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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?
Catherine Booth, co-founder with her husband, William Booth, of the Salvation Army, was an electrifying preacher. Wherever she went, crowds of people came to hear her message of hope: princes and nobles, beggars, and homeless people. One night, after preaching in a certain city, a certain well-placed lady invited Mrs. Booth to dinner. The lady's words of welcome as she arrived were: "My dear Mrs. Booth, that meeting was so dreadful." "What do you mean?" asked Mrs. Booth. "Oh, when you were speaking, I was looking at those people opposite to me. Their faces were so terrible that many of them were homeless. I do not think I shall sleep tonight!" "Why, dear, don't you know them?" Mrs. Booth asked. "Certainly not!" the host replied. "Well, that is interesting," Mrs. Booth said. "I did not bring them with me from London; they are your neighbors!" The lady who had invited Mrs. Booth to dinner understood her "neighbor" was not to be limited only to those on her social and economic level.
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Strengthening family unity | Why pray?
Today's Mass Readings offer a profound invitation to re-evaluate what truly matters in our lives. St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians reminds us that our time on Earth is fleeting. He urges us to live with purpose and not become overly attached to worldly concerns. While we may not share Paul's sense of imminent urgency, his message rings true: our earthly lives are a journey toward eternity.
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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.
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
My grandfather had a radio, and he was very fond of it. As a young boy, I noticed him exposing batteries from this transistor radio under the sun. Once, I asked him, "Are they wet?" "No!" he replied. "But why do you put them under the sun?" I asked again. "I placed them under the sun because they are already weak. The heat of the sun will restore their power." I don't know how scientific that is, but he believed that batteries, when exposed to the sun for some time, will regain some power to run flashlights or transistor radios for an extended time. Choosing the twelve disciples, walking on water, healing those who touched Him, the transfiguration, and the crucifixion, what took place before these powerful events in Jesus's life? Jesus spent the whole night on the mountain to pray, which I am sure recharged him for the following events.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
At some point in your life, you’ve probably heard the phrase, "No good deed goes unpunished.” Now, maybe that sounds cynical, but as most can attest, in today’s Gospel, there are times when you can be criticized for doing or at least attempting to help someone. In Jesus’ case, the scribes and the Pharisees were keeping a close watch on him…not to learn or be healed but to find a reason to accuse him of something. Once again, this took place on the Sabbath in a synagogue, and among those listening to Jesus' teaching was a man whose right hand was withered.
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Have you ever lived with someone who thinks there is only one way, one style, one method of doing something - and that one method is what they are familiar with? Jesus in our gospel today is dealing with a similar situation. The Pharisees and Scribes confronted him about why his disciples didn’t follow the devotional practices that everyone else followed. To them, there was one road to holiness and his disciples weren’t following that path, and that was a huge problem!
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In Luke's Gospel, we witness the transformative power of trust and faith. Weary from a fruitless night of fishing, Simon Peter encounters Jesus and, despite his exhaustion, chooses to obey. He lowers his nets once more, and the miraculous catch that follows changes his life forever. Like Simon Peter, we, too, experience moments of weariness and discouragement in our family lives. We strive to nurture strong relationships, guide our children, and maintain love in our marriages, yet sometimes it feels like we are casting our nets into an empty sea.
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