Blog

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 65631 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2024-08-28 19:53:44 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-08-28 19:53:44 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Peace is fundamental to the Christian faith.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In the book of the prophet Isaiah, long before Jesus’s birth, we learn of his title of Prince of Peace.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>“For a child, is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” </em>~ Isaiah 9:5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In the Gospels, Jesus Himself tells us that he offers us peace.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.</em> ~ John 14:27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">We logically <em>know</em> Jesus brings us peace. Yet, both in the world around us and inside our own hearts and minds, it is sometimes difficult to recognize that peace.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Here are some prayers you can use to pray for peace, whether you’re seeking peace in our world or peace in your mind.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prayers-for-peace">Prayers for Peace</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow created these simple prayers for peace that you can pray to ask God for peace on earth, in the many forms that that takes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">If you are using these prayers in a group setting, simply change the singular pronouns (“I” and “me”) to plural ones (like “we” and “us”).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">You may also find these prayers helpful for praying for peace within families.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Heavenly Father, you created the earth, the sun, and all of the life that dwells here as part of your creation. I pray that your Holy Spirit may move the hearts of all of Your children toward a radical form of peace that rejects violence and oppression. I understand, o Lord, that conflicts have existed for centuries and can seem impossibly complex and without hope. However, You are a God of peace and healing. Through You, all things are possible. Heal our world. May Your Kingdom come. Amen. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>God of peace and justice, I turn to You today with a heavy heart, overwhelmed by the division and unrest that distances us from each other–and from You. Soften the hearts of those who see their brother as “other”. Remind us all that you call us to live in harmony with each other. May pride never overtake us. May we live to serve, putting others before ourselves. God, may Your peace reign now and forever. Amen.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Dear God, we know you have conquered the world, including death, and all of the evil that sometimes feels like it surrounds us. In moments like this, where I desperately seek peace, I pray that I can take comfort in Your promise and place my trust in You. I pray that I not only feel Your love but that I become an instrument of it, extending Your loving embrace to those whose lives are most shattered by the sins of violence. In Your name I pray. Amen.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Holy Spirit come, guide us towards the way of peace. Lead us to build God’s kingdom here on earth. Set our hearts ablaze with a fire for justice. Strengthen us in our mission to follow the path that God leads us toward. I pray for hope, I pray for kindness, I pray for justice. I pray for all these things as I pray for peace. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>Related prayers: </em><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-to-the-holy-spirit/"><em>Prayers to the Holy Spirit</em></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prayers-for-peace-of-mind-nbsp">Prayers for Peace of Mind&nbsp;</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Sometimes the peace we desire has less to do with what’s happening out in the world, and what’s happening in the complicated space inside our heads.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">If you’ve ever been overcome by worrying, overthinking, restlessness or any other feelings that have left you feeling unsettled, you know that peace of mind is not always easy to come by.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/prayersforpeace">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Consider these short prayers whenever you need peace of mind, whether you’re lying in bed struggling to sleep or feeling a lack of peace amid the busyness of your day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>When my mind races and my heart is unsettled, Lord, I turn to you. Settle my uneasy mind and strengthen me that I may fix my eyes on You and the promise of eternal life secured through Jesus’s victory over death. I love You, Lord, and I trust in You. In Your name I pray. Amen.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Heavenly Father, Your love for me knows no bounds. You sent Your Son so that I may live forever with you in heaven. Right now, heaven feels far away, and I struggle to feel the peace that I know You provide. Let my mind be calm, my heart be still. Help me to feel Your presence with me now. Clear my mind of worries and fill it with the peace only You provide. In gratitude I pray. Amen. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Jesus, you calmed the stormy waters in the Sea of Galilee. I imagine how the disciples felt in the boat, far from the safety of dry land, dealing with choppy, turbulent waves, unable to feel peace. It’s a feeling I relate to now. I turn to You as I navigate the storm in my mind and ask You to make it still. Grant me peace, that I may feel rest. You are with me in stormy waters just like You are in the beautiful, still waters of my life. No matter the storm around me, grant that my mind may feel Your peace, trusting in You entirely.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-papal-prayers-for-peace-in-the-world">Papal Prayers for Peace in the World</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Across centuries, the Holy See has led the faithful around the world in prayers for peace.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Sometimes, this has been in response to specific instances of war and violence around the world.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Other times, these prayers for peace have been general invocations aiming to help God’s peace flourish here on earth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The amazing thing about these prayers from popes is that, while they are rooted in specific periods of time, they feel just as relevant today in many ways.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Consider <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xv/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xv_exh_19150728_fummo-chiamati.html">the words below,</a> the concluding lines of a prayer from St. Benedict XVI in 1915, following the outbreak of World War I:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>This is the cry of peace which breaks forth from Our heart with added vehemence on this mournful day; and We invite all, whosoever are the friends of peace the world over, to give Us a helping hand in order to hasten the termination of the war, which for a long year has changed Europe into one vast battlefield. May the merciful Jesus, through the intercession of His Sorrowful Mother, grant that at last, after so horrible a storm, the dawn of peace may break, placid and radiant, an image of His own Divine Countenance. May hymns of thanksgiving soon rise to the Most High, the Giver of all good things, for the accomplished reconciliation of the States; may the peoples, bound in bonds of brotherly love, return to the peaceful rivalry of studies, of arts, of industries, and, with the empire of right reestablished, may they resolve from now henceforth to entrust the settlement of their differences, not to the sword's edge, but to reasons of equity and justice, pondered with due cairn and deliberation. This will be their most splendid and glorious conquest! In loving trust that the tree of peace may soon return to rejoice the world with such desirable fruits, We impart the Apostolic Benediction to all who make up the mystical flock confided to Us, and also for those, who do not yet belong to the Church of Rome, We pray the Lord to draw them close to Us in the bonds of perfect charity.</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Similarly, in 1961, Pope John XIII issued this prayer for peace during the Cold War. See the prayer in its entirety <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/john-xxiii/en/messages/pont_messages/1961/documents/hf_j-xxiii_mes_19610910_pace.html">here</a>, or spend in time prayer with the final section of it, featured below:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>We would extend our most urgent invitation to prayer to priests, to consecrated souls, to the innocent and to the suffering. Let us all together beg the Father of light and of grace to enlighten the minds and move the wills of those who hold the chief responsibility for the life or death of the peoples; let us pray for the peoples themselves that they may not allow themselves to be dazzled by exacerbated nationalism and destructive rivalry, and that, as We so earnestly exhorted in Our Encyclical "Mater et Magistra", the relationships in the life of human society may be reintegrated in truth, in justice and in love. Let us all pray that by means of the penetration of the Christian spirit morality may grow strong: the vigorous strength of Christian families, the source of noble power and dignity and of blessed and joyful prosperity.</em> <em>Ever and always let us pray for the peace of Christ here below, between all men of good will: "that all the families of the nations, rent asunder by the wound of sin, may be subjected to the most gentle rule of Christ."</em> <em>And finally we turn to you, O blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother also. How can we, with trembling hearts, apply ourselves to this greatest problem of life or death, which overshadows all mankind, without relying on your intercession to keep us safe from all dangers? This is your hour, Mary; to you Jesus entrusted us in the final moment of His sacrifice of blood. We are confident in your intercession.On the Eighth of September Holy Church kept the feast of your most happy birthday, hailing it as the first beginning of the world's salvation and the growth of peace. This indeed, is what we beg of you, most loving Mother and Queen of all the world. The world has no need of victorious wars and defeated peoples, but of the renewed strength of salvation and of the fruitfulness and calm of peace: this is its need and this it is for which it cries aloud: "salutis exordum; et pacis incrementum"; "the dawn of salvation and growth of peace. Amen. Amen."</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">On World Day of Peace (January 1) in 2006, Pope Benedict XVI prayed for peace through the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Prince of Peace. The full prayer is <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20051213_xxxix-world-day-peace.html">available here</a>, with the ending excerpt included below:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>At the same time I ask for an increase of prayers, since peace is above all a gift of God, a gift to be implored incessantly. By God's help, our proclamation and witness to the truth of peace will be all the more convincing and illuminating. With confidence and filial abandonment let us lift up our eyes to Mary, Mother of the Prince of Peace. At the beginning of this New Year, let us ask her to help all God's People, wherever they may be, to work for peace and to be guided by the light of the truth that sets man free (cf. Jn 8:32). Through Mary's intercession, may all mankind grow in esteem for this fundamental good and strive to make it ever more present in our world, and, in this way, to offer a safer and more serene future to generations yet to come.</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In 2014, Pope Francis <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/prayers/documents/papa-francesco_preghiere_20140608_invocazione-pace.html">issued an invocation for peace</a> at the Vatican Gardens. Following a trip to the Holy Land, he invited Israeli and Palestinian leaders together and called for peace, a message that certainly resonates a decade later:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>Lord God of peace, hear our prayer! We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instil in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen.</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/prayersforpeace">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bible-verses-for-peace">Bible Verses for Peace</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When you’re seeking peace, it can be comforting to simply spend time with the Word of God.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Here are some portions of Scripture you can reflect on and pray with during times where you’re struggling to feel peace.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Psalms are filled with beautiful words that tell of the peace that only God can provide.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Pslam 124 is one such example:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">A song of ascents. Of David.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Had not the Lord been with us,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;let Israel say,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Had not the Lord been with us,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;when people rose against us,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Then they would have swallowed us alive,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;for their fury blazed against us.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Then the waters would have engulfed us,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the torrent overwhelmed us;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">then seething water would have drowned us.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Blessed is the Lord, who did not leave us</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to be torn by their teeth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">We escaped with our lives like a bird</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;from the fowler’s snare;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the snare was broken,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and we escaped.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Our help is in the name of the Lord,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the maker of heaven and earth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">This passage from Joshua reminds us that God is faithful to His promise to us, giving His people peace “on every side.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">And so the Lord gave Israel the entire land he had sworn to their ancestors he would give them. Once they had taken possession of it, and dwelt in it, the Lord gave them peace on every side, just as he had promised their ancestors. Not one of their enemies could withstand them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their power. Not a single word of the blessing that the Lord had promised to the house of Israel failed; it all came true. ~ Joshua 21:43-45</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Consider this passage from 1 Kings, which reminds us that when everything around us feels like chaos, God is present with us in the peace of silence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Then the Lord said: Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will pass by. There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord—but the Lord was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake—but the Lord was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire—but the Lord was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound. ~ 1 Kings 19:11-12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Here are some other <a href="https://hallow.com/scripture/bible-verses-for-peace/">Bible verses for peace</a> you can pray with.