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World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
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Right around now, the last two weeks before Easter, it’s not hard to lose our focus on Lent. It’s been about four weeks since Ash Wednesday and human nature being what is it is we can start to trail off in our prayer, fasting and charitable works. So, today’s gospel from John is perfectly placed on our Lenten journey, our preparation for the great celebration of Easter; in it, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and now us about His divine origin and mission.
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Today’s reading from the book of the prophet Daniel is gripping — like something out of a courtroom drama. Two respected elders, full of deceit, attempt to destroy the reputation and life of a virtuous woman. Susanna is cornered not just by their lust but by the terrifying weight of injustice. Imagine this: a young girl, falsely accused, standing in the center of a circle, condemned by powerful men. Her voice is trembling, her hands shaking, but her heart is rooted in something unshakable — truth when truth hangs in the balance. And yet, she stands firm, even when no one believes her. She cries out not to the world but to God. And God hears. That’s Susanna’s story — truthfully, it could be ours, too. Susanna’s story is not ancient history. It’s happening every day — when character is questioned, when assumptions are made, and when the voices of the innocent are too soft to be heard over the noise of pride, gossip, and power.
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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.
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Many of us own a bathroom scale or use one at a gym, it gives us an indication on how we’re doing with our diet and exercise programs…even our general health. But sometimes, we need to take a deeper look, maybe a blood test, MRI or cardiac ultrasound. Lent is a special time when we take a deeper look into our hearts and souls…to see what drives us…and what we place first in our lives and why….?
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“My Father goes on working and so do I”. (John 5:17) In two weeks, we will be in Holy Week! Each year I make it a practice, sometime during this last part of Lent, to watch Mel Gibson’s great film, “The Passion of the Christ”. I understand that it’s a very graphic film and some people find it too difficult to watch, and that’s really OK, but if it’s not too hard for you, I highly recommend seeing it as a way of helping you enter into Holy Week. You can find it on Netflix and Amazon and other platforms…
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Let me start with a question: Have you ever tried to walk into the ocean slowly? You start with your toes. It's cold. So, you wait. Then your ankles. Still bearable. Then to your knees, still ok. But then comes that dreaded moment, the wave crashes, and you’re suddenly soaked to your waist. Some laugh. Some run back to shore screaming. Some just dive in. Ezekiel had a vision a bit like that, we hear of water trickling out from the Temple—starting small, ankle-deep, then knee-deep, then waist-deep, and finally a river so vast no one could cross it. Wherever this water flowed, life bloomed. Trees bore fruit. Salt water turned fresh. Everything lived because of the water.
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The Gospel of John gives us a powerful encounter between Jesus and a royal official, an encounter that illustrates the transformative power of faith. It’s meant to lead us to reflect on the nature of our own faith and how we, like the official, can come to a deeper trust in the Lord's promise. In this passage, Jesus returns to Galilee and is found in Cana, where He had previously performed the miracle of turning water into wine. It’s here that a royal official from Capernaum seeks him out, his heart heavy with worry. His son is gravely ill, on the brink of death, and he’s heard of Jesus' power to heal. Driven by a father's love and desperation, he implores Jesus to come and heal his son. Initially, Jesus responds with what seems like a rebuke: "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
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