Every now and then I’ll notice how people in television news or ads will refer to getting together with friends and family. Back when I was growing up, the order would have been reversed; we always said family and friends.
It seems like such a simple thing; maybe even trivial. But as one of my seminary professors always said, “Words matter … pay attention to them and fight for their use and meaning.”
Father Peyton, though he made friends around the world, always put family first, and not just his family, but the families of the world. Though he was blessed to grow up in a faith-filled and close-knit family in Ireland, he knew from a young age that not all families were as fortunate.
From time to time, I think about how families can get discouraged with how they are doing in living good and holy lives, even in just being civil to one another. But if you think about it, this has been going on since the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve not only sinned against God, but then fought over who led the other into sin.
Biblical Examples
Throughout the Bible there are stories of virtuous families who’ve had their struggles and who remained faithful to God (Noah and his family; Abraham and Sarah; Zacharias and Elizabeth, parents of John the Baptist). The Bible also tells of those who’ve had problem after problem, when sin took over and God wasn’t even considered (Cain and Abel; Jacob and Esau; Joseph and his brothers; Hagar and Sarah).
A good place for all of us to start is the first letter of Saint John, where it says, “Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” There is an even stronger line: “Whoever says, ‘I love God but hates his brother is a liar.’”
We can substitute mother, father, sister, etc., for brother, but spouses, children, and siblings most likely have expressed anger toward one another at some point—unfortunately, sometimes the kind that lingers for years.
Importance of Family Prayer
Father Peyton met many families and listened to all that they dealt with. He knew that for them to flourish, they first needed to be united in God through praying the Rosary together.
He knew that the reason Saint John could make those statements in his letter is because if we love God the Father, then we will naturally love His Son who was sent to save us. In the same way, we are called to love our family members, who are children of God.
If we struggle to love members of our family, whether living or deceased, we can start by praying to God for His love to change our hearts. A young Pat Peyton must have had disagreements with his mother and father and brothers and sisters, just like we all have, and yet he never let it get in the way of praying each night with his family.
God has given each one of us a family and each family goes through different chapters of life, challenges, and joys. Father Peyton believed, lived, and promoted family Rosary prayer as a way to unite our families in the love of God.
On this day when we give thanks to God for the life of Venerable Patrick Peyton, and begin a Novena for family unity and peace in our world, let us pray for all families, including our own, and let the love of God pour forth from our hearts to all our families, remembering that “the family that prays together stays together” and “a world at prayer is a world at peace.”
- Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
