GOSPEL

“ He was tempted by Satan,and the angels ministered to him.”

From the Gospel according to Mark 1:12-15

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts,
and the angels ministered to him.

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Thank you for the temptations.

In situations that bother us, our tendency is to stop it, so that they stop bothering us. But that is not the solution. The solution is to wish that these situations persist to revive the temptation each time, fighting against it until we learn to love in it, and they do not longer bother us. This is what Jesus teaches us by going into the desert for 40 days led by the Holy Spirit. He went to be tempted and to strengthen his human soul in each temptation.

Applied to Married Life:

Flora: Martin! ( Martin,comes from the other end of the house) Can you bring me the glasses on the nightstand?

Martin: (Martin, feeling annoyed, thinks: Why does she have to be so cheeky? Couldn’t she get up herself, instead of making me come all the way here just to go to the bedroom now?. But Martin discovers there is a wound in his heart, caused by laziness. Instead of using this opportunity to love, he complains, judging her. But the source of his discomfort isn’t her, it’s his laziness. Martin acknowledges his disorder and asks for forgiveness from the Lord: Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to overcome my laziness.) Yes, dear (he answers). Right away. (And he brings her the glasses) Anything else?

Flora: Thank you, Martin. Oh well, yes. If you bring me a glass of cold water, I’d appreciate it.

Martin: (Feels the pain of his laziness again, but thanks God for this new opportunity for self-mortification) Of course, Flora. I’ll bring it to you right away. Anything else before I go?

Flora: No, thank you very much, darling.

Mother,

It’s beneficial for us to experience the temptations of the desert. The Lord lived it for 40 days, and it is good for us if it continues throughout our whole lives. Thank you, Lord, for the temptations that strengthen us and allow us to be more Yours by Your grace.

GOSPEL

“When the bridegroom is taken away from them, they will fast.”

From the Gospel according to Matthew 9:14-15

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

The Gospel of the Lord,

Time and time.

In our spiritual journey, God’s timing is crucial. Currently, we find ourselves in a time of fasting from the Bridegroom. It is important to appreciate and endure this time of sacrifice, to later enter into glory with Him. Often, we get used to have Him and lose awareness of the value of His presence. Now, we need to prepare ourselves to “lose” Him and recover Him in glory after three days, to lose sight of Him physically and redirect our worship to Him in Spirit and truth.

Applied to Married Life:

Sophie: The more I delve into Lent and enter that spiritual desert, the more profound I experience glory with the Lord. During this time, I also put myself in the situation of losing you, my husband, to recover you later in Christ.

Andrew: Living through this time with intensity is crucial, you’re right. It is true that it’s challenging, but without this time of dryness, we don’t appreciate the Living Water that we are about to receive. These days, I am also delving into what our marriage would be like without the sacrament, to collect our sacrament from the side of Christ and relive our union with the truly sacred and fulfilling dimension it has.

Sophie: There is no glory without the cross. Many are deterred by asceticism, struggle, effort, and suffering, but it is the path God has established for accessing union with Him.

Andrew: There is no glory without the cross. There is no marriage without the cross.

Mother,

How did you experience the time when Jesus prepared for His Passion? Take me into Your Heart, Mother.

GOSPEL

“Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it”

From the Gospel according to Luke 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”

The Gospel of the Lord

Full-time.

What characterizes a disciple of Jesus? Three things: that he denies himself, takes up his cross every day, and follows him. What characterizes the one who is not? That he dedicates his life to saving himself. It is the Lord who sets the rules.

And you? Do you want to be a genuine disciple of Jesus?

Applied to Married Life:

Emilia: This Lent, I ask the Lord to be His disciple full-time. I’ve realized how often throughout the day I’m still preoccupied with myself—whether it’s pondering why you communicated something, how it was expressed, or why certain preferences or needs of mine weren’t considered. It’s quite overwhelming! I suspect I’m my own disciple, as I’m still following my own inclinations.

James: What a good reflection, Emilia. Thanks. It serves like a wonderful motivation to desire to forget about myself. Following oneself only results in having a foolish follower, and I don’t want to lose my life foolishly. So, this Lent, I’m signing up to be a disciple of Jesus full-time.

Emilia: Thank you, James. Today I give myself to you. And tomorrow, I hope to do the same, and the day after…

James: Today, I give myself to you, and tomorrow and the day after…

Mother,

We are disciples of Jesus. That’s what we say. Help us this Lent to truly be His disciples

GOSPEL

” Your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

From the Gospel according to Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:”Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

The Gospel of the Lord,

In secret

In secret, in the depths, in the most intimate place. There is God. He sees everything, scrutinizes everything, knows everything in me. Everything. Including my unspoken thoughts and the motives behind every action. Everything! Consequently, any aspect of my life not dedicated to Him, that which is lived merely for public visibility, is putting myself ahead of Him instead of seeking to make Him known: “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

So, what am I? A son or a thief of my Father’s things? The Father who remains in me is the one who performs the works, says Jesus. And the one who ceases to be a son to become a thief loses what would have been rightfully his as a son.

I surrender my intimate self as a child, living in accordance with it, and in return, He bestows upon me His own essence. This gift includes regeneration and life, enabling me to exist beyond my own self.

Applied to Married Life:

Eduard: Forgive me, Lord, for overshadowing you. Every time I make excuses, every time I complain, every time I do not submit, every time I demand, every time I boast, every time I apply my own justice… I am like that annoying child who stands in front of the screen and doesn’t let others see. In all of this, I do not let you be seen, Lord, not by my wife, not by my children, not by many others.

Vanessa: Forgive me, Lord, because I forget that I carry you inside, that you are in me, that all my good deeds are yours. And I, in my own way, cast a shadow on you. You so great, and I so small, yet I enlarge my shadow by appropriating Your light.

Eduard: But we love you, Lord. We don’t want to overshadow you; we want everyone to know you. Do in us what you need to do so that only you shine. We know it involves humility. So go ahead, Lord.

Vanessa: Go ahead, Lord. Even if it hurts.

Mother,

Only by seeing how great you are and how little you appear in Sacred Scripture, we get an idea of what our role should be. To appear even less. The important one is the Lord. May everyone see Him, Mother. Praise Him forever.