Monthly Archives: October 2025

Sharing the Yoke. Reflection for marriages. Matthew 11:25-30

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Gospel
From the Gospel according to Matthew. Mt 11, 25-30
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Sharing the Yoke

Thank you, Lord, for your words. Have you really revealed these things to the little ones? Of course you have! because when I think I know how things are, I only listen to myself and not to You.
Lord, I truly know nothing. I want to listen to You. 
Am I tired and overwhelmed? Yes, many times. So, what should I do? Once again, You couldn’t be clearer: I must go to You, and You will give me rest. And to take Your yoke? Of course! because when I try to carry everything by myself, the load becomes too heavy. But when I take Your yoke, You carry it with me. If I carry the yoke with You and with my spouse (literally “conjugal,” sharing the yoke), the burden becomes light, because we’re united, both of us, and united with You.
And how should I do it? With gentleness and humility.  Knowing that I know nothing, that You know everything, that You can do all things.  That my real enemy is my self-love.  That the remedy is love for You and for my spouse above all else.  Not my will, but Yours and hers/his.
Thank you, Lord. I hear You, and with Your help, I’ll go forward together with my spouse.

Applied to married life:

Teena: Mathew, I can’t take it anymore! I’m exhausted! I have to do everything myself!
Matthew: Sweetheart, please, let me help you.
Teena: I wish you would! I’ve been asking all day and you haven’t listened!
Matthew: I’m sorry, really. I didn’t realize. But please, remember what we agreed on: let’s pray first.
Teena: Oh, come on… (but she lets the Spirit guide her) Okay, fine, let’s pray.
(They begin to pray together)
Matthew: Lord, I ask your forgiveness. Teena, I ask your forgiveness too. Lord, help me be more attentive to my wife.
Teena: Lord, forgive me for losing my patience. Carlos, forgive me too. Lord, with You I can do all things; without You, nothing. Help me to give of myself without counting the cost, and to trust that I can rely on Carlos, even when I don’t understand how he doesn’t see what I need. Thank You for giving me this chance to grow in gentleness and humility.
Matthew: Lord, thank You for giving me the best wife in the world. Forgive me for sometimes focusing more on my own stuff than on her. Thank you, Teresa, for being so wonderful.
Teena: Thank You, Lord. Thank you, Carlos, you’re amazing! And now, help me because together with the Lord, we can do anything.

Mother,

Please help us truly listen to Your Son and to follow Him. Don’t let the world overwhelm us. Help us live close to You, with You doing His will, always united with my spouse. Praised be Your Son forever!

Double Intentions. Reflection for marriages. Luke 11:37-41

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From the Gospel according to Luke. Lk. 11:37-41

After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.
He entered and reclined at table to eat.
The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

Double Intentions

The Lord, who is our Creator, knows our hearts, our deepest thoughts. That’s why He doesn’t want us to have double intentions (like the Pharisees), but to live a pure life in every way, both inside and out.
There is a saying “the face is the mirror of the soul”… but what’s really in our soul? How many times do we do things just to look good or to be seen? And what about in our marriage? Thanks to the conyugal prayer, we start to uncover and bring to light those hidden intentions we might have, so we can help each other untangle them and become truly transparent with one another.

Applied to married life:

(During conyugal prayer)
Eva: Well… speaking of the Pharisees… the Lord showed me through this Gospel that sometimes I help you because I want something in return, like for you to tell me how good I am at things. He also showed me that this morning, when I went to buy winter clothes for us and the kids, I wasn’t really thinking about what we needed, but more about how others would see us, like we’re one of those “picture-perfect” magazine families. Love, I ask you to help me with this so I can learn to do things only out of love for God, to please Him, and to serve you and our children.
Greg: Well, God also showed me something… Sometimes at work, I want to stand out to be noticed as the best and I want everyone to see it so they’ll think I’m important. And the truth is, sometimes I step on others or forget to act with charity. This prayer helped me see my own poverty and vanity and reminded me that if I achieve anything, it’s only by God’s grace, and I’m accountable to Him alone. Let’s help each other avoid chasing after praise or attention in what we do. Sound good?
Eva: I just had an idea what if, whenever one of us does something good, the other one says out loud, “Glory to God!” That way, we’ll remember that everything we do is thanks to Him and for Him not for our own glory.
Greg: Babe, I love you so much. That’s a beautiful idea. Glory to God!

