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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
The Gospel from today's Mass picks up right after the Transfiguration of Jesus upon the mountaintop with Peter, James, and John, as we’ve just heard: “As Jesus came down from the mountain…” Like many of our faith-enriching mountaintop experiences, for instance, coming off a great retreat, Jesus and the others are faced with a challenge. The scribes and Jesus’ other disciples are having an argument and there’s a large crowd to make it even more charged. Amidst this chaotic scene a father’s love breaks through the mass of humanity and raised voices to seek Jesus’ healing for his son. He explains to Jesus his son’s symptoms with desperation and the disciple’s inability to drive out the evil spirits.
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Strengthening family unity | Why pray?
Saint Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews uses the metaphor of running the race of life to Heaven. Way back in the 70’s not many adults ran or jogged in races, that is until marathon runners like Bill Rogers and Jim Fix made it popular for everyday people of all ages to go out for a jog or run. I was a young teenager when this was going on and because my family was into playing and attending sports, we used to attend the Boston Marathon each spring up on heart-break hill, the most challenging part of the course.
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Strengthening family unity | Why pray?
A few years ago, a friend told me a hilarious yet profound story. He was on a road trip when his GPS suddenly rerouted him through a creepy, deserted road. His phone signal dropped, the gas light flickered on, and to make matters worse, he saw an abandoned house straight out of a horror movie. “This,” he thought, “it is how I die.” Just as panic set in, he spotted a small gas station, barely lit but open. Relieved, he pulled in, refueled, and got directions back to safety.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
Yesterday, I asked several of my co-workers a question about the Our Father prayer. I asked each of them when you pray the words: “…thy Kingdom come thy will be done and earth as it is in heaven…”—what does the part “thy will be done” make you think of? Three people said in so many words: I think about God having a plan. Each of them finds a sense of peace and reassurance in knowing that God has it all figured out. So, what do you think about when you say to God the Father: “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” ---what comes into your mind? What are you or I signing onto when we make that prayer?
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Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
The Holy Father has proclaimed 2025 a Jubilee Year, a sacred time of renewal, reflection, and grace celebrated every 25 years. This year's theme is "Pilgrims of Hope," which invites all Catholics to embark on a journey of faith and transformation. Today, we're called to reflect and pray for all those involved in the World of Communications. Traditionally, this involved radio, television, newspapers, and magazines. Now, the world of communications has exploded to include the digital world, allowing people to communicate with people worldwide who share their particular interests.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
“You are under CCTV surveillance!” This is a notice we increasingly encounter today. Institutions, offices, public places—almost everywhere—is scanned by CCTV cameras. The purpose is clear: to capture every movement, identify mischief, trace mishaps, and deter harmful actions. Though CCTV is a modern technological marvel, humanity has had its own "human version" of surveillance long before its invention. Today’s Gospel offers proof of this.
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