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/prayersforpeace">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-prayer-resources">More Prayer Resources</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When you're struggling, you're never alone. God is always here for us. Here are some resources to help you begin a conversation with God in moments when you're struggling.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-strength/">Prayers for Strength</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-hope/">Prayers for Hope</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-protection/">Prayers for Protection</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-healing/">Prayers for Healing</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Prayers for Peace: Peace of Mind, Peace in the World and More [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => prayers-for-peace [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-08-28 19:53:49 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-08-28 19:53:49 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=65631 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 64883 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2024-08-16 20:19:33 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-08-16 20:19:33 [post_content] => <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prayers-for-protection-table-of-contents"><strong>Prayers for Protection: Table of Contents</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#short">Short Prayers for Protection</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#violence">Protection from Violence</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="http://st-michael-prayer">St. Michael's Prayer</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#guardian-angel">Guardian Angel Prayer</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#driving">Protection While Driving</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#bible-verses">Bible Verses for Protection</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Scripture gives us countless examples of God’s protection, starting with the book of Genesis.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Chapter 22 of Genesis contains the famous story of God testing Abraham through Isaac’s sacrifice. Before Abraham actually harmed Isaac, God commanded Abraham to not lay a hand on his son.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">God protected Isaac. And He protected Daniel in the lion’s den. He safeguarded the Holy Family from Herod.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Today, too, God protects us. His protection and safeguarding didn’t exist only during Biblical times. He continues to watch over us today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Pope Benedict the XVI <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2005/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20050504.html">once said</a>, “God will protect us with love at every moment, guarding our lives from every evil.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Consider these prayers for protection, which you can pray at any time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="short">Short Prayers for Protection and Safety</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>Come Holy Spirit, be my Guide. Open my eyes and move my heart to follow the path the Father calls me toward. Protect me from evil and temptation. Strengthen me that my heart may remain pure.</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>Jesus, through your sacrifice, death and Resurrection, you defeated death and secured for us the promise of eternal life. I ask you today to help me remember that as I encounter any struggles, dangers, or challenges this day here on earth. Give me courage, knowing death will never win. Give me comfort, remembering Your love for me, knowing You gave everything for me. Be with me, now and always. Amen.</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>Heavenly Father, I come to You today humbly seeking your protection, for me, my family and all of those close to me. Keep us safe while we’re awake and watch over us as we sleep. Assured of your love, I pray for the courage to live boldly, unafraid of challenges or dangers I may face. Strengthen me, O God, to follow your call to love and serve more fully than many will understand. In Your name I pray.</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><em>Lord, you are my refuge and my fortress. I place my trust in you. Be with me today and protect me from all harm. May the wings of Your angels rescue me from danger. I cling to you now and always, knowing you are near to me in moments of suffering or danger. With a grateful heart, I pray. Amen. (inspired by Psalm 91)</em></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/prayersforprotection">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="violence">Prayer for Protection from Violence and Terrorism&nbsp;</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">To pray for protection from the thread of violence and terrorism, consider this prayer courtesy of Pope Francis. Pope Francis <a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2016/07/31/160731a.html">shared this prayer</a> in 2016 while making an <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/34286/pope-makes-unexpected-stop-at-franciscan-monastery">unexpected visit</a> to a Polish church to pray before relics of two martyrs who were victims of political violence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">He offered the following prayer for protection from violence:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>“O almighty and merciful God, Lord of the universe and of history. All that You have created is good and your compassion for the mistakes of mankind knows no limits. We come to You today to ask You to keep in peace the world and its people, to keep far away from it the devastating wave of terrorism, to restore friendship and instill in the hearts of Your creatures the gift of trust and of readiness to forgive.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>O Giver of life, we pray to You also for all those who have died as victims of brutal terrorist attacks. Grant them their eternal reward. May they intercede for the world that is torn apart by conflicts and disagreements. O Jesus, Prince of Peace, we pray to You for the ones who have been wounded in these acts of inhuman violence: children and young people, old people and innocent people accidentally involved in evil. Heal their bodies and hearts; console them with Your strength and, at the same time, take away any hatred and a desire for revenge.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>Holy Spirit Consoler, visit the families of the victims of terrorism, families that suffer through no fault of their own. Wrap them in the mantle of Your divine mercy. Make them find again in You and in themselves the strength and courage to continue to be brothers and sisters for others, above all for immigrants, giving witness to Your love by their lives.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>Touch the hearts of terrorists so that they may recognise the evil of their actions and may turn to the way of peace and goodness, of respect for the life and for the dignity of every human being, regardless of religion, origin, wealth or poverty.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>O God, Eternal Father, in Your mercy hear our prayer which we raise up to You amidst the deafening noise and desperation of the world. We turn to You with great hope, full of trust in Your infinite Mercy. Made strong by the examples of the blessed martyrs of Peru, Zbigniew and Michael, who have rendered courageous testimony to the Gospel, to the point of offering their blood, we entrust ourselves to the intercession of Your Most Holy Mother. We ask for the gift of peace and of the elimination from our midst of the sore of terrorism.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="st-michael-prayer">St. Michael Prayer for Protection</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Introduced by Pope Leo XII, the St. Michael Prayer for protection is a popular prayer for both individuals as well as communities—many churches have the custom of reciting this prayer at the end of Mass, before the process.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Learn more about St. Michael and asking for his protection through the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-st-michael-chaplet/">St. Michael Chaplet</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/prayersforprotection">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="guardian-angel">Guardian Angel Prayers for Protection</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The <a href="https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/88/">catechism of the Catholic Church</a> tells us that God "beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">You can ask for protection through this guardian angel prayer:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>O Most holy Angel of God, appointed by God to be my guardian, I give thee thanks for all the benefits which thou hast ever bestowed on me in body and soul. I praise and glorify thee that thou condescended to assist me with such patient fidelity, and to defend me against all the assaults of my enemy. Blessed be the hour in which thou were assigned me for my guardian, my defender and my patron. In acknowledgment and return for all thy loving ministries to me, I offer thee the infinitely precious and noble Heart of Jesus, and firmly purpose to obey thee henceforward, and most faithfully to serve my God. Amen</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Find more <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/guardian-angel-prayers/">guardian angel prayers</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="driving">Prayers for Protection While Driving</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The safety of motor vehicles <a href="https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/historical-fatality-trends/deaths-and-rates/">has improved greatly</a> since they first became popular modes of transportation. Still, we can feel dangers on the road, especially for those who drive professionally, take long road trips, or have to travel in adverse conditions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Some people have the tradition of saying a short prayer for a safe trip before embarking on their drive. Here’s a simple prayer you can use to pray for protection while driving:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>God, please help me arrive safely at my destination today. I pray also for the safety of the other drives I’ll share the road with today. Help me to be patient and attentive. Protect me from any dangerous conditions I may encounter. You’re a God of protection, who guided and kept safe the journeys of Abraham and Sarah, and Mary and Joseph. Protect me on my drive today.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>St. Christopher, patron saint of travelers, pray for me!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="bible-verses">Bible Verses for Protection</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow has a list of <a href="https://hallow.com/scripture/bible-verses-for-protection/">Bible verses for protection</a>. There is no shortage of them!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Perhaps the most popular is Psalm 121: 7-8:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Psalm 91 is another popular Bible verse with the theme of protection:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>Say to the Lord, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.” He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare, from the destroying plague, He will shelter you with his pinions, and under his wings you may take refuge; his faithfulness is a protecting shield. You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day, Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the plague that ravages at noon. Though a thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, near you it shall not come. </em>Psalm 91: 2-7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/prayersforprotection">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-praying-for-protection-in-your-own-way">Praying for Protection in Your Own Way</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">If none of these prayers resonates with you, remember that you can always speak (and listen) to God in your own words.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">There’s no “right” way to ask God for protection. The words that come from your heart work completely fine.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">More Prayer Resources</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-children-how-to-pray-for-your-child/">Prayers for Your Children</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-strength/">Prayers for Strength </a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-hope/">Prayers for Hope</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-healing/">Prayers for Healing</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Prayers for Protection: Praying for Safety from Evil and Danger [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => prayers-for-protection [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-16 20:21:56 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-16 20:21:56 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=64883 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 64404 [post_author] => 75 [post_date] => 2024-08-12 13:39:05 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-08-12 13:39:05 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">St. Michael's Lent is a spiritual practice rich in history and meaning, dating back to the 13th century. <a href="https://hallow.com/saints/francis-of-assisi/">Saint Francis of Assisi</a>, one of the Catholic Church's most beloved saints, received the stigmata on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14) and began this devotion in honor of Our Lady and Saint Michael the Archangel. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-origin-and-meaning">Origin and meaning </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">We learn about the the tradition of St. Michael's Lent as described in "The Little Flowers of St. Francis" by St. Bonaventure. Similar to <a href="https://hallow.com/lent/">Lent</a> before <a href="https://hallow.com/easter/">Easter</a>, St. Michael's Lent is a 40-day period of prayer and penance that begins on the Solemnity of the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/feast-of-the-assumption/">Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary </a>(August 15) and ends on the feast of the Holy Archangels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael (September 29). This time of devotion is an opportunity for the faithful to renew their faith and grow in union with God.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-devotion-of-st-francis-of-assisi">The devotion of St. Francis of Assisi</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">St. Francis had a great devotion to St. Michael the Archangel. He lived this 40-day period with deep reverence and a spirit of penance. According to St. Bonaventure: </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">"Two years before his death, having begun a Lenten retreat in honor of Saint Michael on a very high mountain called Alverne, [Francisco] felt more abundantly than ever the softness of heavenly contemplation, the ardor of supernatural desires and the profusion of divine graces."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/stmichaelslent">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">St. Michael's Lent has been kept alive by the Franciscans over the centuries, making it popular with lay people as well as religious. Despite not being part of the Church's official liturgical calendar, this devotion is a rich opportunity to immerse oneself in prayer and penance, as St. Francis did, in order to draw even closer to the Lord. