World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
I've got a question for you. After looking over Luke's Gospel, what's your window of opportunity? Hold that thought for a bit. You've got to love the Old Testament for its ability to get your attention with vibrant language and imagery. Likewise, today's gospel of Lazarus and the rich man should be a wake-up call to emulate Christ's love with those we see every day—while we have the chance.
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Healing the family | Why pray?
Within the scope of today’s first reading and gospel are tragedy and grief and faith and healing … all parts of the lived experience for each of us to one degree or another. In the first reading, we hear of King David’s son, who had betrayed him, ultimately falling prey to Joab.
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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.
Have you ever had a dream where you heard a telephone ring or a person calling your name? It’s something that happens in my family, at least among the guys—who ironically are also the hardest to wake up!
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There is a saying: 'If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." This seems to be Zechariah's thought in the Gospel of Luke after the angel Gabriel gives him great-sounding news: Elizabeth and he are going to have a child. Because he doubts the angel's word, Zechariah is struck mute.
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Howard Loomis was abandoned by his mother in 1918 at Father Flanagan's Home for Boys, which had just opened a year earlier. As a result of his polio, Howard wore heavy leg braces. He had trouble walking, especially up and down stairs. Soon, several of the Home’s older boys carried Howard up and down the stairs. One day, Father Flanagan asked Reuben Granger, one of those older boys, if carrying Howard was hard. Reuben replied, “He isn’t heavy, Father, he’s my brother.”
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Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is one of the most important solemnities about our Blessed Mother. Pope Pius IX declared in 1854 that Our Blessed Mother, through a special grace, was preserved free from original sin right from the moment she was conceived in her mother, Anna’s, womb. It is part of the reason when the angel Gabriel came to tell her that God had chosen her as the mother of Jesus, the angel called her “full of grace.” She did not have a quarter of the grace, or have half of the grace, but she was full of grace!
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