Monthly Archives: April 2025

Volcanoes of Fire. Reflection for married couples. John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Gospel

They were seeking to arrest him, but his hour had not yet come.
John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

At that time: Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.
  Now the Jew’s Feast of Booths was at hand. After his brothers and sisters had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.
  Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, ‘Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.’ So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the Temple, ‘You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.’ So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
The Gospel of the Lord

Volcanoes of Fire.

To know is a complex act that goes beyond merely receiving information. It requires intimate interaction and an affection born from that relationship. Knowledge emerges and flourishes through love.
To truly know God, we must participate in the Trinitarian communion revealed by Christ, a communion we access through the Holy Spirit. This is the path opened to us by Christ’s coming.

Applied to Married Life:

Alice: Eternal life is knowing God. But look at how many people around us don’t know Him. Can you imagine our life without God?
Jonathan: It would be like the Earth losing the Sun. We’d wander aimlessly, disconnected, directionless, freezing cold—enough to drive us mad.
Alice: That’s how so many marriages around us are. You and I must become volcanoes spreading the fire of the Holy Spirit.
Jonathan: But we have to be holy for that.
Alice: If God wills it, He will make it happen.

Mother,

What an incredible wonder it is to have access to knowing God. What an immense gift that He opens His intimacy to our hearts. Eternally praised be our Heavenly Father.

The Only Glory. Reflection for married couples. John 5:31-47

Gospel

‘There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope.’
John 5:31-47

At that time: Jesus said to the Jews: ‘If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?’

The Gospel of the Lord

The Only Glory.

Today the Lord asks us: “How can you believe if you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one and only God?” We may claim belief and proudly call ourselves Christians, but if I seek glory from my spouse, then I’m not seeking God’s glory. That means I don’t truly believe in Him, because if I genuinely did, I would understand that He alone deserves all honour, glory, and praise. Lord, may I never attempt to take Your glory for myself.

Applied to Married Life:

Martha: You don’t love me, because if you did, you would admire me.
Raymond: That’s not true. I do love you, and I admire you greatly—not just for your achievements or talents, but most of all for the dignity God has bestowed upon you.
Martha: You’re right. Everything dignified in me truly comes from God. Forgive me, Lord, for falling into the temptation of expecting my husband to glorify me. Forgive me, my husband.
Raymond: See? I knew you would end up giving glory to God. Recognising Him is what makes you great in His eyes, and that’s exactly what I see in you. I love you.

Mother,

To Him be all honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Things Would Be Different. Reflection for married couples. John 5:17-30

Gospel

‘For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.’
John 5:17-30

At that time: Jesus answered the Jews, ‘My Father is working even now, and I am working.’ This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
  So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgement to the Son, that all may honour the Son, just as they honour the Father. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life.
  ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgement.
  ‘I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgement is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.’

The Gospel of the Lord

Things Would Be Different.

The communion between spouses reflects the communion within the Holy Trinity. We have much to learn from this Gospel: The Father shows the Son everything He does, because He loves Him. The Son does everything the Father shows Him, and the Father entrusts all judgment to the Son, but the Son judges according to what He hears from the Father because the Son does nothing by Himself.
Obviously, there are actions here that don’t apply to spouses, such as judging. However, attitudes of trust, submission, and ultimately communion between the Father and the Son can teach us a great deal.

Applied to Married Life:

Caroline: Our solicitor certainly emphasised caution when we signed power of attorney for each other.
Michael: That’s his job—to ensure we fully understand that we’re placing our lives into each other’s hands regarding earthly matters. What he doesn’t realise is we’ve extended this trust spiritually, as much as we’re able.
Caroline: Exactly, like last Saturday when someone said to me: “Since you seem to make the decisions, we’ll ask you.”
Michael: And what did you say?
Caroline: That even though it might seem that way because I have a more decisive nature, I don’t make any decision without praying about it with you first. We both seek God’s will and trust each other completely.
Michael: Absolutely. I don’t understand why people find this surprising since we’re one. If married couples fully realised this unity, things would certainly be different.

Mother,

We belong to each other and desire to dwell in each other. Do whatever is necessary in our hearts to make this a reality. Amen.

Have Mercy, Lord. Reflection for married couples. John 5:1-3, 5-16

Gospel

At once the man was healed.
John 5:1-3, 5-16

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
  Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of the sick — blind, lame, and paralysed. One man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and, while I am going, another steps down before me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and walk.’ And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.
  Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, ‘It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.’ But he answered them, ‘The man who healed me, that man said to me, “Take up your bed, and walk.”’ They asked him, ‘Who is the man who said to you, “Take up your bed and walk”?’ Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.
  Afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him, ‘See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.’ The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.

The Gospel of the Lord

Have Mercy, Lord.

Lord, I’ve been waiting a long time for You to heal certain attitudes in my heart that continue hurting my husband, making it difficult for him to unite fully with me and, consequently, hindering his path to holiness.
I want to support my husband, but I can’t, Lord. I’ve tried repeatedly and unintentionally keep hurting him.
Have mercy on me, Lord, for I cannot heal myself.

Applied to Married Life:

Natalie: You corrected me again in front of our friends. Do you enjoy making me look foolish?
Frank: Well, you said we’ve been praying together for four years when it’s only been two. It just came out automatically, but I don’t think it’s such a big deal.
Natalie: It is a big deal because it looks like I’m exaggerating, and you know I’m not good with dates.
Frank: I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentional.
Natalie: I know, but I’ve told you many times, and you still keep doing it. You know how insecure I am, and these things really affect me. When will you change?
Frank: I’m sorry, I don’t realise it at the time. But I promise, I’m not trying to hurt you. I’ll try harder not to do it again, and above all, I’m asking the Lord to help me. Lord, have mercy on me.

Mother,

Ask the Lord to have mercy on me. Amen.