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spiritual-practices">Spiritual Practices</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Ways to observe St. Michael's Lent include:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/daily-prayer-prayers-for-today/">Daily Prayer</a>: Pray the Litany of St. Michael or other prayers dedicated to him.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Penance: Choosing some kind of fast or choose something to give up to offer to God, such as waking up at dawn or abstaining from a specific food.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Charity: Find a way to demonstrate love to those most in need in a concrete way, such as through the corporal works of mercy.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Confession and Mass: Celebrate the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-go-to-confession-the-sacrament-of-penance-reconciliation/">Sacrament of Reconciliation</a> and Holy Mass regularly in order to be open to God's graces.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us! St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/stmichaelslent">Pray during St. Michael's Lent on Hallow now!</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> [post_title] => St. Michael's Lent: How to Pray and Observe St. Michael's Lent [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => st-michaels-lent [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-08-16 16:16:51 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-08-16 16:16:51 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=64404 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 64332 [post_author] => 24 [post_date] => 2024-08-09 20:13:59 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-08-09 20:13:59 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>CHICAGO</strong> - Hallow, the No. 1 prayer app, today announced a partnership with Divine Mercy University, a leading Catholic graduate school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">By partnership with Hallow, Divine Mercy University will make available to its students, faculty and administrators Hallow’s complete library of faith-based prayer and meditation resources free of charge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow offers more than 10,000 audio-guided prayer and meditation sessions including rosaries, novenas, and Bible in a Year, as well as content that focuses on sleep and mental health, something increasingly important to both students and faculty.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Divine Mercy University’s graduate programs focus on psychology and counseling with a Catholic perspective of the person, marriage and family. Among Hallow’s prayer resources now available to the Divine Mercy University community are novenas on marriage, family and discernment.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">It’s the first time that Hallow has partnered with a graduate school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">"We could not be more excited to be supporting the Divine Mercy community,” says Alessandro DiSanto, Co-Founder at Hallow. “One of our core goals at Hallow is to help our users find, in relationship with Christ, a peace that the world cannot bring. Divine Mercy's integrated view of spiritual and mental health has long been an inspiration to us and is a vision we are humbled to play a small role in helping realize."&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow offers more than 10,000 audio-guided prayer and meditation sessions including rosaries, novenas, and Bible in a Year, as well as content that focuses on sleep and mental health, something increasingly important to both students and faculty.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Fr. Charles Sikorsky, LC, JD, JCL, President of Divine Mercy University added, “It is a joy for us to work with Hallow and support them in their vital mission of using technology to bring souls to Christ. Our students, faculty and staff have been very happy with the benefits of using the app as a way to develop their spiritual life and become more intentional disciples who spread God’s love. This partnership will also help in our continuous efforts in shedding light on what students, communities and many around the world are currently going through regarding the mental health crisis plaguing our society.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>About Hallow</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow helps people deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided prayers, sleep meditations, Bible readings, meditations, and music. The app has more than 10,000 sessions including a Daily Rosary, Daily Gospel, Daily Saint, Novenas, Examens, Father Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year, The Chosen’s Jonathan Roumie’s audio Bible, Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons, peaceful Christian music, Gregorian chant, and so much more. Launched in December 2018, Hallow is now the #1 Catholic app in the world and has been downloaded 19 million times and used to pray more than 500 million times across 150-plus countries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> [post_title] => Hallow Partners with Divine Mercy University to Bring Prayer Resources to Leading Catholic Graduate School [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => hallow-partners-with-divine-mercy-university [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-08-09 20:14:02 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-08-09 20:14:02 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=64332 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 63834 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2024-08-01 01:14:44 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-08-01 01:14:44 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">No matter how old or big our children get, we can always hold them up in prayer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Many parents can recall praying for their children before they were even born, and offering up prayers of thanksgiving to God the day they entered the world.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The desire to pray for our children never goes away even as our kids grow and mature. And even if we don’t know the exact words to say.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Luckily, God knows our needs and our hearts better than we do ourselves. Try these words to lift up your children in prayer and to begin a conversation with God.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/prayersforchildren">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prayers-for-children-nbsp">Prayers for Children&nbsp;</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Heavenly Father, I recognize that the sons and daughters we have on earth are gifts from You and belong to You. Bless my children and strengthen me that I may be the parent to them that You call me to be, demonstrating the sacrificial love that Jesus modeled for us all. Help me to recognize that it’s impossible to be a perfect parent. Help me resist the urge to be the parent that society tells us to be and rather, to love and nurture my children as You call me to. In Your name I pray. Amen.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Loving God, Creator of all things, including families, I come to you today to ask for Your blessing on (name children). Watch over them, keep them safe, guard them from evil and temptation. Help them to open their eyes to Your beautiful presence in the world in which they enjoy unlimited potential. Guide them as they grow, that no matter which path life takes them down, they listen to Your call to guide them.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>I see the wide-eyed zest for life in my child’s eye today, dear God, and pray that it will always remain. May (child’s name) forever possess the love of life, and the world You’ve created, as they do today. I pray simply for their happiness. Where life takes them, geographically, professionally, or otherwise, matters less to me than a happiness rooted in knowing and loving You. In gratitude, I pray. Amen.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prayers-for-adult-children-nbsp">Prayers for Adult Children&nbsp;</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When our children are no longer “kids,” they have different needs and encounter different obstacles. Still, they have a childlike dependency on God, as we all do, even if sometimes they don’t realize it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Consider these words when you’d like to pray for your adult child:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>God, I lift up to you my children, remembering when they were young, carefree, and close to you, and recognizing now that they are grown and I can no longer protect them from all the challenges they may face. Father, our eternal Protector, keep them safe and healthy, holding them lovingly in Your hands always. Amen.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/prayersforchildren">Hallow: 30 Days Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prayers-for-older-adult-children-who-have-fallen-away-from-their-faith">Prayers for Older/Adult Children Who Have Fallen Away from Their Faith</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Many parents can relate to the struggle of watching their children drift slowly away from their faith.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Despite our best efforts in raising our children to be people of faith, sometimes, for reasons we’ll never understand, our children can seem lost in their relationship with the Lord.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Here are some words to pray for older children struggling with their faith:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>God, as my children have gotten older, it sometimes can feel like their hearts have hardened and they’ve grown distant from you. Help them to hear Your voice and soften their hardened hearts. In some small way today, open them up to feeling, Your love of them, knowing deep down, they return that love to You. With a thankful heart, I pray. Amen.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Pray for the intercession of St. Monica, patron of mothers facing difficult family situations:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Dearest St. Monica, patient and virtuous mother of Augustine, who never lost faith in her son finding his way to God, pray for me today, and pray especially for the healing of my son/daughter. St. Monica, you know as well as anyone the struggles of parenthood and the difficulties of watching a child stray from God. Pray that I may trust in God’s plan, and pray that my child returns to God through some small action today, by recognizing the beauty in the world around them, even amid struggles–a beauty that reflects our Creator. St. Monica, pray for us!</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Pray the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/st-monica-novena/">St. Monica Novena</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/prayersforchildren">Pray With Hallow Today</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ask-for-others-to-lift-your-child-up-in-prayer">Ask for Others to Lift Your Child Up in Prayer</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">If you’re child is dealing with something extremely difficult, and you could use the support of others, consider lifting up your child in prayer with Hallow’s <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayer-campaigns/">Prayer Campaigns</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Prayer Campaigns are completely free to create, share, and join. We’ve seen some powerful campaigns lifting up in prayer children facing some really challenging circumstances.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Anyone who joins a Prayer Campaign can also leave notes of support for the person who created the campaign.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">If you're looking for resources on engaging your children with prayer (instead of praying <em>for</em> your children), check out our guide on <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-with-kids/">how to pray with kids</a>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-prayer-resources">More Prayer Resources</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/st-anne-novena/">St. Anne Novena</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/litany-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-litany-of-loreto/">Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/saint-anthony-novena/">St. Anthony Novena</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-st-joseph-worker-novena/">St. Joseph the Worker Novena</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/holy-family-novena/">Holy Family Novena</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Prayers for Children: How to Pray for Your Child [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => prayers-for-children-how-to-pray-for-your-child [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-08-14 14:52:41 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-08-14 14:52:41 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=63834 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 63392 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2024-07-24 16:54:36 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-07-24 16:54:36 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Ignatian Spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises: Table of Contents</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class=""><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#contemplative-in-action">Contemplative in Action</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#god-in-all-things">God in All Things</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#daily-examen">Daily Examen</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#overview">Spiritual Exercises Overview</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#what-happens">What Happens in the Spiritual Excersies</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="http://resources-on-hallow">Ignatian Resources on Hallow</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">It may have been the most fortuitous cannonball in history.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In 1521, a cannonball shattered the right leg of <a href="https://hallow.com/saints/ignatius-loyola/">Ignatius of Loyola</a> and also damaged his left leg.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">As his right leg healed, it did so in an unsightly, unattractive way. <a href="https://ignatiansolidarity.net/blog/2021/05/20/cannonball-moments-year-of-ignatius/">Ignatius’s vanity</a> led him to have his leg completely reset so it could heal without the slightest deformity.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">During his recovery period, Ignatius read a book about the life of Christ as well as a book about saints, and his conversion began.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">One single cannonball gave the world a great saint, a new religious order (the Society of Jesus, known as “The Jesuits”), and one of the greatest Christian spiritual traditions we have: Ignatian spirituality.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="contemplative-in-action">Contemplative in Action</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Being a “contemplative in action” is a simple way to describe Ignatian spirituality.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“Contemplative” refers to being mindful of how God is reaching out to us and leading us. “In Action” refers to taking this “contemplation” and using it to respond today, in this world, to the needs of our brothers and sisters and to how God guides us.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In other words, in Ignatian spirituality, spending time with God and discerning His call does not lead us to isolation from the world. Instead, it calls us into the world. Contemplation leads to action—acts of love.