GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew 8:28-34

When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes,

two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him.

They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.

They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God?

Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”

Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.

The demons pleaded with him,

“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”

And he said to them, “Go then!”

They came out and entered the swine,

and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea

where they drowned.

The swineherds ran away,

and when they came to the town they reported everything,

including what had happened to the demoniacs.

Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus,

and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

The word of the Lord

 

Loving through difficulty

Just days ago, we reflected on the Gospel passage of the Good Shepherd—where Jesus leaves the ninety-nine to seek out the one lost sheep. In this case, despite the rejection of the two demon-possessed men by everyone else, Jesus goes further: He chooses to love, has compassion on them. As always, He takes the initiative—He approaches, He calls the one in need. Christ doesn’t walk away from the sinner; He rejects the sin but draws near to the sinner to heal them.

But He needs our acceptance—our desire to want to live with Him, through Him, and in Him—acknowledging that on our own, we cannot do it. We bring our almost nothing—our will—and Christ brings His Everything, filling our hearts with His healing and merciful love.

Applied to married life:

Juan: Angélica, I feel so happy after the Proyecto Amor Conyugal retreat we just experienced.

Angélica: I know… I left feeling so hopeful, with a renewed vision. But now it’s been two weeks and I’m starting to think it’s just not possible.

Juan: Why do you say that? It’s true—we prayed together the first four days, but haven’t prayed since.

Angélica: I’m not sure it’s worth the effort. Things feel the same. I still think the worst of you—like yesterday when you came home late, or this morning when you didn’t kiss me good morning.

Juan: Angélica, those days we prayed together, you said there was peace in the house—something we hadn’t felt in a long time. You said you were happy because you weren’t thinking the worst of me anymore. I want to keep trying. Like they told us: God only asks for our almost nothing, our will to persevere.

Angélica: You’re right. You know it’s hard for me—so I ask for your patience. But what gives me hope is that I can already see a change in you, and I know that can only come from God. Thank you, Juan, for insisting we live our marriage as God intended.

Juan: You remembered the sign! We mustn’t forget it, okay? Do you also remember: “After acting so much like a man in love, he fell in love again”? That’s what’s happening to me.

Angélica: Oh, Juan! Let’s call on the Holy Spirit and pray with today’s Gospel.

 

Mother,

We ask that you help us act like Your Son—coming to our spouse in their sin, as a sacrifice and offering born of the love that unites us in communion. Praise be to our Savior.