idea that deep contemplation could lead to profound engagement with the world’s struggles, rather than withdrawal from them. Through his spiritual insights, shared from his monastic setting, he influenced many spiritual seekers worldwide. He highlighted that true spiritual life involves connecting with God through our daily experiences, rather than separating from the world. In today’s Gospel reading, we have Jesus who had spent time preaching and feeding the crowds, sending his disciples off across the Lake while he took some time to pray, to be in communion with God the Father. No sooner had the disciples set off than a turbulent storm struck the sea of Galilee. They were gripped with fear for their lives despite being experienced fishermen. For Jesus, although he was not with them in the boat, he nonetheless was aware of their struggles. Prayer did not remove him from the disciples. While in prayer, he perceived their trouble and decided to come to their rescue.
Share
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Saint Brother André Bessette for me represents a towering witness to the efficacy and power of prayer. The efficacy of prayer arising from a wounded soul, of prayer confident of God’s Providence, of prayer offered for the good of others, of prayer leading to the salvation of souls, of prayer united to the heavenly family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus. Alfred Bessette’s family profoundly shaped his spirituality. Tragedy struck young Alfred, the future Brother André, early, with the death of his father when Alfred was just nine years old, followed by his sweet mother's passing three years later. Orphaned and alone, he experienced firsthand the pain of loss and vulnerability.
Share