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/april/documents/papa-francesco_20150430_comunita-vita-cristiana.pdf">In a 2015 address</a>, Pope Francis discussed contemplative in action, saying the following:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>We can speak a lot about theology, a lot… good things, speak about God… but the way is being able to contemplate Jesus Christ, to read the Gospel, what Jesus Christ did: It’s He, the Lord! Fall in love with Jesus Christ and say to Jesus Christ that you choose to follow Him, to be like Him. And this is done through prayer and touching the wounds of the Lord. You will never know Jesus Christ if you don’t touch his injuries, his wounds.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Being contemplative in action reflects the reality that God is very much present in our world, in big and small things.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/spiritualexercises">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="god-in-all-things">God in All Things</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><a href="https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/ignatian-spirituality/finding-god-in-all-things/">According to Loyola Press</a>, what rests at the core of Ignatian Spirituality is “finding God in all things.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">This means that we don’t just recognize God while we are at Mass and through His presence in the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/eucharist-holy-communion-adoration-prayer/">Eucharist</a>. Rather, finding God in all things calls us to open our eyes to God being with us throughout our days, in good times and in bad, and often in moments where we don’t expect to feel His presence.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The foundation of this belief is that God is active in our world. God is not distant and removed from us. He’s present in our joys and sorrows, our best moments and our lowest.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">We can better appreciate God’s presence around us each day through another core element of Ignatian Spirituality: the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-examen/">daily examen</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="daily-examen">Daily Examen&nbsp;</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Our days can often feel like a blur. We wake up and are busy from when we crawl out of bed until the time we nod off into sleep.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">If we don’t take time to review our days–and the conversations, experiences and feelings we have–it can be easy to miss how God is present in our lives, and perhaps more importantly, where He is leading us.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When we reflect on our day, we can notice where we experience feelings of consolation and desolation, sometimes called <a href="https://thejesuitpost.org/2022/03/jesuit-101-consolation-and-desolation/">discernment of spirits</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Daily Examen helps us unpack our days and be more aware of how God is moving in our daily lives and where our hearts feel most alive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">It has a simple format:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class=""><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Beginning by giving thanks to God</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Reviewing your day and the moments that stand out</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Talk to God about your feelings throughout the day; ask for forgiveness for times you missed the mark</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Looking ahead to the next day and asking God for what we need</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">It takes just a few minutes on any given day to pray the daily examen. A more in-depth form of prayer that Ignatian spirituality gives us is the Spiritual Exercises.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/spiritualexercises">Try the Daily Examen on Hallow</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="overview">Ignatian Spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Perhaps the greatest contribution that St. Ignatius gave to our spiritual lives remains his spiritual exercises.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">What we now know as Ignatius’s spiritual exercises started out as his own personal journal before he eventually realized the universal nature of some of the truths and experiences that he was discovering.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The full spiritual exercises traditionally take place as a <a href="https://ignatiushouse.org/why-attend-retreat/retreat-formats-2/">30-day retreat</a>, broken down into four weeks with different themes and areas of focus. This 30-day (sometimes 28-day) retreat is part of the formation of men pursuing a vocation with the Jesuits.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Since it’s difficult for many of us to leave our daily routines for a full month, the full spiritual exercises have been adapted into the “<a href="https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/offices/mission-ministry/sites/center-for-ignatian-spirituality/prayer/19th-annotation.html">19th Annotation</a>,” sometimes called the “retreat for daily life.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">One thing that is true in both forms of the retreat is that Ignatius’s spiritual exercises were intended to guide the retreat director, not the retreatant. Therefore, while you can read the writings of Ignatius, it’s best to pursue the spiritual exercises under the guidance of someone trained in the exercises.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/spiritualexercises">Pray the Spiritual Exercises on Hallow</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-happens">What Happens During the Spiritual Exercises?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">But what exactly happens during the spiritual exercises?&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Fr. Joe Laramie, S.J., <a href="https://www.joelaramiesj.com/st-ignatius-spiritual-exercises">explains</a>, “In some sections of the Exercises, Ignatius plunges us into the mystery of sin and evil. In other parts, he helps us to contemplate the love and power of Christ by engaging our emotions and imaginations.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In practice, this looks like spending time with Scripture and imagining ourselves in certain Gospel scenes through <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/contemplative-prayer-imaginative-prayer/">imaginative prayer</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Entering into prayer in the Scriptures is the basic pillar of the spiritual exercises, according to Fr. Timothy Gallagher.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“There are other actions in the spiritual exercises, but the main one is to pray over and over again through the days with Scripture.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Even if we have heard these passages many times, Ignatian contemplation through the spiritual exercises can allow God to reveal new details to us.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“Ignatian contemplation allows us to see stories that we may have heard countless times with new eyes,” <a href="https://thejesuitpost.org/2021/10/jesuit-101-ignatian-contemplation-encountering-god-through-our-imagination/">says</a> Jesuit Tucker Redding, S.J. “We might notice different details, ask new questions, and find ways that God is speaking directly to us.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="resources-on-hallow">Explore Ignatian Spirituality on Hallow</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow offers a number of prayers and meditations rooted in Ignatian spirituality, including the daily examen, discernment of spirits (consolation and desolation) with Fr. Joe Laramie, S.J., and the full four-week spiritual exercises led by <a href="https://www.frtimothygallagher.org/">Fr. Timothy Gallagher</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/spiritualexercises">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-prayer-resources">More Prayer Resources</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class=""><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-rosary/">How to Pray the Rosary</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-lectio-divina/">How to Pray Lection Divina</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-surrender-novena/">How to Pray the Surrender Novena</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/litany-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-litany-of-loreto/">Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Ignatian Spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => ignatian-spirituality-and-the-spiritual-exercises [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-07-24 16:54:42 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-07-24 16:54:42 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=63392 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 62536 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2024-07-11 20:23:01 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-07-11 20:23:01 [post_content] => <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bible-study-guide">Bible Study Guide</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">(Click to jump to any section)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Bible History and Overview</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#what-is">What is the Bible?</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#books">How the Bible was constructed + Bible books</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#languages">Languages and St. Jerome</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#popes">Pope Leo XII and Pope Pius XII</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#chapters-verses">Books, Chapters and Verses</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#literal">Is the Bible literal?</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#what-bible-isnt">What the Bible is *not*</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Bible Study Tools</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#getting-started">Getting started</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#taking-notes">Taking notes</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#exegesis">Exegesis and Bible study tools</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#daily-bible-study">Bible in a Year / Daily Bible study</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#lectio-divina">Lectio Divina </a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#prayers">Bible study prayers</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Bible is inspiring, motivational, life-changing and world-changing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">For many of us, it can also be just a bit intimidating. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">That’s partially because, while we can know Jesus, it can be intimidating to consider many of the books and passages of the Bible or how it might reference people or places we’re unfamiliar with.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Yet studying the Bible and letting God’s word soften our hearts can be one of the most enriching aspects of our faith lives. It can bring us closer to God and help us to understand Him better.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Learning about the Bible, where it came from, what it means, and how to learn it better can make it more inviting.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Hallow’s goal is to help the world pray more. While entire books are written on topics like how the Bible came about, the importance of Bible study and how to spend time with Scripture, Hallow offers this brief overview of the Bible as a resource to help beginners knock down any barriers to the Bible and start studying and praying with it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>But the Bible is not a beautiful collection of sacred books to study – it is the Word of Life to be sown, the gift that the Risen Christ asks to be gathered and distributed so that there may be life in His name. - </em><a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2019/04/26/190426f.html#:~:text=But%20the%20Bible%20is%20not,an%20indispensable%20injection%20of%20life."><em>Pope Francis</em></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/biblestudy">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bible-history-and-overview">Bible: History and Overview</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-is">What Is the Bible?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Bible sits at the center of the Christian faith.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">It is a divinely inspired text that tells the story of God’s relationship with humanity and how salvation unfolds over the course of history, culminating with Jesus’s death and Resurrection.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Bible was physically written by a number of authors, but it was written by God in the sense that it was inspired by the Holy Spirit.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">It’s not that God took physical command of the authors’ hands and penned the words Himself. Rather, the Holy Spirit animated different people in different communities over the course of centuries to produce&nbsp; the Canon of Scripture we hold sacred today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The books of the Old Testament were written across hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. The Gospels were written roughly 50 years after Jesus died.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="books">How the Bible Was Constructed + Books of the Bible</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Bible is hardly a singular work but rather a book containing numerous smaller books.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">John W. Miller, author of How the Bible Came to Be: Exploring the Narrative and Message, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=MmKLDwAAQBAJ&amp;">tells us that</a> “the Bible contains words and writings of numerous prophets, apostles, poets, sages and historians who lived over many centuries.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <iframe title="When Old Testmanent Books Likely Were Written" aria-label="Range Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-fozVk" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/fozVk/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="999" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}(); </script> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The USCCB <a href="https://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible">describes the Bible</a> as a “library” rather than a book.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Bible is divided into the Old Testament (including the Torah/Pentateuch–the first five books of the Bible) and New Testament. Each of these contains different books. But they are united in one main story of God communicating to us, and much of what is foretold in the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Catholic Bible has 73 books, 46 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Some may have learned that the Catholic Bible has 72 books. The difference lies in whether the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations are considered one book or two distinct works. As Father Kenneth Doyle of Catholic News Services <a href="https://catholicphilly.com/2012/08/catholic-spirituality/how-many-books-are-there-in-the-bible/">points out</a>, the most commonly used translations by Catholics count them as two separate works, thus the 73 number.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Different councils and synods determined the books and the “canon” of books is slightly different for Catholic and Protestant Bibles. For example, the Catholic Bible contains the books Baruch, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Sirach and Tobit, which do not appear in Protestant Bibles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When you attend church, each reading is from a different book of the Bible (e.g., “A Reading from the Book of Exodus..”)