World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
None of us likes being laughed at. It hurts our pride. So, we are usually careful not to take risks which could cause others to laugh at us. When it comes to our faith, we are especially careful not to risk ridicule. But today we see Jesus and two other people who dare to risk ridicule with regard to their faith.
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Healing the family | Why pray?
The parables Jesus used were excellent teaching tools. We may not understand them at first or second reading, but they engage our minds, are memorable, and invite us to discern meaning. They may speak to us of personality, the senses, the nature of light, the perception of things, or interpersonal relations.
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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?
Today’s first sentence from St. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews caught me by surprise. I guess it’s because, like you, I’ve heard and read so many disclaimers for products and programs that promise us great health, pain relief, protection from computer viruses, etc. Then list a series of exceptions to these claims. However, St. Paul does not do that when he says, “Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him since he lives forever to make intercession for them.”
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Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
Recently I heard a Christian man on the radio say that he doesn’t really believe in religion; all he needs is his relationship with Jesus. He went on to say that he didn’t need stained glass or incense or the building we call a church or even the structure of the Church that provides governance and teaching. I was surprised and disappointed because I’d heard him before and was impressed with his knowledge of scripture and applying Jesus’ teaching to our everyday lives.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
William Hutton, an English Poet and Historian says, “The charity that hastens to proclaim its good deeds ceases to be charity and is only pride and ostentation.” Jesus healed and cleansed the leper, saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone” (Mark 1:43). But the Leper could not withhold his excitement. Why would Jesus tell him to say nothing about the miracle? Was he afraid of appearing to be proud? Was he afraid too many people would be coming to him?
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“Come to me all of you who labor and are burdened - I will give you rest” We have all gone through seasons when we felt overwhelmed or exhausted by things that were going on in our lives. This might have been brought about by challenging circumstances in our personal lives, in our family, in our friendships, in our workplace, in clubs to which we belong, in our neighborhood, in our Church, in our country, or in our world. Times when we laid down to rest at night, and sleep wouldn’t come. Times when we turned and twisted in our bed half the night. Times when we woke up, our heart racing and our head pounding about the same things.
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