GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Mark

Mark 10:1-12

Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan.

Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom,

he again taught them.

The Pharisees approached him and asked,

“”Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?””

They were testing him.

He said to them in reply, “”What did Moses command you?””

They replied,

“”Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce

and dismiss her.””

But Jesus told them,

“”Because of the hardness of your hearts

he wrote you this commandment.

But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother

and be joined to his wife,

and the two shall become one flesh.

So they are no longer two but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together,

no human being must separate.””

In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.

He said to them,

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another

commits adultery against her;

and if she divorces her husband and marries another,

she commits adultery.”

The word of the Lord

 

More Sensitive to the Spirit.

Christ wants us to look back to the beginning, to contemplate how the soul of man and woman was when God created them and assigned them the grace of holiness through innocence. When their souls were more sensitive to the Spirit and they accepted each other as a gift from God, being free to give themselves and become one flesh. There is nothing more beautiful in creation than the full giving between spouses.

 

Applied to married life:

Ángeles: As God purifies my soul, I feel more yours, Juan.

Juan: As God purifies my soul, Ángeles, I discover such a beauty in your interior that I don’t consider myself worthy of such a great gift from God.

Ángeles: God’s work in our marriage is wonderful.

Juan: Absolutely. A little walk down La Castellana to enjoy together?

Ángeles: With you, to the end of the world.

 

Mother,

May we contemplate the beauty and interior purity that made us one in the beginning, so that, absorbed by such a gift, we may fight for our conjugal holiness with all our strength. Praise be to God our Creator.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Mark

Mark 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples:

“”Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink

because you belong to Christ,

amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

“”Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,

it would be better for him if a great millstone

were put around his neck

and he were thrown into the sea.

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.

It is better for you to enter into life maimed

than with two hands to go into Gehenna,

into the unquenchable fire.

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.

It is better for you to enter into life crippled

than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.

Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye

than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,

where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

“”Everyone will be salted with fire.

Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,

with what will you restore its flavor?

Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.””

The word of the Lord

 

Keep drinking. 

We must remain together, with the Lord, like a tree by the riverbank whose roots drink from its water. It is not enough to drink from time to time; we must continue drinking continuously from His side. Because if we, who are Christian spouses, are not in Christ, who will be a witness of His Love? If we call ourselves Christians but do not pass through our union the Nuptial Love of Christ, we do Christ and His Church a disservice, because we will be a scandal. Therefore, we can only be a Christian spouse by remaining in Christ.

 

Applied to married life: 

Aníbal: I read a phrase in a book: Tell me how your marriage is, and I will tell you how your faith is. Wow! That’s strong, isn’t it, Almudena?

Almudena: It’s strong, but it’s very real. That is what walking in truth is, Aníbal. Aníbal: The truth is that we have no other way of passing our faith than through our marital union. There is no other way, and there is no pretention or deception here. Almudena: As Christians, we are constantly a showcase for our children and the world, and if our union does not convince God, then it will not convince the world. But you, as a husband, I do see you as a good testimony.

Aníbal: And I see the same about you.

 

Mother,

At the foot of the Cross, in the Heart of the Lord in the Cenacle, or wiping His feet with our tears, but we you like to be with Jesus, your Son. Praise be forever.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Mark

Mark 9:38-40

John said to Jesus,

“Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,

and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.”

Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him.

There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name

who can at the same time speak ill of me.

For whoever is not against us is for us.”

The word of the Lord

 

Inscrutable.

Because of our spirit of domination, we want everyone to do what we do and go where we go. But we must be very careful with judgments towards those who, being of the Church, do not follow us, because the Spirit blows where he would like to blow.

 

Applied to married life:

Jaime: I’m really sorry, but the catechesis of the Marriage Love Project itinerary is not helping me. I’d like us to change our path.

Almudena: I can’t believe it. They are wonderful! And of tremendous richness.

Jaime: Yes, but I don’t know why, they overwhelm me and they don’t end up helping me. On the other hand, there is a movement of conjugal spirituality that fits more with what I need.

Almudena: Well, I don’t understand it, but out of love for you, I am willing to leave this path and try the one you mention.

Jaime: Thank you, darling. You really love me. Honestly, it’s beyond my strength. Almudena: As long as it is of the Lord, I am willing to do anything. It hurts me, but I am determined.

