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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?
An Italian newspaper featured a story about a young couple in Milan who appeared to be deeply devoted to their faith. The priest at a cathedral reported that the couple regularly spent an hour or more sitting before a statue of the Virgin Mary. However, it was later discovered that their intentions were not as they seemed. Instead of praying, the couple was using the electrical plug behind the statue of Mary to recharge their cell phone. Whenever their phones needed charging, they would come to the church to plug them in, using the time as an opportunity to be together in a peaceful setting while their phones recharged.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Why pray?
During a recent visit to India, I was deeply moved by the words of a Bishop who had chosen a life of solitude. His response to a question regarding his well-being was not just a personal sentiment but a profound lesson for all of us: "I am fine if all others are fine." This selfless love for all of God's creation resonates with the very essence of today's Gospel message, inviting us to reflect on our own lives and relationships.
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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?
I have been listening to a Bible study program both for its content and the fact that it is broadcast from Brazil. Someone asked if Jesus wrote any of the books of the Bible. While He may not have physically written any, we do believe that He inspired every word that others wrote, as revealed to us in 2 Timothy 3:16. Did Jesus pray, and how did He pray? The Scriptures often mention that He prayed in response to particular needs and at specific locations; however, not much is said about the content of His prayer. Today, however, we heard Him not only praying but also what He said as He prayed.
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Today we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Matthias the Apostle. He was not among the first twelve Apostles of Jesus, but was a substitute for Judas Iscariot who committed suicide after betraying Jesus, decreasing the number of Apostles to eleven. The number twelve was important in Israel because it symbolized the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve divisions of the priestly order, and the twelve doors of the temple in Jerusalem. The number twelve symbolized completeness and perfection.
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Jesus came down from heaven to unite divinity with humanity, and He returned to heaven to seat humanity at the Father’s right hand. This is breathtaking, no more than that; it is the grandest surprise of all. God has astonished us with this revelation; He wants us to share in His very life through Christ our Lord, His only begotten Son.
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In today’s Gospel reading, we encounter a profound message that resonates deeply within each of our lives. As we listen to Jesus’ urgent voice in the scripture from John 12:44-50, we hear Him not just speaking to the crowd, but addressing each of us personally: "He who believes in me believes not in me but in Him who sent me. And he who sees me sees Him who sent me."
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