Gospel

Sell what you have and follow me.
From the Gospel according to Mark. Mk 10:17-30 
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.”
He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”
Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”
The Gospel of the Lord.

Christian Husband? One Thing is Lacking

We are drawn to authenticity. An authentic person captivates us. What we truly desire is authentic love. Authenticity demands it all, and love between spouses requires complete surrender. One cannot love at 90%, for if so, the spouse will desperately seek the 10% that is missing.
The rich young man was not an authentic Christian—one thing was lacking: renouncing his wealth. What is preventing me from being an authentic Christian husband? What is preventing me from giving myself fully in my marriage? Those words of the Lord will always resonate in our ears: “one thing is lacking.” Could it be my pride? Most likely, for pride is the source of many other marital problems. I do not fully give myself because I want to keep something to myself, as if it belongs only to me.

Applied to married life:

Rapha: Do you dare to pray with me now about what prevents us from fully giving ourselves to each other?
Mary: Sure. I think we don’t have enough faith.
Rapha: however, practically speaking, I get home late from work, and by the time I arrive, you are already too tired for us to pray together.
Mary: Let me see what else… Many times, I judge you because I feel like you don’t understand me.
Rapha: And I sometimes feel like you are too dependent on your mother.
Mary: I often feel that you can’t forget the wrong things I’ve done to you.
Rapha: And I can’t stand that you don’t tell me everything.
Mary: I also feel like you’re very harsh and say hurtful things.
Rapha: In the end, we’re not able to love in these situations because “one thing is lacking” for us to be Christian spouses.
Mary: Yes, spouses who love like Christ in His Passion. Christ loved us as Spouse even though His Bride had no faith, did not treat Him well, and did not recognize His sacrifice… We must do the same.

Mother,

Our “self” keeps demanding, keeps focussed on itself, remains incapable of fully giving itself in difficult times, and continues to “measure” the love of the other. We still have not realized that marriage is a vocation, a response to the immense Love of God. Teach us to love, Mother. Amen.