Monthly Archives: September 2025

Good Fruit. Reflection for marriages Saint Luke 5:33-39

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Gospel of the day 

Luke 5:33-39
‘When the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast.’
At that time: The Pharisees and scribes said to him, ‘The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.’ He also told them a parable: ‘No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, “The old is good.”

Good Fruit
Sometimes we offer fasting or sacrifices, but our heart is not joyful—because we are not doing it out of love—and then that sacrifice bears no fruit.
In this passage, the Lord tells us that if He is present, He makes all things new. And if we unite our sacrifice with Him, to offer it to the Father, then it will bear much fruit. He makes all things new: new wine in new wineskins.
If those sacrifices are made with love, He will work in our hearts and in our marriage. Because when we unite them to Him, grace enters through our sacrament.
How many times do I fast but fail to love in my marriage, or in my daily life? Let us do everything for Him, with Him, and in Him, so that our acts of offering may bear abundant fruit.

Applied to Married Life 
Berioska: Hi Carlos, how are you?
Carlos: Well, pretty tired from work.
Berioska: Oh… okay, sorry, I’ll let you be—I’m going to go pray for a while.
Carlos: Wow, she doesn’t even bother to talk with me about the kind of day I’ve had. Why don’t we just chat a little?
But while praying, Berioska realises she should be present with Carlos. So, even though she is very tired, she offers her sacrifice united to the Lord.
Berioska: Darling, forgive me. How was your day? What would you like for dinner?
Carlos: Berioska, my love, with how tired you are, don’t worry about me. Let’s just have something simple…
And after preparing dinner and talking, they sat down to eat together and had a wonderful evening.
Carlos: Thank you, Berioska, because you help me see how the Lord’s Love overcomes tiredness—and everything.
Berioska: Thank you, because you help me see what truly matters.

Mother,
You united yourself to the Lord in His holy sacrifice, even to the extreme of suffering, in order to give us eternal life. Teach us to unite ourselves to Him as you did, to the very end, so that we may bear fruits of life.
Blessed and praised be the Lord!

Out into the Deep with Mary. Reflection for marriages Saint Luke 5:1-11

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Gospel of the day
Luke 5:1-11
‘They left everything and followed him.’
At that time: The crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God. He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ And Simon answered, ‘Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.’ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’ For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.’ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left
everything and followed him.

Out into the Deep with Mary

If you want a different result, do something different. This idea makes sense, doesn’t it?
In this passage of the miraculous catch of fish, Peter and his companions had been struggling all night without catching anything. Now they are tired, and Jesus tells them to set out again—row out into the deep—and let down their nets. Jesus goes with them.
Without excuses, because they believe and trust in Him, they obey. And the result—against all human logic—is astonishing.
With Him, everything changes. All our actions, however small they may seem, if we do them in His Sacred Heart, take on unimaginable value. He divinises them. We only need faith and trust in Him, in His Word. He makes the work of our hands prosper.

Applied to Married Life
Santiago: Fátima, I’ve been meaning to tell you something: I’ve noticed a change in you—how you look at me, how you care for me, how you show me affection. There’s a special something about it.
Fátima: Oh Santi, I’m so glad! The truth is that lately I’ve been trying to live more closely with Our Lady and in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and this helps me so much, especially when I’m tired or unmotivated.
Santiago: Well, it really shows. I’m going to try it too.
Fátima: I love that. Let’s both go together with Jesus, out into the deep, into His Heart.
Santiago: This is going to be amazing!

Mother,
We want to be under your mantle and for you to take us by the hand, out into the deep, into the Heart of Jesus.
Blessed are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

To Know / Him / Me / You. Reflection for marriages Saint Matthew 16:13-19

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Gospel of the day 
Matthew 16:13-19
‘You are Peter, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.’
At that time: When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’

To Know / Him / Me / You
A hell where God is loved would be a contradiction—it would cease to be hell. And in the same way, an earth where God is not loved becomes a hell. Let us love God more each day so that this world may begin to resemble heaven more and more.
To love, one must first know. The act of knowing is an exclusive gift of persons, which distinguishes us from animals. In the Bible, to know is not merely an act of the intellect. To know God is to live an experience of Him, and I can have that experience through Jesus Christ, who has come to reveal who He is. That is why the Lord encourages us to follow Him, to live that experience with Him.
The first step is to experience His presence, and then to encounter Him and build that communion of love that reveals His heart. In that experience, I also come to know myself—for I exist only in relation to Him. He gives me my identity, He sustains me, and I exist for Him.
It is the Spirit who reveals Christ’s identity to Peter. It is He who leads me to Christ, and it is Christ who leads me to the Father.
Spouses, this is the reward of prayer: to live in God’s presence, to experience the encounter with Him, and to reach communion with Him—where together we find our rest and eternal life.

Applied to Married Life
Jaime: I have discovered the importance of knowing—knowing God, and knowing you. It is an experience of intimacy meeting intimacy. As I enter into your intimacy, part of you comes with me, and part of me remains within you. And vice versa.
María: It is wonderful to experience the intimacy of God. Some people say they don’t pray because they are tired, but that’s because they don’t know what it means to rest in the Heart of Jesus—the Heart that, even while wounded, loves through its wounds. A love that comforts, fills… And He has taught me to know myself, and to know you, my husband—your masculinity. There is a new gaze within me, able to enter into you. I am present in you, and I sense you present in me. I know you, I have known your intimacy, and your intimacy has entered me. And we have become one flesh.
Jaime: What an experience! And one heart, and one soul. To hold you present in my heart, to encounter you in the deepest part of me, and to feel you within me. It is incredible what can be experienced in marriage, in the presence of God.

