After Jesus had washed the feet of his disciples, he said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, “He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.” I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.’

Applied to Married Life:

Matthew: Darling, we need to live with a sense of “supernatural awareness”. If the Spirit is already part of us, we can’t live as if we are just body and soul. Our body needs to be governed by our soul (understanding and will), and our soul by the Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Knowledge, Piety, Fortitude, and Fear of the Lord. These are the powers that guide us.
Michelle: I get it, but that sounds quite abstract. How do we actually use the Spirit’s power in our daily lives?
Matthew: Well, we don’t need to worry about that. We just need to stay close to Him, acknowledge His presence, and make ourselves available to Him. Then, He will act, guiding us and giving us the gifts we need at each moment. We just need to be with Him and let ourselves be led. Alright?
Michelle: I don’t fully understand, but I trust what you’re saying.
Matthew: That’s the right attitude. Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, You have free rein. We are ready for You to lead us.

Mother,

We welcome the Lord with joy in every prayer, in every Eucharist, and we strive to make our lives a personal Eucharist by giving ourselves to others in His name—whenever, however, and wherever He wills.
Praise be to the Lord.

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
  ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.’

Applied to Married Life:

James: (Thinks: I can’t believe it. Just when we’re having our moment, the phone rings and my wife picks it up. Does everyone else always come first? Even now, in our time together, it seems like other things take priority over me.)
(Prays, asking for help)
Lord, I can’t take it. This thought torments me—I don’t understand. I’m getting anxious… How can I love in this situation? I can’t help feeling angry at her. On top of that, she’s being so cheerful on the phone… I’m sitting right here, waiting for her to finish, and she doesn’t seem to care. She’s in no rush at all. Lord, help me to love her in this situation.
The Lord: I understand. Because I, too, often wait for you while you’re caught up with other things. You’ve noticed that, haven’t you? Yet, I always bear your faults and impatience. So, put this situation in My hands. I will be the one to judge it fairly. Leave it to Me and find rest in Me. Right now, focus on loving her—that is your mission. Look at her with tenderness, despite her shortcomings. Be merciful as the Father is merciful. Pour all your efforts into that, and My joy will dwell in you.

Mother,

We constantly struggle between pride and love, between comfort and service. This battle is exhausting, Mother, and at times it overwhelms me. I stray from Your Heart and lose my joy. Help me in those moments, Mother. I need Your maternal embrace.
Lord, have mercy on me and on my family.
Amen.

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the Temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.’

Applied to Married Life:

Richard: Sarah, there are so many temptations bombarding us every day. Sometimes I feel like this path to holiness is completely out of reach for me.
Sarah: And it is out of reach for you, Richard, but if you truly desire it, it becomes inevitable for God.
Richard: Really, who could possibly stand against the Love of God, who gave His Son for us? You’re right, Sarah. I don’t know how I let doubt creep in. No one will ever take me from Your divine arms.

Mother,

Happy feast day to You, which means so much to us. Praise be to God and our Blessed Mother.

At that time: Jesus said, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’ This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
  So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.’

Applied to Married Life:

Daniel: We’ve spent so many years raising our children with worldly values, and now that we’ve discovered the Lord and the Gospel—what can we do?
Melissa: First, we need to ask their forgiveness. And second, since they’re already adults, the only thing we can do now is to set an example through our lives as Christian spouses.
Daniel: That’s a great idea. Let’s love each other with the love of Christ, and He will take care of the rest. I also thought that as a Christmas gift, we could give them a retreat from the Project Marital Love—maybe it will touch them like it did us. What do you think?

Mother,

We want to remain in your Immaculate Heart, for it is the way to enter through the Heart of Christ.