GOSPEL

From the Gospel according to John

Jn 15:18-21

Jesus said to his disciples:

“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;

but because you do not belong to the world,

and I have chosen you out of the world,

the world hates you.

Remember the word I spoke to you,

‘No slave is greater than his master.’

If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,

because they do not know the one who sent me.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Worldly to God.

The problem isn’t the World, but being worldly: From the worldly perspective, someone without ambition is a failure, someone who humbles themselves is foolish, someone who serves is weak, and someone who seeks inner growth is either a burden or enlightened. But blessed be God, because to them, to the “foolish, weak, enlightened…” belongs the Kingdom of Heaven in their marriage and in their home. They are the ones who can expect more. You, Lord, urge us towards a greater, eternal aspiration.

Applied to married life:

Antonio comes home late every day, and when he arrives, his heart and mind are still at work. There are rumours of a promotion, and he wants it.

Marta, his wife, was chosen by the Lord, taken away from the world three years ago. She no longer has her heart set on fashion, decoration, or herself. Additionally, she requested reduced hours to spend more time with her family.

No one around her seems to understand her. Her friends criticise her and constantly tell her that religion is fine, but there’s no need to take it too seriously. Her own family doesn’t approve of her giving up her career while Antonio keeps climbing the corporate ladder. They worry that he might look down on her and meet someone more ambitious, leaving her with nothing.

Marta finds consolation in prayer, realising that Jesus experienced misunderstanding, criticism, even persecution… This comforts Marta and helps her understanding that it’s part of building a Kingdom based on love, service, and surrender… in the centre of this world. Marta has kept Jesus’ words in her heart and shares them with Antonio. Antonio respects her, but he hasn’t quite kept Jesus’ words in his heart.

When Marta talks to him about not letting his heart be so focused on work and how his family needs him, Antonio shows a dismissive attitude… Marta doesn’t get angry; she understands that her husband doesn’t see it. She has also seen Jesus asking the Father for forgiveness for those who are blind, unable to see Him. Marta trusts in Jesus. She knows He is the way and offers her pain with a smile, all for her husband’s conversion.

After two years, Antonio begins to pay attention to the Word of God more and more. Months go by, and Marta has seen him reading it and seeking answers for himself. Over time, Antonio listens to Marta, and Marta listens to Antonio. They both speak the language of Love now; it’s the power of the Holy Spirit that makes any sacrifice possible… Glory to God!

Mother,

I thank you because the Lord has chosen us. Blessed be You, Lord, for all the good You give us. I ask that You also choose (name marriages in need). Amen.

From the Gospel according to John

Jn 14:6-14

Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

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 him,

“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 Gospel of the Lord.

The Compass.

Lord, give us the opportunity to know the way of being in each other, of representing each other, of speaking through each other’s mouths, acting through each other. Give us the opportunity to believe in You so that we can act like You, I ask it in Your name, and I know You will do it. What is clear is that You are the way because You show us the path of love through your own life, the truth because we have already found that if we do what You say our relationship will work and happiness and life will come because You gave it to us, You redeemed us, You lift us up all the time and make our relationship new all the time as well. Thank you, Lord

Applied to married life:

We were quite lost in matters of love. Then a Marriage Mentor gave us the “compass” of the Gospel to show us the path of love. Every time we got lost and things started going wrong, we aligned the small needle with the word that caused distance and harm, and then we followed the long arrow pointing in the opposite direction, showing us the right path. Let us tell you what that compass was like:

There were 7 words:

• When the argument heats up and I even offend you because I don’t want to back down, or when I don’t want to accept your improvements: Pride
• When I get angry with you over money issues: Greed
• When I look at you with desire: Lust
• When my anger overpowers me and I hurt you: Anger
• When my world is one of indulgence and I feel bad if you haven’t made me enjoy as I expected: Gluttony
• When I don’t rejoice in your successes or possessions, but would prefer them for myself: Envy
• When I prefer my comfort over yours: Sloth.

On the opposite side of each of those sins, forming a larger concentric circle, are the 7 virtues that Christ teaches us:

• Understanding that I am dust and have received everything from God and am merely a steward of His goods: Humility
• Understanding that there is more happiness in giving than in receiving: Generosity
• Discovering the greatness and sacredness of the surrender of our bodies: Chastity
• Accepting setbacks and unforeseen events as the will of God: Patience
• Enjoying and glorifying God for the good, but without abuses that weaken our soul and enslave us: Temperance
• Making you happy is what makes me happiest: Charity
• Life on the sofa suffocates, exhausts, the life that is given away, now that is life!: Diligence

The Gospel compass is what led us to discover love between us.