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="languages">Languages of the Bible and St. Jerome</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The various books of the Bible were written in one of three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Many graduate programs in Biblical studies offer (or require!) students to learn one of these languages to enrich their academic studies of Scripture.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The average person does not need to know any language other than their own in order to study the Bible, deepen their understanding of scripture, and strengthen their relationship with God.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <div class="flourish-embed flourish-hierarchy" data-src="visualisation/18692547"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script></div> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Bible translations are always being revised and improved. The Vatican <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/bible/index.htm">recommends</a> relying on your local conference of bishops for the best translations for different languages and countries (there are multiple approved translations.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><a href="https://hallow.com/saints/jerome/">St. Jerome</a>, with his Latin translation (known as the “Vulgate”), is often credited with being the first to translate the Bible from its original texts. <a href="https://www.stjeromeonline.org/history-of-st-jerome.html">It inspired</a> the King James Version, which has been used a thousand years later.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/biblestudy">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="popes">Pope Leo XII and Pope Pius XII: Encyclicals on Scripture Studies</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In 1893, Pope Leo XII’s <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_18111893_providentissimus-deus.html">Providentissimus Deus</a> quotes Psalm 119, regarding the virtue of studying Scripture, “Blessed are they who examine His testimonies; they shall seek Him with their whole heart.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Fifty years later, Pope Pius XII released the encyclical <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_30091943_divino-afflante-spiritu.html">Divino Afflante Spiritu</a>, another critical document in support of studying Scripture.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“For what is more sublime than to scrutinize, explain, propose to the faithful and defend from unbelievers the very word of God, communicated to men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit?” wrote Pope Pius XII.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/100/biblical-scholarship-50-years-after-divino-afflante-spiritu">The document</a> “provided the stimulus for a development of genuine biblical scholarship within Catholicism, especially in the United States.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Decades later, at the Second Vatican Council, document Verbum Dei “moved the Bible to the center of the Catholic life,” <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/news/dei-verbum-moved-the-bible-to-the-center-of-catholic-life">as one Biblical scholar put it</a>.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="chapters-verses">Reading the Bible: Books, Chapters and Verses</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When you see references to Scripture, they usually contain words and numbers. If you’re new to the Bible, it may not be clear what these refer to.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The word refers to the book within the Bible that contains the text. “Books” is a term that also includes portions of the Bible that we also refer to as “Letters” or “Gospel” (e.g., “a reading from the Gospel of Mark”; “a reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The first number after the name of the book refers to that book’s chapter. The following numbers refer to the specific verse or verses in that chapter. They are usually separated by a colon (“ : “). When referring to a passage longer than one verse, a dash (“ – ”) is used to indicate the range of verses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The graphic below shows a portion of the Gospel of Matthew inside the Hallow app.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">As an example of how books, chapters and verses identify very specific lines of the Bible, Mark 2: 1–2 would refer to the following text:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"className":""} --> <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcNeb62aux4hKwhqjGwwBoP6_GWcnt8lIEGmw_nBUw0UuN579JCVJteVt5d0JZio8-EGBkAYyJggW5MZ_61JGe3Wh87x8umdzuwEXjYS2SW-Wy4F-ZFhJQlnJloKDrVDr_lzrc8pDKZU7Iw0zdfoDM2CcpD?key=-PlH2bkGFTIodBvPq-9i8g" alt=""/></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="literal">The Bible is Literal..and Allegorical (and more)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Is the Bible meant to be taken literally?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Bible is indeed literal in many ways. Jesus literally died and was literally resurrected. These are not metaphors or symbols</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">However, the catechism outlines two senses of scripture- or means of interpretation. : In addition to the obvious literal sense, there is also the spiritual sense, which is divided into allegorical, moral and analogical senses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><a href="https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/34/">The catechism</a> illustrates these four senses through the story of Moses parting the Red Sea.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In addition to the literal understanding of the text, there’s also the allegorical understanding of Moses parting the Red Sea as a "sign or type of Christ's victory and also of Christian Baptism.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><a href="https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/how-to-literally-read-scripture-literally">Catholic Answers</a> points out that the passage also has a moral sense, giving us lessons for how to live (or not to live today.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Finally, the anagogical (or mystical) sense offers up an interpretation that points the reader towards the eternal: God leading us from sin toward our heavenly home.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Each of these is different, and each is correct, though not every understanding is a literal one.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="what-bible-isnt">What the Bible Is Not</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Bible is the most important book ever, but there are many things that it <em>is not</em>.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Bible is not a history book, or a journalistic work by reporters covering an event, the way we think of reporters’ work today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Nor is it a science book, offering scientifically focused explanations for our world in the way we think of science books in our modern world.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Catechism, which references two “senses” of Scripture (literal and spiritual), teaches that the Bible is accurate in matters of faith, and <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html">Verbum Dei</a>, a document from Vatican II, teaches that:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“Since everything asserted by the inspired authors or sacred writers must be held to be asserted by the Holy Spirit, it follows that the books of Scripture must be acknowledged as teaching solidly, faithfully and without error that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings for the sake of salvation.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="p.lent-embed" class="">This refers to truths that the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, seeks to teach us, not to every single reference or reality mentioned in the Bible.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">For example, slavery is mentioned in the Bible and was present in the time and place in which much of the Bible was written. This does not mean that the Church endorses slavery today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Finally, the Bible is not merely individual books thrown together. As the <a href="https://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible">USCCB puts it</a>, the sum is greater than the parts. The books in the Bible make the most sense when considered together. The Bible as a whole tells the story of God’s great love for His people, and the story of humanity’s salvation unfolds and reaches a climax in Jesus.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The word “Testament," as in Old and New Testaments, <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource/56030/the-word-testament">means “covenant.”</a> The promises God made in the books of the Old Testament are fulfilled through Jesus.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">To quote Biblical scholar Jeff Cavins in the introduction to Bible in a Year, “There are a lot of stories in the Bible, but what about <em>The Story</em>?”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/biblestudy">Pray on Hallow</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="getting-started">Bible Study - Getting Started</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Getting started with basic Bible study is simple, easy, and doesn’t have to cost a thing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">You don’t even need a physical version of the Bible–you can download Hallow and enjoy the Bible within the Hallow app.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Not all books of the Bible serve the same purpose. Similarly, not all books are as easily accessible for new readers.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">We’d recommend starting with one of the Gospels–Matthew, Mark, Luke and John–and read a chapter at a time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The stories and passages may be familiar to you, but read slowly and see how a new word may stick out to you or how a line may grab your attention.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="taking-notes">Don’t Be Afraid of Taking Notes</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">If you are studying a physical copy of the Bible, don’t be afraid to underline passages that stick out to you or make notes that might help you remember certain things.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">If your&nbsp; intent is to deepen your faith and understanding, it’s not a problem to write in the Bible. It might be a good idea to have one Bible reserved for this purpose specifically.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">This is different than writing in or on the Bible with the purpose of defacing it or otherwise being disrespectful toward it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">As Teresa Coda of U.S. Catholic <a href="https://uscatholic.org/articles/202001/is-it-ok-to-write-in-the-bible/">puts it</a>, “Although we ought to treat the Bible with reverence—we shouldn’t be writing expletives between the lines—it’s meant to be held, examined closely, dog-eared even.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="exegesis">Exegesis and Bible Study Tools</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">One way to enhance your study of the Bible is through a practice called exegesis.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The book Elements of Biblical Exegesis by Michael J. Gorman defines exegesis as “the careful historical, literary, and theological analysis of a text."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Studying the history surrounding Scripture can help us better understand the important context in which a particular book was written, who wrote it, and for whom it was written.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <iframe title="When New Testmanent Books Likely Were Written" aria-label="Range Plot" id="datawrapper-chart-ByjnH" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/ByjnH/4/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="633" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}(); </script> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Biblical scholar Jeff Cavins has a bevy of resources to help place different periods of the Bible in their proper historical context. His YouTube series titled <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0QzUlsjD3k2H3o8TjHHSLrEJKg3ZPAM7">The Bible Timeline Show</a> is a good resource for this.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Scott Hahn’s <a href="https://stpaulcenter.com/studies-tools/online-studies/how-to-use-our-online-studies/#b">St. Paul Center</a> offers excellent, free Bible study tools that are also worth exploring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Exegesis also seeks to understand the words in Scripture, what they mean and why they were used.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">often, these two lenses complement each other.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">For example, consider a line from the centurion who observed Jesus’s death.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The phrase “Son of God” does not appear in Luke’s version and it helps us place Mark’s Gospel in a historical context.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Biblical scholar <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/year-of-mark">John Bergsma explains</a> that Mark sought to evangelize Roman culture, and therefore, this line and phrase helps show to his audience that “Jesus’ message and identity have been embraced by a respected member of Roman society.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Exegesis can help us gain a new appreciation for Scripture. Hallow offers Daily Exegesis, which explores the meaning of the Gospel passage each day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/biblestudy">Explore the Daily Exegesis on Hallow</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="daily-bible-study">Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz / Daily Bible Study</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">One way to study the Bible is to spend time reading, reflecting, and praying with it each day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">But you don’t need to read the Bible cover to cover in order to read the entire thing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year reading plan breaks down the Bible into 12 distinct time periods based on the timeline by Jeff Cavins:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Early World</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Patriarchs</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Egypt and Exodus</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Desert Wanderings</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Conquest and Judges</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Royal Kingdom</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Divided Kingdom</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Exile</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Return</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Maccabean Revolt</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Messianic Fulfillment</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The Church</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">He’s also identified the 14 “narrative” books of the Bible <a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1125/2740/files/the-official-365-day-reading-plan-for-the-bible-in-a-year_2.pdf?v=1611238365">that</a> “tell the story of Scripture from beginning to end.” </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The USCCB also offers a categorization of books in the Bible:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <div class="flourish-embed flourish-hierarchy" data-src="visualisation/18689394"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script></div> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Most days of the Bible in a Year program feature a portion of Scripture from one of these 14 books of the Bible, along with segments from the other books of the Bible, placed into their proper context.