GOSPEL

It will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Reading of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 10:17-22

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

The word of the Lord.

The Key to Life.

Following Jesus commits us. We will encounter many difficulties on the path of the Lord, but as He himself says, “The one who perseveres will be saved.” The key lies in perseverance. Let us talk about it.

To persevere is to remain steadfast in my Project of Love, even when circumstances are adverse or goals are not being fulfilled. In love, perseverance is called faithfulness, and it is the key to Life.

I am responsible for persevering in love, and that is what I will be judged for, because that depends on me. The one who perseveres will save their marriage and save themselves. Therefore, for this coming year, there is only one key: perseverance. Take heart, spouses!

Applied to married life:

Antonio: Look, Teresa, I know I’m not doing it all right and that I keep messing up. I see you affected by my lack of tact all the time, but I can assure you that I love you.

Teresa: It’s just that I don’t understand why you don’t take it more seriously. I tell you the same things many times and you ignore me.

Antonio: I know, Teresa, and I’m sorry. But I want to keep fighting to love you better. That’s all that matters to me in life because, besides, it’s the only true legacy I’ll be able to leave our children: to be a witness of God’s love between us. I can guarantee you that I will keep fighting to love you better because I love you.

Teresa: I know, Antonio, but many times I don’t appreciate you either. I just hope that in those moments, you recognize it and ask for forgiveness.

Antonio: That’s what I will do.

Mother,

Help us to persevere, even when we believe that our Project of Love is impossible, that we do not give up, and that we continue to fight for what God asks of us: to love each other as He loves us. That is our mission, and He never stops loving us, no matter what we do. Help us, Mother, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

GOSPEL

And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

It has changed the world.

Dear spouses, the Truth and grace have come to us through Jesus Christ. He became man and sanctified our daily lives. He elevated what had no value and gave it infinite worth. Now we can be conformed to Him and be saved in Him. Now we can embrace Him and kiss Him in heaven, for our God is also human. Glory to God and His loving designs.

Applied to married life:

Martin: Susana, Christmas should change our lives. Don’t you think so?
Susana: It should, Martin, it should. But it should have been the same last year, and the year before…
Martin: Yes, but perhaps because we don’t receive the Child Jesus with faith. Maybe because we don’t embrace the grace that this brings to us. I think we lack faith.
Susana: That might be true. Let us prostrate ourselves before the Child and ask Him for that faith this year. What do you think?
Martin: Sounds perfect to me.

Mother,

You know well how the world changed with the coming of Your Son. May we receive Him this time. Praise be to the Child Jesus!

GOSPEL

You will conceive in your womb and bear a son.

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

The Gospel of the Lord

Holidays or Christmas?

Due to one woman (Eve), we lost the original innocence that allowed spouses to see each other, as the Creator sees us. Through another woman, the Immaculate Virgin Mary, who initiates this missionary project of Marital Love for Marriages, it becomes possible in Christ to recover, through the revelation of the Word and the action of the Holy Spirit, that way of seeing each other.

Mary, mediator of God’s mercy, “Mirror of justice and cause of our joy.” In you, He wanted to recreate everything anew and and set forth on the path of eternal forgiveness (“Gate of heaven”). Everything had to begin again in you (“Queen conceived without original sin”), and thus, you became the second Eve (“Mother of the Church”). Once again, a sinless woman willing to obey (“Virgin most faithfull”) to pave the way to the New Covenant (“Ark of the covenant”). In you, out of pure love, God pours out all grace (“Mother of divine grace”), even God Himself is given to us through you (“Mother of Christ”). Mother, you are such a great gift to all of us that we cannot help but thank God for you (“Virgin most renowned,” “Queen of the family,” “Queen of peace…”).

Applied to Married Life:

Victor: Happy holidays!

Martha: No,Victor, no. I want to celebrate Christmas, not just “holidays.” Because I was struggling in our marriage: I felt lonely, helpless, tired of everything, depressed. But then, I took hold of Mary’s hand by consecrating myself to her and placing everything in her hands. She led me to Jesus, and I regained enthusiasm; I no longer felt alone, gained renewed strength, received His grace, and was filled with hope. My Mother brought me to Jesus, and He transformed my life, completely turning things around— my perception of marriage became a divine calling, my self-control improved, I became more open to His will, my perspective towards you, my husband, shifted, and my life expectations expanded significantly… This is the Christmas I want to celebrate. God is born in my heart to make everything new. God is born in our marriage to bring us salvation. God is born in the world to redeem it.

Mother,

Intercessor of all graces, we give thanks to God for the gifts He has granted you to intercede for us. From here, we also wish you a joyful Christmas Eve. It wasn’t a very pleasant night for you, but then Christmas came. God never disappoints, and neither do you. Thank you, Mother!

GOSPEL

Birth of John the Baptist

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:57-66

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbours, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be? For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Unexpected Turns of the Spirit.

We insist on programming our lives according to our criteria, but God’s plans often take a different path, and I have to be open to it because, as someone once wisely told me, it’s through the unforeseen that the Holy Spirit ‘slips in.’ It is not that, things go well when they go as I had planned, but rather they go well when they happen as God wants. In other words, always.

Applied to Married Life:

Christina: I think my marriage is null. I had imagined something else. I got married thinking he was a knight in shining armour, and I find myself with the ghost of lost causes.

Charles: Well, let’s say you created expectations different from what the reality is. But, do you love your husband?

Christina: I do. However, he doesn’t love me.

Charles: Then accept him as he is and give yourself wholeheartedly, and you will see the work of God in your marriage. Do you want to miss out on that?

Christina: No! Not the work of God.

Charles: Do you think Isabel and Zechariah expected to have the precursor of Christ as their son? No, right? So start doing what you need to do in your marriage and trust. You’ll see how things are much more beautiful than they appear.

Mother,

God’s plans are always more beautiful than ours. We love being in His hands. Praise the Lord.

GOSPEL

The Almighty has done great things for me.

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:46-56

Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.

The Gospel of the Lord

Window to Heaven.

I love the Magnificat because it reveals the inside of Mary’s heart, wide open.

It immerses me in the purity of Love. What an incomparable place. It is the beauty of grace and humility. It is the beauty of the presence of God. Perhaps I could say that Mary’s heart is a window to heaven.

Applied to Married Life:

Becky: Joshua, would you like to join me in glimpsing into heaven?

Joshua: How do we do that?

Becky: By entering into the Heart of Mary. Let’s contemplate the Magnificat together. Mary is full of Grace, the Lord is perfectly in her. Doesn’t that seem like heaven to you?

(Becky and Joshua spent that afternoon contemplating humility, grace, the power of God, His faithfulness, His mercy… Becky and Joshua enjoyed a little bit of heaven that evening.)

Mother,

We want to live with you in heaven already. Let us always be in your heart. Thank you, blessed Mother.