From the Gospel according to John

Jn 14:27-31a

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

Not as the world gives do I give it to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

You heard me tell you,

‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’

If you love me,

you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;

for the Father is greater than I.

And now I have told you this before it happens,

so that when it happens you may believe.

I will no longer speak much with you,

for the ruler of the world is coming.

He has no power over me,

but the world must know that I love the Father

and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Striving to love you more.

Jesus goes to the Father because He loves Him and because He does His will. We also love Him, and that’s why we do the Lord’s will and want to be with Him. It seems that loving someone has a lot to do with wanting to be together and doing the will of our beloved. Is it the same with our spouse?

Applied to married life:

Martha: You want me to be with you, but only so I can do what you want.

Mark: And you keep telling me you love me, but it seems like you don’t want to be with me. I bet  you enjoy being with the Lord??

Martha: Yes, because the Lord loves me and doesn’t hurt me like you do.

(That evening, Martha and Mark pray together the Gospel in front of the Lord)

Mark: Jesus, I see Your relationship with the Father, and it’s true that you show how much you love Him by doing His will. Help me to connect again with my wife’s will, for love.

Martha: Jesus, I see that You want to be with the Father because you love Him. Help me not to love my husband only when he does what I like and how I like it. I would like to love him more for what he is and also because I love You.

Mark: I’m sorry, Martha. I’ll try to do my best.

Martha: I forgive you, my love. Please forgive me as well, Mark. I’ll try to love you more.

Mark: I forgive you.

Mother,

How happy you must be in heaven, forever re-united with Your Father, Your Son, and Your Husband. Knowing that our fate is to be together with You, strongly encourages us to keep trying hard. Praise be to the Lord who wants us with Him and to the Father whose will is for us to be with You, Lord