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Each day also includes a selection from Psalms and Proverbs to help reflect on God’s Word in a prayerful way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">This allows someone to read the entire Bible over 365 days, but in a way that perhaps makes it easier to understand the story of salvation that unfolds across the Old and New Testaments.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Bible in a Year is available on Hallow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/biblestudy">Try Bible in a Year on Hallow</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="lectio-divina">Lectio Divina</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When beginning to explore the Bible, you don’t need to set out to read it cover-to-cover. A great way to get started spending time with the Bible is through <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-lectio-divina/">Lectio Divina</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Lectio Divina literally means “divine reading,” and it’s different from a group Bible study, because it’s a way of praying, and a much more personal encounter with Scripture.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In this form of prayer, you meditate on certain Bible passages and listen to which words stand out and what God might be trying to communicate to you through Scripture.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">You don’t need anything to try Lectio Divina save for some Scripture and some time with God. Choose a short portion of Scripture, only a few verses. Read it slowly once, hold it in your mind, and listen for what God might be trying to tell you. What word stands out? What might that mean? Read the passage once or twice more and just be present with God.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Lectio Divina is actually <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/the-hallow-story/">responsible for Hallow’s name</a>. Our CEO tried Lectio Divina for the first time and the word “hallow” stood out to him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="prayers">Prayers to Begin and Conclude Bible Study</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Focus the time you spend with Scripture on deepening your relationship with God by beginning and closing your Bible study in prayer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Consider the following short prayers to begin your Bible study session:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>“Heavenly Father, help me hear Your voice today. May Your Word soften my heart so I may better follow You. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.”</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>“God of all creation, your Holy Spirit inspired this divine Word. As I read the Bible today, may Your Spirit inspire me, setting my heart ablaze with a desire to build Your kingdom here on earth.”</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">To close, you can simply pray the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-our-father/">Lord’s Prayer</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-most-important-part-of-bible-study-is-getting-started">The Most Important Part of Bible Study Is Getting Started</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">No one is going to become a Biblical scholar overnight, and it’s unlikely (though certainly not impossible) that you'll gain some life-changing wisdom or insight the first time you crack open your Bible.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">You may not think you’re doing Bible study “the right way”--whatever that means.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The reality is that simply having a desire to spend time with God’s Word, and acting on that desire, is a wonderful starting point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Trust in God’s ability to reach you through His Word and enjoy the journey of opening up your mind and heart to Scripture.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-bible-study-resources">More Bible Study Resources</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/scripture/bible-verses-for-hope/">Bible Verses for Hope</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/scripture/bible-verses-for-peace/">Bible Verses for Peace</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/scripture/bible-verses-for-love/">Bible Verses for Love</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/parables-of-jesus/">Guide to Jesus’s Parables</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-gospels/">How to Pray with the Gospels</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Bible Study: How to Study the Bible (for Beginners) [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => bible-study-guide-for-beginners [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-09-11 19:26:12 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-09-11 19:26:12 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=62536 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 25539 [post_author] => 32 [post_date] => 2024-07-06 19:00:00 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-07-06 19:00:00 [post_content] => <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Parables of Jesus</strong>: <strong>Table of Contents</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true,"className":""} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#intro">Introduction to Parables</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#definition">What Is a Parable?</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#how-many">How Many Parables Are There?</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#purpose">Why Did Jesus Use Parables?</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#common-themes">Common Themes in Parables</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#popular">Popular Parables</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#praying-with-parables">Praying with Parables</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#faqs">Frequently Asked Questions about Parables</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="intro" class="">In His birth, Jesus changed the world with the incarnation: God became man. His death and Resurrection changed eternity, conquering death and securing a path for salvation for others.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In His short public ministry, Jesus’s words also transformed humanity, challenging conventional wisdom, demonstrating servant leadership and calling on his followers to demonstrate a radical love to build God’s kingdom on earth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">He often did this through parables.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Parables compose a large share of Jesus’s words captured in the Gospels. He delivered some of his most memorable lessons through parables. Terms like “Good Samaritan” and “Prodigal Son” have transcended religion and become terms people of all faiths recognize.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">For Catholics and other Christians, parables are not simply a collection of Bible verses or stories we learn in school. They are dynamic lessons that continue to take on new significance and meaning in an ever-changing world.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In <strong>July with Jesus</strong>, Hallow invites you to meditate on the parables of Jesus, deepen your relationship with God and consider how God calls us to live and act.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Let Hallow guide you through parables so that parables can guide you in your faith.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/Parables">Pray the Parables with Hallow</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="definition">What Is a Parable?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">According to <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/parable">the dictionary</a>, parables are short allegorical stories designed to teach a&nbsp; truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">They are often engaging stories that contain few details but are ripe with meaning.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Parables have a place in the tradition of <a href="https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/family/catholic-teens/scripture-background-for-teens/parables-and-how-jesus-taught-with-them/">Jewish storytelling</a>. Jesus's parables used&nbsp;elements of everyday life to illustrate a more profound message. In modern times, parables are almost always associated with Jesus.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="how-many">The Number of Parables</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The precise number of parables in the Bible varies based on different definitions of what a parable is.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">By some counts, Jesus gave us more than 30 parables in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Others suggest the total number of parables by Jesus totals more than 50.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The number of distinct parables Jesus offers us is less important than the message they bear.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="purpose">The Purpose of Parables–Why did Jesus Use Them?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Jesus encountered so many different groups of people during his public ministry.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">He spent time with his disciples, with Pharisees, with large crowds of strangers who were listening to him for the first time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Jesus needed to engage wildly different groups of people, so he told stories that were able to draw in diverse crowds with different points of view.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">With parables, Jesus told stories that revealed the truth about God’s kingdom while simultaneously challenging the commonly held world views of many of those to whom He spoke.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Just as Jesus addressed crowds years ago, he speaks to all of us today, challenging us to open our hearts to his message.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="common-themes">Common Themes in Parables</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Jesus made references to the ordinary that would resonate with his followers, using everyday concepts to draw in his audiences.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">He taught lessons to followers through images of plants, vines, seeds and sowers. He shared parables about family dynamics, dinner parties and weddings.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Many of the parables Jesus shared touched on familiar themes, including:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Love</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Forgiveness</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>God’s Kingdom</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Prayer</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Redemption</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>End times</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke contain the most parables; no parables are found in John’s Gospel.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">One other commonality with parables is that they often challenge the way we view the world.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">“By shattering the structures of our accepted world, parables remove our defenses and make us vulnerable to God,” Catholic theologian Barbara E. Reid <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=nVV1KiFKmmkC&amp;pg=PA3#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">writes</a>.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="popular">Popular Parables</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Parables resonate differently with each of us, and we all may have our favorites. Here are some that stand out as well-known and oft-cited parables of Jesus:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013&amp;version=NABRE">Parable of the Sower</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke.19.12-Luke.19.27&amp;version=NABRE">Parable of the Talents</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015%3A11-32&amp;version=NABRE">Parable of the Prodigal Son</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010%3A25-37&amp;version=NABRE">Parable of the Good Samaritan</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13%3A31-32&amp;version=NABRE">Parable of the Mustard Seed</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="praying-with-parables">Why We Should Pray with Parables</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Jesus does not always explain in-depth the parables He shares. He often omits many details, rarely mentioning people by name.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The lack of explicit explanation and detail prompts us to prayerfully consider the meaning of parables for us in our time and circumstance.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">"Over the ages each community of Christians has had to work out their responses to the challenges of Jesus' teaching,” according to <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=nVV1KiFKmmkC&amp;pg=PA3#v=onepage&amp;q=change&amp;f=false">Barbara E. Reid</a>. “This task is no less incumbent upon believers today."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Parables are as important now as they were when the followers of Jesus heard them. When we spend time in prayer with the parables, we open our hearts to God’s message and what it means for us in our lives.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Since the parables rarely celebrate the status quo, praying with the parables can help us consider how might better help to build God’s kingdom here on earth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/Parables">Try Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="faqs">Common Questions About Parables</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>How many parables of Jesus are there?</strong> There is no official number of exact parables from Jesus. Sometimes, Jesus explicitly called something a parable; other times, he shares parables without explicitly saying so. In other instances, he shares a single line or two that feels like a parable. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Why did Jesus speak in parables?</strong> Parables allowed Jesus to challenge conventional wisdom and encourage His audience to consider a deeper meaning to His words.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Why did Jesus not interpret all of His parables?</strong> The parables call us to consider how God wants us to live and act. They call people across time periods, cultures and geographies to reflect on their meaning. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>How do parables and fables differ?</strong> Parables feature people in everyday situations. Fables often center around animals or other non-humans.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>What did Jesus say about parables?</strong> In Matthew 13:13, Jesus says, "This is why I speak to them in parables: 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.'"