Daily Archives: 27 April, 2024

The Model. Reflection for marriages. Jn 14:7-14

From the Gospel according to John
Jn 14:7-14

Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to Jesus,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.”

The Model

“I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” How to be in the other? This is your way of expressing the close relationship between You. So the Father acts through you, you do not speak on your own behalf, so also you act in His name.
That “being in” establishes a very special connection, which allows us to act “on behalf of”. Thus spouses, with God’s help, can know each other and reach the full knowledge that God has of me and of you, and even to the point of being able to act in the name of the other. Husband, I want to be in you and for you to be in me and together act in the name of the Lord. He has wanted to give us that power.

Applied to married life:

Monica: I still cannot say that I am in you, and I ask the Lord, in His name, to help me make it possible.
Ramon: I am not in you either, and I also ask Him. But little by little He is helping me. I already have you permanently in mind, as I have the Lord in mind at all times. I act as a child of God in any circumstance (or I try to) and as your husband. I make decisions thinking if you will like them, if I am doing something you do not like I feel uncomfortable, if you are upset with me my world crumbles and if you are distant from me, my life loses its meaning… I work for you, I live for you. I take into account what you like and try to do it. I know you don’t feel me in you, and therefore, I have a lot left, but I am progressing as much as I can.
Monica: Yes, I know. I know you try, but I also know that this type of union is only given by God. We entrust ourselves to Him, admiring His triple unity.

Mother,

Only the Holy Spirit can make us one. Give us more faith and send us the Spirit of God so that He may show us the path of unity and we may learn to be in each other. Praise be to God who wants to make us partakers of His Holiness. Amen.