Mother,
You carried God in your womb; teach me to carry Him within me. You welcomed the Holy Spirit when He overshadowed you; teach me also to welcome my husband/wife in the same way, so as to bear fruits of love. Only then can we show the world who God is—by knowing Him, by being filled with Him.
Praised be He forever.

Authority in the Truth. Reflection for marriages Saint Luke 4:31–37

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Gospel of the Day
Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 4:31–37
At that time: Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent and come out of him!’ And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, ‘What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!’ And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

Authority in the Truth
How striking it must have been to hear the Lord when He taught in the synagogue! How fortunate were those who lived in that time! But the Lord did not teach only for that moment—His teachings remain valid today and forever.
One detail stands out: “His words carried authority.” We are witnesses of the Lord and of His glory, and for this reason we too can speak with authority. We do not speak about our own opinions, nor give speeches to attract an audience or to appear important—we proclaim the TRUTH, and truth itself carries authority.
The mere presence of Christ must have been imposing, and this is what we should aspire to: to be so united to Him that our lives reflect His life. We must hold that same authority in our own lives, which is achieved through coherence and integrity. We cannot say one thing and do another; rather, we speak of what we live, because we live united to the Lord.

Applied to Married Life
(Javier and Cristina are having dinner with their children)
Javier: Children, you know that your mother and I love you very much, and that’s why sometimes we don’t allow you to make certain plans with your boyfriends or girlfriends—plans that, according to you, “everyone else” makes. We want you to be formed so that one day you may become kind, charitable, and honest men and women—and good spouses—able to discern what is right and what is wrong in the light of the Gospel.
Cristina: What Dad means is that we’ve encouraged you to take part in the Proyecto Amor Conyugal catechesis groups for couples in the parish, so that you can learn what the TRUTH is regarding what may well be your future vocation.
Javier: Mom is right. When you have that solid foundation, you will truly be free, able to build a marriage on rock, and you will also be able to explain with authority the reasons behind your choices to your friends. It doesn’t mean they will necessarily understand you, but you will be a light and help guide them onto the right path.
Cristina: We know that sometimes it’s hard, and you may even lose some friendships, because Truth is not always welcomed in this world. But you will have peace and the certainty of doing what God wants from you at every moment.

Mother,
We ask you to help us be very faithful to the Lord, so that we may live with that authority worthy of the children of God.
Praised be the Lord who shows us the Truth.

The Unappreciated Gift. Reflection for marriages Saint Luke 4:16–30

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Gospel of the Day
Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 4:16–30
At that time: Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll, and found the place where it was written,
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
And he rolled up the scroll, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’
  And all spoke well of him and marvelled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ And he said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “ ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your home town as well.” ’ And he said, ‘Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his home town. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.’
  When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up, and drove him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away.

The Unappreciated Gift
This passage invites us to reflect on a common reality in married life: the difficulty of recognising the greatness and the work of God in those closest to us. Jesus is rejected precisely by those who knew Him from childhood. Familiarity prevents them from seeing what God is doing through Him.
In marriage, something similar can happen: over time, we stop “seeing” the other—their worth, their gifts, or even their suffering—because we take them for granted. “Love” (misunderstood love) can grow cold, not necessarily because of great problems, but simply due to routine, habit, and lack of wonder at the reality that our spouse is a precious creature and child of God. The Lord invites us to look at our spouse with His eyes—with renewed tenderness—valuing their story, their wounds, and their gifts.
It is beautiful to see in this passage how Jesus does not conform to the expectations of His people. In our married life, it is also vital to accept that the other is not exactly as I would like them to be, but as they are. To love is not to mould the other into my image, but to welcome them, accompany them in their journey, and give myself as I am, just as they are.
The violent reaction of the people against Jesus warns us of the danger of closing ourselves off to change, of not letting the Spirit confront and transform us. In marriage, this can take the form of pride, stubbornness, or fear of giving in. But mature love requires humility, listening, and openness to mutual correction.

Applied to Married Life
Julio: You know what? Since we did the Proyecto Amor Conyugal retreat, I’ve been discovering a Rosa that I was missing before. Now I see you more and more as a gift for me and truly my suitable helper in everything.
Rosa: How beautiful, Julio, thank you very much. I also try, although, as you’ve surely noticed, many times I don’t manage it and I fall again into the temptation of not looking at you with the eyes with which the Lord looks at you.
Julio: Well, I’m not perfect either, but I admit that as soon as I notice myself criticising you inwardly, the Lord gives me the grace to realise it, and I try with all my strength not to dwell on those bad thoughts. Sometimes I don’t succeed, and that’s when I mess things up and the arguments begin.
Rosa: That’s fundamental—trying to practise that self-control, which is so hard for me. When I don’t put a stop to it, all the past gets stirred up in me, and I don’t get out of my criticisms or bad thoughts toward you. The devil often traps me, and I fall into victimhood and self-pity, without noticing all the good things you do for me and for the girls.
Julio: Well, many times I don’t make it easy for you either. You know I’m not perfect, and when I think about it—even though you’re not perfect either—I realise how difficult I make it for you to reach that self-control and to rediscover the value I have in God’s eyes.
Rosa: Well, you’ve given me very good ideas: I’m going to start putting into practice what you said, and I’ll try to stop those bad thoughts from the very beginning and, instead, always try to see you as a gift for me.

Mother,
Help me to rediscover the value of my husband each day, to learn to look at him with your mercy, and to recognise that he is an instrument of God for me.
Praised be the Lord!