 

Mother,

The paths of the Lord are inscrutable. May we follow Christ and not our method or movement, which are only mediation. Praise be the Lord.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Mark

Mark 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,

but he did not wish anyone to know about it.

He was teaching his disciples and telling them,

“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men

and they will kill him,

and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”

But they did not understand the saying,

and they were afraid to question him.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,

he began to ask them,

“What were you arguing about on the way?”

But they remained silent.

For they had been discussing among themselves on the way

who was the greatest.

Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,

“If anyone wishes to be first,

he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”

Taking a child, he placed it in their midst,

and putting his arms around it, he said to them,

“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;

and whoever receives me,

receives not me but the One who sent me.”

 

Path of Unity.

Jesus speaks to His disciples about the greatness of His mission, a supernatural mission, no less than the salvation of the world through the cross. Jesus reaches the highest dignity of humanity by giving His body for me. In contrast, the disciples wanted to make themselves great by the path of domination, imposing themselves to others. We clearly see how this attitude causes division among the disciples, while Jesus’s attitude creates an alliance, a union stronger than death. So strong that nothing will separate us from Him. The question now is: Do I want to provoke separation with my spouse by the path of domination, or union with him/her by the path of service and the cross? I decide to love.

 

Applied to married life:

Beatriz: Lord, I do not feel valued in what I do as a wife and mother. But I know these are temptations, that myself wants to be exalted by the path of vanity, and I do not want to be led by that temptation. I prefer to be humbled with You through the giving of myself on the cross, as a wife who gives herself, offering her sacrifice for the salvation of her husband and children. I am with You, Lord, I follow You.

Juanjo (Beatriz’s Husband): I, Lord, ask forgiveness for not accepting the gift You give me through my wife, and I thank You for her because she teaches me to love. I ask You to teach me to be more humble.

Beatriz: No, Juanjo, you are a wonderful gift to me. These are temptations that I must overcome. I love you.

Juanjo: I love you.

 

Mother,

How ugly it is for brothers to try to impose themselves on one another. It must be a great pain for you to witness these divisions because we want to make ourselves greater than others. Only God exalts, and He exalts those who humble themselves. How beautiful is the path of God’s love. Praise be to God.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Mark

Mark 9:14-29

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John

and approached the other disciples,

they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.

Immediately on seeing him,

the whole crowd was utterly amazed.

They ran up to him and greeted him.

He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”

Someone from the crowd answered him,

“Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.

Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down;

he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.

I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”

He said to them in reply,

“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?

How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”

They brought the boy to him.

And when he saw him,

the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions.

As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around

and foam at the mouth.

Then he questioned his father,

“How long has this been happening to him?”

He replied, “Since childhood.

It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.

But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

Jesus said to him,

“‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”

Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”

Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering,

rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it,

“Mute and deaf spirit, I command you:

come out of him and never enter him again!”

Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out.

He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!”

But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.

When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private,

“Why could we not drive the spirit out?”

He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

The word of the Lord

 

Facing the mystery

There are moments in life when everyone face the mystery. Why is this? A question without an answer. But why do I need to understand the why of God’s plan? Perhaps because I don’t believe He loves me? Perhaps because I don’t believe in His power? Why is this? Answer: Does it really matter if I understand it or not? This situation is still in my Father’s control. This is the correct answer. He loves me, He is very great, and He is always under control. So… relax. Feel how your Mother embraces you and tells you in your ear: relax, relax… And so, I will live this situation with faith: I believe, Lord, but help my lack of faith.

 

Applied to married life:

Lucia: The Lord calls me to this path. I see it clearly.

Paco: (Praying to the Lord) Lord, I don’t understand this path. I don’t see it at all. Why do you make me go through this situation? I don’t understand what is this about; you haven’t finished uniting us in a conjugal spirituality that allows us to live our faith together. So, what is this about? (A few days later…)

Lucia: What do you think about what I told you the other day about that path the Lord is calling me to?

Paco: I think that if you see it clearly, then go ahead. I will try to be with you with all my heart. (And so this husband jumped into the void out of love for his wife without understanding anything, with his trust placed in God).

 

Mother,

We believe, but help our faith. Sacred Heart of Jesus, in You we trust.