Mother,

We give thanks for the gift of Jesus Christ. God’s generosity is impressive. Through Christ, with Him, and in Him, to you Almighty God, Father, all honour and all glory forever and ever. Amen.

From the Gospel according to John

Jn 15:9-11

Jesus said to his disciples:

“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.

Remain in my love.

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,

just as I have kept my Father’s commandments

and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that

my joy might be in you and

your joy might be complete.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Long live the newlyweds!

Seeking enjoyment is selfish because I use people and material things from this world to amuse myself. On the other hand, joy is not from this world; it comes from God. “My spirit rejoices in God,” said Our Mother at when visiting Elizabeth.

How about experiencing the joy of the Lord in me? Such a great experience makes my joy complete.

Applied to married life:

Hermi: Our wedding yesterday was so beautiful, wasn’t it, Paco?

Paco: Absolutely gorgeous, Hermi. Very anointed by the Lord who has blessed us with so much joy. Now we have to keep it…

Hermi: Yes, indeed. It’s a matter of staying close to the Lord.

Paco: How? By going to Adoration every day?

Hermi: That would be wonderful, but for now, what we need to do is follow His commandments. Actually, just two: to love God above all things (and that’s something we need to see how it translates into our daily lives) and love each other as He loves us.

Paco: Okay. So let’s be clear that if there’s no joy between us, it’s not because of our work problems, or our finances, or our children, not even because of our families. If there’s no joy between us, it’s because I’m not following the commandments.

Hermi: Certainly, with such wonderful parents, that won’t be a problem. But it’s clear that our own happiness depends on us. The Lord promised yesterday to give it to us.

Mother,

May the joy of the Lord be within us. Praised be forever.

From the Gospel according to John

Jn 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.

He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,

and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.

You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.

Remain in me, as I remain in you.

Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own

unless it remains on the vine,

so neither can you unless you remain in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches.

Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,

because without me you can do nothing.

Anyone who does not remain in me

will be thrown out like a branch and wither;

people will gather them and throw them into a fire

and they will be burned.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you,

ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.

By this is my Father glorified,

that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Samurai plants.

This whole pruning thing does not seem very appealing to us. We’re trying to avoid it. I imagine plants during the pruning season dodging the pruning shears like in The Matrix, trying to avoid the cut. The Holy Spirit wants to prune me using the circumstances of everyday life, with the differences with my husband that make me uncomfortable, or with his sins, or with mine. All of this takes me out of my comfort zone. It makes my heart more elastic, open to others, simple and tender. I resist, and I complain. But then I ask for humility, I ask for gentleness, I ask for love in my life… But if you haven’t let yourself be pruned? In spring the gardener would say to the “samurai” plant that it will not bloom as a consequence of not being pruned.

If I want the fruits of love, I have to let myself be pruned. It will initially hurt, but then the joy comes.

Applied to married life:

Antonio: Lord, I’m grateful that I fixed the kitchen chair despite my wife didn’t thank me. I have the opportunity to give without receiving anything in return. Thank you because I try to leave everything as she likes, the window open, the slippers in their place… but last night I forgot to take out the rubbish, and that bothered her. Thank you, Lord, because I have discovered my limited love and it helps me not to demand perfection from her. At dinner, she brought up again  that occasion when I hurt her when we were newlyweds, and she blamed me for it as if I had done it today. Thank you, Lord, because you helped me look at her with mercy and see her wounded heart instead of reacting defensively.

Marta: Lord, I agreed to meet him at 5pm, and he arrived late without letting me know. Thank you because I had the opportunity to love him in that situation, it helped me grow in patience and not to focus on myself despite feeling undervalued. And when he got stressed because of the traffic that bothers him so much, I asked for your help not to react badly, You helped me and I managed to calm him down with kindness. Thank you, Lord, because You helped me to not think of myself and to enter his heart and heal it.

Both together: Thank you, Lord, because in your plan you have considered our weaknesses and everything that happens in our lives. With all this, You build.

Mother,

The Lord prunes those who love Him the most. Sometimes we get tired, and sometimes it seems like the pruning never ends, and we never see the results. But the Lord knows better. We trust in Him. Thank you for those little flowers that we see sprouting from our branches, because they fill us with hope. Praise be to the Lord who makes all things new.