Intimacy in His Sacred Heart. Reflection for married couples. Luke 10:21-24

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Gospel

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 

Lk 10:21-24

In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’
  Then turning to the disciples he said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.’

The Gospel of the Lord

 

Intimacy in His Sacred Heart

Jesus, like His Mother, rejoices in the Spirit (or in God). He delights in the Father being Lord of heaven and earth and in revealing His intimacy to the humble. The great aspire to this intimacy, but He reveals it to whomever He chooses, and He desires to share it with the humble—as long as they remain so and do not let pride take over.
This is why our challenge lies in not exalting ourselves. As the Lord reveals more to us, we must become even smaller in the face of His greatness. 

Applied to Married Life:

Richard: Father, sometimes I experience situations I don’t understand, like when it feels as though my wife doesn’t understand me, dismisses my opinions, and demands a sensitivity from me that I don’t feel she shows me. But I believe she’s not truly to blame, and that You allow these situations so I can humble myself further before You. I accept these moments with joy, so that You may reign in me.
Lucy: Father, there are times when I feel my husband doesn’t treat me with gentleness and hurts me with his attitude. And in those moments, it seems as though he wants to impose his views while I’m expected to remain silent. But I do not blame my husband for this. I accept these moments with joy because I know You allow these trials to humble me so that You may reign in my heart.
(And the Lord continued to permit these situations so that neither spouse would exalt themselves, even as they were allowed to experience the intimacy of His Sacred Heart.)

 

Mother,

Help us resist the temptation to blame our spouses for situations that God allows to humble us and draw us closer to sharing His secrets. Praise be to the Lord who reigns in our lives.

My Faith in Your Faith. Reflection for married couples. Matthew 8:5-11

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GOSPEL

‘Many will come from east and west to the kingdom of heaven.’
Reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 8:5-11

At that time: When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ‘Lord, my servant is lying paralysed at home, suffering terribly.’ And he said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ But the centurion replied, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my servant, “Do this”, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he marvelled and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord

My Faith in Your Faith

What did the Jews value in the centurion? That he had funded the synagogue. That’s why they considered him worthy of Jesus’ attention. But what did Jesus value? The centurion’s humility, to the point that He was astonished by it.

In marriage, we might say it’s not about expecting our spouse to do great things for us. Instead, we should value, as Jesus does, their faith in Christ and in our Sacrament of Marriage. Do I find my joy in your faith?

 

Applied to Married Life:

Louise: I don’t know what to do anymore. Your pride is so big that you don’t even realise it, making decisions on your own or imposing them without considering me.
Peter: I’m sorry. You’re right—I don’t realise when I impose things on you. It’s true that I struggle with pride; I’m aware of that. I regret it every time I act, relying on myself and my own strength. But I ask the Lord to do whatever He needs to do to purify my heart so I can love you better. Please be patient with me, because I’m certain He’s using these moments to chip away at my self-centredness.
Louise: Forgive me too. I’ve been relying more on my demands than on God’s power. I’ll go back to offering myself in these situations for your sanctification. My faith is in your faith.

 

Mother,

May we act always, not with mutual demands, but with trust in the Lord and the grace He pours out through our Sacrament. Praise be to Him forever.

Feeling Restless? Let’s Pray Together. Reflection for marriages Saint Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

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Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Feeling Restless? Let’s Pray Together.
Advent begins. And we start realizing that not only can “bad” things dull my heart, such as drunkenness and revelry, but also seemingly good things, like the worries of life. It may seem that we are fulfilling our obligations and yet be overwhelmed by so many concerns that everyday life brings. Am I carrying too much on my shoulders? Be careful! It’s time to dedicate more time to prayer together so that we don’t lose the connection to what keeps our souls awake.

Applying to Married Life:
Laura: Honey, lately I feel like you’re not making enough time for prayer and to be with me.  
Jaime: You’re right. There are many pending matters, and that has me feeling anxious. I need help to get back to the Heart of Mary.  
Laura: I love that you see it so clearly. It’s essential to recognize it to find a remedy.  
Jaime: Yes. Thank God, I have learned from previous experiences. Day-to-day life absorbs me and takes over my mind and heart. And I must love God with all my heart, all my mind, and all my being by loving you. That’s why I ask you for help.  
Laura: Let’s pray together before the Blessed Sacrament this weekend, and you’ll see how He orders your heart and mind. What do you think? And then we can go out for a loving dinner to celebrate.  
Jaime: Thank you, my wife. I love the plan. And I love you.

Mother,
If I have too many things, I cannot even imagine how much God has, and yet He dedicates Himself to becoming a Child to live a life with us, full of patience and love. By renouncing everything to be with us, He also shows us how important we are to Him. Blessed be He forever.

If we truly love each other. Reflection for marriages Saint Matthew 4:18-22

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Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Matthew 4:18-22

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.

If we truly love each other.

Today is Saint Andrew’s day. Very little is known about him despite being named as the fourth apostle. What we do know is that he brought his brother Peter to Jesus, although later Peter will accept the Lord’s call.
How important mediation is, because all of us have participated in bringing someone closer to the Lord so that they can receive His call. It is so significant to recognize ourselves as mediators and continue to lead others to Jesus, even if later nothing is known about us. Andrew brought Peter to Jesus; what does it matter everything else he did or said? Just for that, his life was worthwhile.

Applying to Married Life:

Nacho: Caro, I don’t know how to thank you for bringing me closer to the Lord. Just that has immense value for me.
Caro: Well, Nacho, you would have done the same for me. Also, since you have drawn closer to the Lord, you have helped me a lot in my spiritual life, especially in deepening my marital vocation. Let’s say that I brought you to the Lord and you brought me to my vocation, and both things should be very connected. So, quid pro quo.
Nacho: We must not forget that we are here for each other, to help one another reach the Lord. If something does not help, it’s better to set it aside. Don’t you think? I believe that will give us strength to avoid temptation.
Caro: I think that’s very important. Let’s live with that awareness. If we truly love each other, we will take care to be a help to one another.

Mother,

Thank you for the mediations you placed in our lives to draw us to the Lord. As children, our parents and grandparents. As adults, so many who have intervened: married couples, priests, religious… thank you for so many. Praise be the Lord who has surrounded us with His own.

Shoots from a Hard Heart. Reflection for marriages Luke 21:29-33

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Gospel of the Day

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will not pass away.”

 

Shoots from a Hard Heart.

Beyond the apocalyptic message, in this Gospel we extract a promise, a commitment from God that we can begin to live here the kingdom of God when our marriage starts to sprout. The beautiful thing is that the Lord can bring forth shoots from the oldest and driest trunk, and the way to do this is through pain. We could compare a dry trunk to a hard heart, which in order for the shoot of the sap of the Holy Spirit flowing within to emerge, must have its shell broken. What sprouts are we talking about and how can we detect them? We would say that there are two types of sprouts: one from sustained longings and another from perseverance.

 

Grounded in Married Life:
Andrés: After this time, when would you say there are sprouts in a marriage, Agus?
Agustina: I would say when a yearning for God and His plan for marriage arises and remains alive. And secondly, when there is perseverance. When marriages seek, get involved, do not give up, and immerse themselves in groups of couples who share those same interests.
Andrés: But that requires sacrifice, doesn’t it?
Agustina: Of course, Andrés. There is only one way to grow in love, and that is through the path of pain, through the way of the cross. Only one who falls to the ground and dies can bear fruit.

Andrés: I understand…

 

Mother,
“Love until it hurts,” said Saint Teresa of Calcutta. May we not give up and continue persevering in love so that the Lord may do His work in our marriage. Praised be He forever.