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">More Prayer Resources from Hallow</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-rosary/">How to Pray the Rosary</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-strength/">Prayers for Strength</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-novenas/">How to Pray a Novena</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/how-to-pray/">How to Start Praying</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-healing/">Prayers for Healing</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/bible-study-guide-for-beginners/">Bible Study Guide</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Parables of Jesus: A Guide to Parables in the Bible, What They Are and Why Jesus Used Them [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => parables-of-jesus [to_ping] => [pinged] => https://hallow.com/2019/09/23/how-to-pray-the-rosary/ https://hallow.com/2020/05/01/how-to-pray-novenas/ [post_modified] => 2024-09-17 19:14:18 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-09-17 19:14:18 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=25539 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 27985 [post_author] => 43 [post_date] => 2024-07-01 21:22:37 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-07-01 21:22:37 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">All Saints’ Day is a <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/holy-days-of-obligation/">Holy Day of Obligation</a> celebrated by the liturgical Church on November 1. We turn to the saints, those known and unknown by the Church, as guides and models of holiness on this day.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Table of Contents&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#All-Saints-Day-FAQ">All Saints’ Day FAQ</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#All-Saints-Day-Mass">Holy Day of Obligation — All Saints’ Day Mass</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#All-Saints-Beatitudes">All Saints’ Day &amp; the Beatitudes</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#Celebrate-All-Saints-Day">How to Celebrate All Saints’ Day</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#All-Saints-Day-Prayers">All Saints’ Day Prayers</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#Related-Prayers">Related Prayers and Guides</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="All-Saints-Day-FAQ">All Saints<strong>’</strong> Day FAQ</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>What is All Saints’ Day?</strong> All Saints' Day celebrates the feast or solemnity of all the saints in Heaven, both saints recognized by the Church as holy men and women <em>and</em> those who remain unknown. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>When is All Saints<strong>’</strong> Day in 2024? </strong>All Saints’ Day is celebrated on November 1 every year. In 2024, All Saints’ Day falls on a Friday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Is All Saints<strong>’</strong> Day a holy day of obligation?</strong> Yes, All Saints’ Day is a holy day of obligation. Catholics are expected to attend Mass on All Saints’ Day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>What is the difference between All Saints’</strong> <strong>Day and All Souls<strong>’</strong> Day?</strong> All Saints’ Day celebrates the holy men and women in Heaven, those known and unknown by the Church, on November 1, whereas <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/all-souls-day-prayers-for-2022/">All Souls’ Day</a> honors all of the faithful departed on November 2. In some countries, such as Mexico, people know All Souls’ Day as the second day of “Día de Los Muertos.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>What is the liturgical color for All Saints’ Day?</strong> The Church recognizes white as the liturgical color for All Saints’ Day. The color white symbolizes the holiness and purity of the saints in Heaven. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>When did All Saints’ Day start?</strong> Pope Boniface IV instituted All Saints’ Day in the Church in 609 when the Roman temple of the Pantheon in Rome became a Church named the Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres (the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs). Initially instituted in May, Pope Gregory IV moved the holy day to November two centuries later, in 837. Since then, Christians have celebrated All Saints’ Day on the first day of November.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/AllSaintsDay">Pray with the Saints</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="All-Saints-Day-Mass">Holy Day of Obligation – All Saints<strong>’</strong> Day Mass</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">All Saints’ Day is one of the Holy Days of Obligation in the Catholic Church; Mass attendance is expected on November 1 for all who are able. For this All Saints' Day on November 1, 2023, the <a href="https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110123.cfm">Mass readings</a> for the Solemnity of All Saints are from Revelation, the First Letter of John, and the Gospel of Matthew, in which we will hear the Beatitudes.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.&nbsp;</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>He began to teach them, saying:</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Blessed are the poor in spirit,</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Blessed are they who mourn,</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; for they will be comforted.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Blessed are the meek,</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; for they will inherit the land …</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite>Matthew 5:1-5</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Often, in All Saints’ Day Masses, priests speak of the saints we look to as guides and teachers, reminding us that we, too, can pursue sainthood amidst all our human imperfections.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">As St. Francis de Sales encourages us, “You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way you learn to love by loving.” </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="All-Saints-Beatitudes">All Saints’ Day &amp; the Beatitudes</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">With this reading of the Beatitudes on All Saints’ Day, Pope Francis and St. (Pope) John Paul II have offered beautiful homilies exploring this connection between the saints and the beatitudes.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In his <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/2000/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20001101_ognissanti.html">homily</a> on the Solemnity of All Saints in 2000, St. John Paul II reflected,&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>“The saints took these words of Jesus seriously. They believed that they would find "happiness" by putting them into practice in their lives. And they realized their truth in everyday experience: despite their trials, moments of darkness and failures, they already tasted here below the deep joy of communion with Christ. In him they discovered the initial seed, already present in time, of the future glory of God's kingdom.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Twenty years later, on the same day, Pope Francis likewise <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2020/documents/papa-francesco_angelus_20201101.html">encouraged</a> us to draw inspiration from the saints as guides for living out the Beatitudes:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>“On this solemn Feast of All Saints, the Church invites us to reflect on the great hope, that is based on Christ’s Resurrection: Christ is risen and we will also be with him. The Saints and Blesseds are the most authoritative witnesses of Christian hope, because they lived it fully in their lives, amidst joys and sufferings, putting into practice the Beatitudes that Jesus preached and which resound in the Liturgy today. The evangelical Beatitudes, in fact, are the path to holiness.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="Celebrate-All-Saints-Day">How to Celebrate All Saints’ Day</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Go to Mass; most parishes offer morning and evening Mass times on Holy Days of Obligation; check your local parish website for more information.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Take some time to explore some religious art of the saints! You might be able to find a parish near you with stained glass windows of the saints. Or, you could even take a virtual tour of Raphael’s Rooms or the Sistine Chapel on the <a href="https://m.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani-mobile/en/collezioni/musei/tour-virtuali-elenco.html">Vatican Museums website</a>.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Pray with a saint; check out our guide on praying with saints <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-with-saints/">here</a>.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Read about a saint’s life or read a book by one of the saints. On Hallow, you can listen to St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s spiritual classic <em>The Story of a Soul</em>, narrated by Sr. Orianne, FSP, or St. Francis de Sales’ <em>Intro to Devout Life</em>, narrated by Fr. Simon Esshaki.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/AllSaintsDay">Celebrate All Saints’ Day</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="All-Saints-Day-Prayers">All Saints’ Day Prayers</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Collect Prayer for All Saints’ Day</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">This <a href="https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2022-11-01">prayer</a> is said in churches all over the world on All Saints’ Day.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>“Almighty ever-living God, by whose gift we venerate in one celebration the merits of all the Saints, bestow on us, we pray, through the prayers of so many intercessors, an abundance of the reconciliation with you for which we earnestly long. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Merton Prayer - Discernment</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">In reflecting on the lives of the saints, I sometimes feel lost when discerning my journey. This <a href="https://reflections.yale.edu/article/seize-day-vocation-calling-work/merton-prayer">prayer</a> of discernment from Thomas Merton has been helpful to me, and I hope you will find it comforting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:pullquote --> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p><em>My Lord God,</em><br><em>I have no idea where I am going.</em><br><em>I do not see the road ahead of me.</em><br><em>I cannot know for certain where it will end.</em><br><em>nor do I really know myself,</em><br><em>and the fact that I think I am following your will</em><br><em>does not mean that I am actually doing so.</em><br><em>But I believe that the desire to please you</em><br><em>does in fact please you.</em><br><em>And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.</em><br><em>I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.</em><br><em>And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,</em><br><em>though I may know nothing about it.</em><br><em>Therefore will I trust you always though</em><br><em>I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.</em><br><em>I will not fear, for you are ever with me,</em><br><em>and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.</em><br><em>Amen.</em></p><cite>Thomas Merton</cite></blockquote></figure> <!-- /wp:pullquote --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="Related-Prayers">Related Prayers and Guides</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-with-saints/">How to Pray With Saints</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/padre-pio-prayers-feast-day/">Padre Pio Feast Day&nbsp;</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/st-teresa-of-avila-prayers-quotes-feast-day/">St. Teresa of Ávila&nbsp;</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-st-therese-novena/">St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena&nbsp;</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-st-jude-novena/">St. Jude Novena&nbsp;</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">We hope you found this guide helpful in understanding All Saints’ Day's origin, meaning, and celebrations! Also, check out some of the most recent community prayer challenges on Hallow – Saints in 7 Days with Padre Pio, Sts. Louis &amp; Zelie Martin, St. Martín de Porres, and Mother Teresa.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/AllSaintsDay">Pray with the Saints</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> [post_title] => All Saints’ Day Prayers and Holy Day of Obligation Information [post_excerpt] => Learn more about this holy day in the liturgical Church. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => all-saints-day-faq-origin-celebrations-and-prayers [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-09-17 19:18:39 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-09-17 19:18:39 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=27985 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 61530 [post_author] => 24 [post_date] => 2024-06-25 18:20:58 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-06-25 18:20:58 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">At Hallow, we believe in the power of prayer and that prayer can change the world. That’s why we’re proud to announce an exciting new feature available immediately on Hallow: Prayer Campaigns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">You can now dedicate your prayer and meditation to a special request or share one of your own with the community.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">To access new prayer campaigns, please make sure your app is updated.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P98.HTM">Catechism of the Catholic Church</a> tells us that praying for other people dates back to the time of Abraham, and that “In intercession, he who prays looks ‘not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.’"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">We don’t need official Church teaching to recognize the power of praying for each other; if you’ve ever asked for someone else’s prayers or offered your prayers to someone else, you know firsthand it’s a powerful, intimate, and unifying experience.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">With Prayer Campaigns, you can easily create and share campaigns to lift up powerful, and often extremely difficult, intentions to God.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Right now, you can join Prayer Campaigns and pray for members of the Hallow community, including:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class=""><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Praying the Novena for Healing for Victoria, a 3 year old battling Leukemia</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Offering prayers to the Holy Spirit for Christopher, 5, who has FOXG1 Syndrome</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Praying for Sammy, a husband and father with cancer</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">You can launch your own Prayer Campaign by tapping the “+” icon at the top right of the Prayer Campaigns section of the app.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">After ensuring you have the most current version of the Hallow app, you can find Prayer Campaigns by scrolling down on the home tab.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">All Prayer Campaigns are free to create or join. For Prayer Campaigns you’ve joined, you can also choose to leave notes of support for the campaign.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">When it comes to praying for each other, the Catechism <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P98.HTM">teaches us that</a>, “The first Christian communities lived this form of fellowship intensely.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Support others in prayer by joining a Prayer Campaign today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/prayercampaigns">Get Hallow for Free</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-resources-from-hallow">More Resources from Hallow</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class=""><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/communities/schools/">Hallow for Schools</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/family-plans/">Hallow Family Plans</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/hallow-for-educators/">Hallow for Teachers</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-healing/">Prayers for Healing</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => Lift Up Others in Prayer with Hallow's Prayer Campaigns [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => prayer-campaigns [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-06-25 18:21:52 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-06-25 18:21:52 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=61530 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )

WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 30091 [post_author] => 43 [post_date] => 2024-06-22 16:02:00 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-06-22 16:02:00 [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">New Year’s is a day of new beginnings, goals, celebrations, and reflections. And it’s also one of the most special days in the Church – the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. One week after we celebrate the birth of Christ, we give thanks to His mother. This solemnity is also the final day in the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/schedule-catholic-christmas-season-octave/">Octave of Christmas</a> and the <a href="https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/war-and-peace/world-day-of-peace#:~:text=January%201%20is%20the%20World,important%20work%20of%20building%20peace.">World Day of Peace</a>.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Jesus is a way that can be travelled, open to everyone. He is the path of peace. Today the Virgin Mary points him out to us, she shows us the Way: let us walk in it! And you, Holy Mother of God, accompany us with your protection. Amen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite>Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 2012</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Table of Contents</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#History-Church-Teaching">History &amp; Church Teaching</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#Mass-Holy-Day-of-Obligation">Mass Readings - Holy Day of Obligation&nbsp;</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#Solemnity-of-Mary-Prayers">Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Prayers</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#Commonly-Asked-Questions">Commonly-Asked Questions</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="#Related-Guides">Related Guides</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="History-Church-Teaching"><br>History &amp; Church Teaching</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Throughout history, there have been many <a href="https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/solemnity-of-mary-mother-of-god-5826">movements</a> to establish a feast honoring Mary as the Mother of God and Mother of the Church. However, this solemnity only became an official one in the 20th century.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">On February 2, 1974, Pope Paul VI <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19740202_marialis-cultus.html">encouraged</a> the restoration of the Solemnity of Mary, the holy Mother of God, in his apostolic exhortation <a href="http://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19740202_marialis-cultus.html">Marialis Cultus</a>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>“In the revised ordering of the Christmas period it seems to us that the attention of all should be directed towards the restored Solemnity of Mary the holy Mother of God. This celebration, placed on January 1 in conformity with the ancient indication of the liturgy of the City of Rome, is meant to commemorate the part played by Mary in this mystery of salvation.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">He stated the complementary nature of the three solemnities which celebrate Mary:&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table {"hasFixedLayout":false,"className":""} --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/feast-of-the-immaculate-conception-church-teaching-prayers/"><em>Immaculate Conception</em></a></td><td><em>“Recognize the beginning of the Church, the spotless Bride of Christ”</em><br></td></tr><tr><td><em>Assumption</em></td><td><em>“Recognize the beginning that has already been made and the image of what, for the whole Church, must still come to pass”</em><br></td></tr><tr><td><em>Mary, Mother of God</em></td><td><em>“She is the Mother of the Head and of the members - the holy Mother of God and therefore the provident Mother of the Church”</em><br></td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Source: <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19740202_marialis-cultus.html">Marialis Cultus</a>, Pope Paul VI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">All three solemnities are essential to the Church’s understanding and admiration of Mary. The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, presents us with a unique way of starting the new year. Just after the birth of Christ, we enter the new year accompanied by Mary, the Queen of Heaven, Mother of the Prince of Peace.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="Mass-Holy-Day-of-Obligation">Mass Readings 2025 - Holy Day of Obligation </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">First reading from the Book of Numbers</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong><em>The Lord bless you and keep you;</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them. </em><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nm+6%3A22-27&amp;version=NRSVCE">(Numbers 6:22-27)</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Second reading from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians&nbsp;</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong><em>But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,</em></strong><em> to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. </em><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal+4%3A4-7&amp;version=NRSVCE">(Galatians 4:4-7)</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Gospel according to Luke&nbsp;</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. </em><strong><em>But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.</em></strong><em> The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.</em> <a href="https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010123.cfm">(Luke 2:16-21)</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Pope Francis offered a beautiful reflection on this Gospel reading in 2022,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote {"className":""} --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">I ask, brothers and sisters, how do we make this passage, how do we surmount this clash between the ideal and the real? By doing exactly what Mary did: by keeping and by pondering. First, Mary “keeps”, that is she holds on to what happens; she does not forget or reject it. She keeps in her heart everything that she saw and heard.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">The beautiful things, like those spoken to her by the angel and the shepherds, but also the troubling things: the danger of being found pregnant before marriage and, now, the lowly stable where she has had to give birth. <strong>That is what Mary does. She does not pick and choose; she keeps. She accepts life as it comes, without trying to camouflage or embellish it; she keeps those things in her heart.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --><cite>Pope Francis</cite></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">This reflection from Pope Francis reminds me of a particular quote from St. Thomas Aquinas: <em>“As mariners are guided into port by the shining of a star, so Christians are guided to heaven by Mary.”&nbsp;</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">By keeping Mary in our hearts, we might be guided by Her love of Christ as we navigate the sea of life, whether turbulent or calm. As we pray in the Ave Maris Stella prayer, <em>“Hail, O Star of the ocean, God’s own Mother blest, ever sinless Virgin, gate of heav’nly rest.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/marymotherofgod">Reflect with Hallow</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="Solemnity-of-Mary-Prayers">Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Prayers</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collect-prayer-for-the-solemnity-of-mary-2023">Collect Prayer for the Solemnity of Mary 2023</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>“O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the human race the grace of eternal salvation, grant, we pray, that we may experience the intercession of her, through whom we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.”&nbsp;</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Source: <a href="https://www.catholicculture.org/culture//liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2023-01-01">Catholic Culture</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Prayer from Pope Francis, Holy Mass on the Solemnity in 2022</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><em>“At the beginning of the New Year, then, let us place ourselves under the protection of this woman, the Mother of God, who is also our mother. May she help us to keep and ponder all things, unafraid of trials and with the joyful certainty that the Lord is faithful and can transform every cross into a resurrection. Today too, let us call upon her as did the People of God at Ephesus. Let us stand and, facing Our Lady as did the people of God in Ephesus, let us together repeat three times her title of Mother of God: 'Holy Mother of God, Holy Mother of God, Holy Mother of God!' Amen.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class="">Source: <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2022/documents/20220101_omelia-madredidio-pace.html#:~:text=Holy%20Mass%20on%20the%20Solemnity,(1st%20January%202022)%20%7C%20Francis&amp;text=The%20shepherds%20found%20%E2%80%9CMary%20and,v.">Vatican Archives</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Short prayers for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-hail-mary/">Hail Mary Prayer</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-rosary/">The Rosary</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Dear Lord, help me look to Mary as my guide in navigating this life's many ups and downs. Help me seek her peace such that I may rest with You.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mary, please accompany me in my journey to your Son, Jesus. Wrap me in your <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/feast-of-our-lady-of-guadalupe-prayers-celebrations/">mantle</a> and give me the strength to seek Him in all I do.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/marymotherofgod">Pray with Hallow</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:heading {"className":""} --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="Commonly-Asked-Questions">Commonly Asked Questions about the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>What is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God?</strong> The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, falls on New Year’s Day; it celebrates Mary as the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of the Church.&nbsp;<br><br>Though there are many other solemnities in the Church (read the next question), this holy day is often shortened to “the Solemnity,” even though there are five other solemnities in the Church. As Pope Francis <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2022/documents/20220101_omelia-madredidio-pace.html#:~:text=Holy%20Mass%20on%20the%20Solemnity,(1st%20January%202022)%20%7C%20Francis&amp;text=The%20shepherds%20found%20%E2%80%9CMary%20and,v.">said</a> in his 2022 homily on this day, “The New Year begins under the sign of the Holy Mother of God, under the sign of the Mother. A mother’s gaze is the path to rebirth and growth.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Is a solemnity the same as a feast?</strong> Yes, and no. Solemnities are special feasts – those greatly important to the Church and theology. All Sundays and holy days of obligation are <a href="https://catholicstraightanswers.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-solemnity-a-feast-and-a-memorial/">solemnities</a>, though not all solemnities are holy days of obligation.&nbsp;<br><br>Other holy days of obligation include the Nativity of Jesus (December 25), the Immaculate Conception of Mary (December 8), the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/feast-of-the-ascension-of-the-lord/">Solemnity of the Ascension of Christ</a> (Thursday of the sixth week of Easter), the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary (August 15), and <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/all-saints-day-faq-origin-celebrations-and-prayers/">All Saints’ Day</a> (November 1).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>When is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God?</strong> The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, is celebrated on January 1 (<a href="https://hallow.com/blog/new-years-prayers/">New Year’s Day</a>) every year. In 2025, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, falls on a Wednesday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>Is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, a holy day of obligation?</strong> Yes, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, is a <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/holy-days-of-obligation/">holy day of obligation</a>. The Church encourages all Catholics, who are able, to attend Mass on the Solemnity. The <a href="https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/canon-law/complementary-norms/canon-1246">USCCB</a> allows two exceptions, however: when the Solemnity falls on a Saturday or Monday, “the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.” Most likely, in years when the Solemnity falls on one of these days, your parish will celebrate the Solemnity the Sunday before; that day is New Year’s Eve this year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p class=""><strong>How is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, celebrated?</strong> A holy day of obligation, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, is most commonly celebrated with Mass. On this day, we celebrate Mary as the Mother of Jesus.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center"}} --> <div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button --> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/marymotherofgod">Download Hallow</a></div> <!-- /wp:button --></div> <!-- /wp:buttons --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p id="Related-Guides" class=""><strong>Related Guides</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"className":""} --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/feast-of-the-immaculate-conception-church-teaching-prayers/">Immaculate Conception of Mary</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/feast-of-our-lady-of-guadalupe-prayers-celebrations/">Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-marian-consecration/">Marian Consecration</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/7-sorrows/">7 Sorrows Rosary</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-mary-undoer-of-knots-novena/">Mary, Undoer of Knots Novena</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/immaculate-heart-of-mary/">Immaculate Heart of Mary</a></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> [post_title] => The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 2025 - Church Teaching, Mass Readings, Prayers [post_excerpt] => One week after we celebrate the birth of Christ, we give thanks to His mother on the Solemnity. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => solemnity-of-mary-mother-of-god [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-09-17 19:46:08 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-09-17 19:46:08 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://hallow.com/?p=30091 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )