GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Mark
MK 1:1-8

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.”
John the Baptist appeared in the desert
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People of the whole Judean countryside
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.
John was clothed in camel’s hair,
with a leather belt around his waist.
He fed on locusts and wild honey.
And this is what he proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Gospel of the Lord.

Is my door closed?

I’ve often wondered: If John knew that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit, why did he use water for baptism? Now I understand that I need a “conversion baptism” to be ready for the baptism in the Spirit. This requires a sincere desire to follow the Gospel’s guidelines, especially in my marriage. These guidelines emphasize putting God first in my life and loving my spouse as God loves me—no less. It involves significant sacrifice and humility so that the Spirit can truly reside in me. If I don’t prepare my heart through effort and prayer during this Advent, I won’t be ready to welcome the Child into my life. Despite external decorations, there won’t be a meaningful Christmas in my marriage. God is about to be born. Will I make a way for Him? Will I prepare a place for Him in my home, or will I keep my door closed when Mary comes knocking to give birth? I firmly believe that the Lord desires to enter my home and will assist me in preparing my heart. I earnestly want to receive Him.

In the context of married life:

Charlie : I’ve messed up again, Mary. I’ve unfairly judged you and spoken to you in a way you don’t deserve. I apologize and offer to support you in any way you need, striving to make amends for the harm I’ve caused.
Mary (Charlie’s wife): No, Charlie. I’ve also spoken poorly to you and misjudged you. Forgive me as well. Let’s together seek forgiveness from the Lord and ask for His mercy.
Both: Lord, we were making an effort, and things were going well, but once again, we stumbled, disrupting our connection, and our children overheard our arguments. Please forgive us, Lord, and grant us the strength to do better next time. It’s pride that hinders our mutual support; selfishness keeps us from prioritizing our spouse over ourselves. Vanity leads me to pretend superiority over my spouse. Grant us the humility needed to receive each other with the dignity you’ve bestowed upon us. Lord, we desire to open our hearts to Your love. May Your love be born within us this Christmas. Amen.

Mother,

You who carry Love, bring it into our home and our marriage. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Then he summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Addressed to the gathered multitude.

Today, we mark the feast of St. Juan Diego and the second anniversary of establishing the Private Association of Faithful Eucharistic Missionary Spouses in the Conjugal Love Project. Congratulations to all contributors! These initiatives serve as Marian interventions through which the Lord aims to share the Gospel’s good news and bring healing to the masses. The devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe has borne fruit globally, and the Mother of Conjugal Love continues to impact marriages and families worldwide. However, the Lord seeks partners for the mission of supporting marriage and family. The call is not to leave one’s parish or group but to occasionally collaborate with the Mother to help many marriages and families. If you sense the Mother’s calling, consider becoming a collaborator, and she will reward your efforts abundantly.

In the context of married life:

Alice: We realise we haven’t actively contributed to spreading the faith, and as Christians, we’re called to do so. Many couples seek help from the Conjugal Love Project for the Mother to bring healing, just as she did for us. What if we offer to get involved?

Jay: We’re pressed for time, and besides, we still make mistakes. Who are we to give advice?

Alice: There are various ways we can contribute, and they provide the necessary training. Come on, take a step; you’ll find joy in it!
(They joined, and the Mother led them to enriching experiences while collaborating with her)
(If you’re interested in becoming a collaborator in the Association overseeing the Conjugal Love Project method, click here: https://app.proyectoamorconyugal.es/ords/r/pac/pac/inicio and then press “Become a collaborator”)

Mother,

Send forth couples dedicated to your work, as your Project is progressing rapidly and requires more collaborators. Thank you, Mother, for your work within us and through us. We appreciate your blessed call, Mother.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Luke
Lk 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:

Result of the ultimate sacrifice.

Today, we observe the significant celebration of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. While we hold Mary in deep reverence, the focal point of our faith remains Christ. The Immaculate Conception, seen as the prelude to Christ’s redeeming grace, depicts Mary receiving the gift of immaculacy from her Son’s sacrifice even before it took place. Essentially, we contemplate in the Immaculate Mary a masterpiece crafted by Christ.

Applied to marital life:

Claire: Peter, why are you gazing at the Immaculate for so long?

Peter: I’m marvelling at God’s work in humanity through the Blessed Virgin. I see her beauty, simplicity, and humility, contemplating the Heart of the Creator.

Claire: That’s beautiful and profound, Pedro. Can I join you in contemplating her?

Peter: Certainly, come here by my side.

(They embrace while contemplating the Immaculate)

Peter: She is the outcome of the Father’s Heart, the Sacrifice of Christ, and the action of the Holy Spirit. What truly moves me is that the marital embrace between two spouses serves as the mediation for all these spiritual fruits. Does our marital bond hold such significance for God? It’s truly overwhelming, this profound mystery.

Claire: Indeed, God’s plans are magnificent, and He involves humanity in all His greatness. It’s incredible how much He loves us.

Peter: It’s incredible.

Dear Mother,

Happy birthday. While I entered Life on the day of my baptism, you were born into Life on the day of your Immaculate Conception. We express gratitude to God for you and your spiritual Motherhood.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 7:21, 24-27

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

The Gospel of the Lord:

Certainly, and that’s final.

Adhering to God’s Word isn’t a walk in the park for us, but in this situation, we must fully commit or face significant consequences. We’re putting everything on the line, and by everything, I mean absolutely everything. So, I need to step up and embrace that specific decision, which will be crucial, conclusive, and impactful. I could express it more loudly, but not more clearly. Therefore, I say yes, and when I say yes, it means yes. There’s nothing more to add.

Applied to marital life:

James: Luisa, will you marry me?
Lucy: We got married 30 years ago.
James: Yes, but I want to fully grasp the commitment I made to you and to the Lord. What I conveyed to you that day is profoundly significant, and my entire credibility, dignity, future, happiness, salvation… everything hinges on fulfilling that commitment. Absolutely everything depends on me dedicating myself to you and accepting you just as you are. So, I’ll state it again, yes! I love you, I’ll do whatever it takes for you and your salvation, and I couldn’t care less about anything else because you’re my sole concern.
Lucy: I adore your personality, James. Your determination is wonderful. I’m certain the Lord admires you too.

Mother,

Certainly, and that’s final. Praise be to the Lord.

To see upcoming RETREATS AND MISSIONS click HERE

Gospel
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 15:29-37

At that time:
Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee,
went up on the mountain, and sat down there.
Great crowds came to him,
having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute,
and many others.
They placed them at his feet, and he cured them.
The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking,
the deformed made whole,
the lame walking,
and the blind able to see,
and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus summoned his disciples and said,
“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
for they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.
I do not want to send them away hungry,
for fear they may collapse on the way.”
The disciples said to him,
“Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place
to satisfy such a crowd?”
Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”
“Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.”
He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.
Then he took the seven loaves and the fish,
gave thanks, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied.
They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full.

The Gospel of the Lord

With eager readiness.

The Lord consistently shows mercy to those in need! We are well aware of this because. He guides us with enthusiasm to serve numerous spouses who need to comprehend the grandeur and beauty of their calling. Many are oblivious to the incredible gift from God and the profound influence of the Sacrament, their ultimate strength.
Primarily, He provides us with the nourishment that satisfies, reaching into eternity.

Applied to married life:

Mary: Is our upcoming weekend unoccupied?
Harry: No, we have a retreat.
Mary: After assisting several guided marriages this week and leading catechesis groups last weekend, it appears we haven’t earned a break.
Harry: Well, Mary, deserving or not is beside the point. We’ve simply fulfilled our duty. We’ve been of service to Our Mother so that She can work in numerous marriages. The Lord is compassionate towards them and requires our assistance. It’s an honor that He trusts our modest abilities. Wouldn’t you agree?
Mary: Indeed, it is. Apologies, it was a moment of weakness. I can’t think of a better way to spend the next weekend. Thank you, Lord, for continuing to rely on these humble instruments of Yours.

Mother,

Here we stand, ready to serve whatever purpose You have in mind. Praise be to Our Lord.