Monthly Archives: November 2024

If we truly love each other. Reflection for marriages Saint Matthew 4:18-22

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Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Matthew 4:18-22

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.

If we truly love each other.

Today is Saint Andrew’s day. Very little is known about him despite being named as the fourth apostle. What we do know is that he brought his brother Peter to Jesus, although later Peter will accept the Lord’s call.
How important mediation is, because all of us have participated in bringing someone closer to the Lord so that they can receive His call. It is so significant to recognize ourselves as mediators and continue to lead others to Jesus, even if later nothing is known about us. Andrew brought Peter to Jesus; what does it matter everything else he did or said? Just for that, his life was worthwhile.

Applying to Married Life:

Nacho: Caro, I don’t know how to thank you for bringing me closer to the Lord. Just that has immense value for me.
Caro: Well, Nacho, you would have done the same for me. Also, since you have drawn closer to the Lord, you have helped me a lot in my spiritual life, especially in deepening my marital vocation. Let’s say that I brought you to the Lord and you brought me to my vocation, and both things should be very connected. So, quid pro quo.
Nacho: We must not forget that we are here for each other, to help one another reach the Lord. If something does not help, it’s better to set it aside. Don’t you think? I believe that will give us strength to avoid temptation.
Caro: I think that’s very important. Let’s live with that awareness. If we truly love each other, we will take care to be a help to one another.

Mother,

Thank you for the mediations you placed in our lives to draw us to the Lord. As children, our parents and grandparents. As adults, so many who have intervened: married couples, priests, religious… thank you for so many. Praise be the Lord who has surrounded us with His own.

Shoots from a Hard Heart. Reflection for marriages Luke 21:29-33

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Gospel of the Day

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will not pass away.”

 

Shoots from a Hard Heart.

Beyond the apocalyptic message, in this Gospel we extract a promise, a commitment from God that we can begin to live here the kingdom of God when our marriage starts to sprout. The beautiful thing is that the Lord can bring forth shoots from the oldest and driest trunk, and the way to do this is through pain. We could compare a dry trunk to a hard heart, which in order for the shoot of the sap of the Holy Spirit flowing within to emerge, must have its shell broken. What sprouts are we talking about and how can we detect them? We would say that there are two types of sprouts: one from sustained longings and another from perseverance.

 

Grounded in Married Life:
Andrés: After this time, when would you say there are sprouts in a marriage, Agus?
Agustina: I would say when a yearning for God and His plan for marriage arises and remains alive. And secondly, when there is perseverance. When marriages seek, get involved, do not give up, and immerse themselves in groups of couples who share those same interests.
Andrés: But that requires sacrifice, doesn’t it?
Agustina: Of course, Andrés. There is only one way to grow in love, and that is through the path of pain, through the way of the cross. Only one who falls to the ground and dies can bear fruit.

Andrés: I understand…

 

Mother,
“Love until it hurts,” said Saint Teresa of Calcutta. May we not give up and continue persevering in love so that the Lord may do His work in our marriage. Praised be He forever.

LED fiction. Reflection for marriages Luke 21:20-28

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Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy gospel according to Luke 21:20-28

Jesus said to his disciples:
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
know that its desolation is at hand.
Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Let those within the city escape from it,
and let those in the countryside not enter the city,
for these days are the time of punishment
when all the Scriptures are fulfilled.
Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days,
for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth
and a wrathful judgment upon this people.
They will fall by the edge of the sword
and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles;
and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.”

LED fiction

What a small world we have, and how small we are next to the greatness and power of God. At concerts, stars, gurus, and great leaders are shown on giant screens that make them look seemingly large, but it is nothing more than a LED fiction, because in reality, they are just as small as everyone else. We are all of the same fragile flesh, subjected to the same anguish and fears.  
In the face of all that we are, there is the glory of God, which does not need amplifications because nothing greater can exist. Let us also compare His Love with ours. Well, the distance between a couple’s relationships is similar to that between them and the Sacrament of Marriage. Let us leap into the Sacrament with faith and lift our heads, for our marital liberation is near.

Applied to Married Life:

Lauri: You know, Martín? Today’s Gospel reminds me of our marital story. We got married turning our backs on our Sacrament and believing that our relationship and our family were our own concern.  
Martín: Until our whole world started to shake, right Lauri? Until it seemed like everything was crashing down on us.  
Lauri: That’s right. Sometimes we tried to run away, sometimes we fought in vain, and fears and anxieties came in the face of our helplessness.  
Martín: Until we turned to our sacramental strength in faith, reaching out to the love of Christ that is among us, offering ourselves for each other for His sanctification.  
Lauri: And the Lord came with all His glory and rescued us. He is our salvation.  
Martín: Hallelujah!  
Lauri: Hallelujah!

Mother,

May we approach our Sacrament of Marriage with faith. Glory to the Lord forever.

How little we like to be persecuted. Reflection for marriages Luke 21:12-19

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Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy gospel according to Luke 21:12-19
Jesus said to the crowd:
“They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
How little we like to be persecuted.
Sometimes we suffer criticism for praying and following Christ, even from some within the Church who do not understand our decisions or our way of following Him. But the Lord tells us today that these situations will give us the opportunity to bear witness, as long as we do not prepare our defense. There is a rule that I don’t know where I learned it, but I find it interesting: If it is against God, defend Him always; if it is against the Church, it depends, assess what may do the most good; and if it is against me, never defend myself.
Applied to Married Life:
Carmen: Our son Carlos has told me again that we have abandoned them with all our praying and the apostolic missions we do on weekends.
Ramón: And what did you say?
Carmen: I told him that they are our priority, to let me know what they need and we will do it, but we ask to have dinner together during the week and many times they are not there, and we encourage them to pray together as a family and they resist, and those are the moments when we create the most intimacy as a family.
Ramón: And what did he say?
Carmen: He replied that he wants more normal plans. I told him to forgive us if we are not being good parents and asked him to meet with us and tell us what he needs because he is our priority.
(That afternoon, his son acknowledged that he was feeling jealous and had judged his parents for that personal resistance he had toward the things of God.)
Mother,
May we only defend God and never defend ourselves in order to have the opportunity to be witnesses of Him. Blessed be the Lord.

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Dazzle or illuminate. Reflection for marriages Luke 21:5-11

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Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy gospel according to St. Luke 21:5-11
While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, “All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”
Then they asked him,
“Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”
He answered,
“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end.”
Then he said to them,
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
Dazzle or illuminate.
With this Gospel, the Lord directs our gaze to the heart, so we do not focus on the external glimmers that dazzle and inflate our pride, but on the light that Christ brings from within through His grace, a light that illuminates the soul. And for His Kingdom to come, there must be battles in our hearts, and we must persevere in them for our spiritual strengthening by overcoming the trials that He allows.
Grounded in married life:
Bea and Alberto are very worried about the daily tasks and problems. This causes them not to have time to nurture the intimacy between them and with the Lord. From their hearts arise pride, selfishness, and vanity. When this occurs, they do not have the light that the Spirit leaves through prayer in understanding, so it becomes a very strong struggle that destroys them and takes hold of them. Darkness envelops them in its gloomy mist from which there seems to be no escape. Everything is wrong, and they only manage to see the blame in the other.
By the advice of their mentors, they decide to spend some time before the Lord every day. Gradually, their souls begin to be illuminated, and they see the truth of what lies within them. The real reasons for their sadness and fears.
At last, they have something to start fighting in the right direction. Finally, there is hope.
Mother,
May we submit our hearts to sincere criticism, so that we may see within ourselves, without excuses, the true origin of our sorrows and fears. Then, help us to work for the eternal: Love. Blessed be the Lord, who shows us the way of love.