Gospel

Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him.

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Mt 17:9a, 10-13

As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”
Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Apparent Failures.

There is an experience that identifies a similarity between St. John the Baptist and Jesus, and it is that, in both cases, people did to them as they pleased. It is clear to us that, through that path, they renewed everything. Each one at their level: St. John as a precursor and Jesus as a Redeemer, but it is no coincidence that people did to both of them as they pleased.

Perhaps I may decide to join the group of those who collaborate in the renewal of everything, but perhaps I hadn’t considered this as the true path.

The challenge for this Advent is this: From today until the coming of the Child, let us be like St. John and let them do with us as they please.

Applied to Married Life:

Declan: What do these words suggest to you? Henpecked, submissive, intimidated…

Lucy: It sounds like someone ridiculous, a bit foolish. Why?

Declan: Because to me, they sounded the same as to you. But reading today’s Gospel, it seems that letting people do with you as they please for the love of God dignifies you.

Lucy: Why do you say that?

Declan: To St. John the Baptist and Jesus, those in power did as they pleased. The apparent defeat turned into a triumph for heaven. If that’s the case, I also want to be a failure, even if it hurts pride.

Lucy: Even if it hurts pride, indeed. That is the necessary sacrifice in the name of love, for the redemption of the world.

Mother,

To lose to win for God. That’s what we want. To Him all the Glory and Praise for all eternity.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 11:11-15

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Peace amid violence.

The Lord has sown in us the seed of the kingdom of Heaven, but this seed placed in our soul undergoes violence. We live, and we must inevitably experience the great tribulation because only the grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies bears abundant fruit. Let us not expect to bear fruit without the cross, for only through the humiliation of giving everything I am, as Jesus does in the manger, will Life come through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Applied to married life:

Toni: If God loves us so much, why does He allow us to suffer?

Louise: Because we have to strip ourselves of everything to welcome the All. Removing what points to me to point entirely to Him and thus to you. And that hurts.

Toni: It’s easy to say, but indeed, it’s challenging.

Louise: He makes it simple; it is us who make it complicated. As St. Augustine said: Love and do what you will. So, entrust yourself to Him, and everything will be set in order in your heart. It is His promise.

Mother,

May we be instruments of peace in the midst of the violence that the kingdom of Heaven undergoes. Praise the Lord.

Gospel
From he Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 11:28-30

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Tireless.

There is an infused or supernatural virtue for each natural virtue. One of the characteristics that those virtues have is that they do not get tired. They are the ones that allow us to forgive without limits, believe without limits, hope without limits… Because it is not us who carry out those acts, it is the force of supernatural Grace that does it through the merits of Christ. This how I will know if I did it or if it was God who did it.

Applied to Married life

Robert: I’m tired of trying. I make effort after effort but I make no progress to grow in virtue.
Helen: That’s because you’re trying alone. Ask for God´s grace each time, convinced that it will assist you and you will see how things change.
Robert: I don’t think that by asking for grace things will happen magically.
Helen: Well, that’s the problem, since you don’t believe, the Lord can’t help you. Keep putting in all your effort, but now trust in God´s Grace and you will see the results. Not quickly, but little by little you will see them. Shall we bet?
Robert: If it´s like this, I´m coming with you every day to the Adoration.
Helen: Deal! Book it in your agenda. Ha ha ha

Mother,

How much time and effort spouses waste by not coming to you. You wishing to pour Graces and them forgetting that you are there waiting for them. Thank you Blessed Mother.

Gospel

God does not want any of these little ones to be lost.

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew 18:12-14

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples:

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheeps, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Pharisees or Shepherds.

There is a significant contrast between the attitude of the Pharisee who dismisses the sinner, accusing and despising him, and the attitude of the Good Shepherd, who leaves the righteous to go in search of the lost sheep. The question is: When I am lost, with whom would I like to meet? With the Pharisee or with the Good Shepherd? I have a clear answer. So when it is my spouse who is lost, may I go in the name of the Good Shepherd and not in the name of the Pharisee.

Applied to married life:

Matt: I notice that my love for you is maturing. Before, it was swayed by emotions, and now it is much more stable.

Sarah: More stable in what sense?

Matt: Well, before, it depended on the consolations I received from you in order to pay back as you deserved. That is, I used to love the consolations I received from you, not yourself, as I should. Of course, loving the consolations and not yourself has serious consequences for our union.

Sarah: Now I understand. Of course, that’s why, when there is no maturity in love, it is impossible to love the other when they are in sin. Because loving is not kicking someone when they are down but helping them recover, as Christ would do.

Mother,

Stay with us in this precious wait. Thank you, blessed Mother.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke
Lk 5:17-26

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” he said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

We are stretcher bearers.

I wonder about the merits of that paralytic. While others carry him, Jesus forgives him due to the faith of his bearers. Subsequently, He heals the paralytic, intending to impart a lesson to the Pharisees. The beneficiary is the paralytic, who has played no active role. We don’t even know if he had faith. This is the power of intercession. Much like stretcher bearers, we bear the responsibility of guiding married couples. I also let myself be carried by those who love me, especially by my spouse. He/she carries me with his prayers every day before the Lord. I no longer fear or despair because the Lord will not leave me like this; He will not leave me paralyzed. When He sees me before Him in profound need, surely He will have compassion on me, and at His appointed time, He will bring healing. In each confession, He says ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ and I am confident that, at the right time, He will say, ‘Rise, take up your mat, and go home.’ Today, I rest thinking about that day because I know it will come.

Applied to married life.

Josh: Darling, can I ask you a favor?

Anna: How can I help?

Josh: I need you to be my stretcher bearer and for a while focus your prayers and all your faith on asking the Lord to heal me of this sin of pride. It makes me respond poorly to you many times and hurts your sensitive heart.

Anna: Okay. Count on it.

Josh: You won’t forget, will you? Will you do it please?

Anna: Daily and with all my faith, offering all my sacrifices.

Josh: By your faith, the Lord will save me. Thank you, Anna. Praise be to the Lord.

Mother,

The Lord always has compassion on us. I have to have hope, keep fighting, pray, ask others to pray for me… and He will make it possible. He will lift me out of my pits, my darkness, and help my husband out of his. We have to be stretcher bearers for each other. Praise the Lord who never disappoints. Amen.