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GOSPEL

Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 14:1-6

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy.
Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking,
“Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?”
But they kept silent; so he took the man and,
after he had healed him, dismissed him.
Then he said to them
“Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern,
would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?”
But they were unable to answer his question.

The word of the Lord.

Lack of trust.

The Pharisees were spying on Jesus because they lacked trust. They already held something against Him in their hearts and were looking for an excuse to openly oppose Him.

And it is true that when there is love, there can be trust. When I feel loved, I feel confident.

That is why Saint John Paul said that every sin begins with a suspicion of the gift. If I know that God loves me just as He truly loves me, my life would completely change.

Applied to married life:

Teresa: What did you want to tell me, Lucas?
Lucas: Teresa, I have realized that many of the problems I have with you stem from my suspicion of God’s love, and therefore, my suspicion of you.
Teresa: Is that why you’re always on the defensive with me?
Lucas: Yes, exactly. Everything you do, I interpret as “you don’t love me,” and everything you don’t do, too. I’m constantly spying on your every action to prove your lack of love for me. Forgive me, Teresa.
Teresa: I forgive you, Lucas. I truly love you. With my limitations and sins, but I love you more than myself.
Lucas: Thank you, Teresa. May God protect and bless you.

Mother,

Help us not to doubt God’s love. If He gives me what I have, then what I have is the best I could ever have. Praised be God forever.