 
Mother,

We ask you to help us always seek the Lord, and do everything for Him and through Him. Blessed and praised be the Lord forever!

Making Christ Present. Reflection for marriages. Luke 11:29-32

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Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke. Lk. 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Making Christ Present

Today, just like He did with the people of His time, Jesus is is calling us out. Since He came into the world, since His Redemption, we’ve been given everything we need to have the kind of marriage He intended, but we’re still so lost. In married life, we often wait for “signs” from each other: perfect gestures of affection, just the right words of comfort, clear proof of love. But the Gospel reminds us that what we really need is to open our hearts to what’s already in front of us. Jesus reminds us that the real sign isn’t something external, but faithfulness and true self-giving.
The “sign of Jonah” was about people who listened, and changed. In marriage, the real sign isn’t big gestures or flashy moments. It’s found in the simple things: in daily patience, in offering forgiveness, in the effort to understand each other, in the tenderness we give without expecting anything in return. The Gospel also says: “Here is one greater than Jonah, greater than Solomon.” In marriage, that “greater one” is Christ, present right between the two of us. If both are truly trying to find Jesus in the other, the relationship doesn’t rely just on human words, but on the certainty of a deeper love. So let’s never forget that our marriage is made of three and that we don’t miss the signs of His presence in our everyday life.

Applied to married life:

Lucy: Declan, I want to say sorry. A lot of times, I get all twisted up inside thinking you don’t love me enough. I focus only on what you say or do and I don’t see your heart.
Declan: Have you been reading my mind? I was literally thinking the same thing. I often get stuck on appearances and feel like the kids come before me in your heart.
Lucy: Wow, I’m sorry. It’s true that sometimes, when I doubt your love for me, I just shut down, and I don’t even feel like making you dinner.
Declan: Wait, seriously? But your dinners are amazing!
Lucy: Haha, you dummy. Well, on those days, I cook without a single drop of love.
Declan: Babe, on our wedding day, when I said “yes,” I gave you my past, my present, and my future. I mess up a lot, and sometimes I don’t show you that because I get caught up in myself. I’m sorry.
Lucy: That’s exactly why I want to ask both you and God to forgive me. Our marriage is made of three, and on the days I close in on myself, I even start to doubt if getting married was the right choice… But now, after praying, I realize this all comes from me, from my own insecurities and my need for a “perfect” kind of love from you. I’m sorry, love.
Declan: You’re adorable. From now on, let’s not doubt that God is in our marriage and let’s stop asking each other for more “signs.” Deal?
Lucy: Totally. And now I’m gonna make you a delicious dinner with lots of love this time.

Mother,

Teach us not to doubt our spouse, and to focus on the greatest sign that unites us: our Sacrament. Praise be to the Lord who waits for us in our spouse.

The Pillar of Civilization. Reflection for married couples. Luke 17:11-19

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GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Luke 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,

he travelled through Samaria and Galilee.

As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.

They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,

“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”

And when he saw them, he said,

“Go show yourselves to the priests.”

As they were going they were cleansed.

And one of them, realizing he had been healed,

returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;

and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.

He was a Samaritan.

Jesus said in reply,

“Ten were cleansed, were they not?

Where are the other nine?

Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”

Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;

your faith has saved you.”

The word of the Lord

 

The Pillar of Civilization

Today we celebrate the way of life of Mary, the true pillar of what Saint John Paul II called the “civilization of love.”

A young woman who learned to love by loving—who, by becoming a servant and embodying the Word of her Son in daily life, not only lived in truth but lived with the Truth and the Life.

This is the path to which we spouses are called in marriage: the true school of love, the “Sanctuary of Life.” There we learn to walk with the Truth and the Life among us, becoming the seed of a civilization of men and women with dignity, created in the image of God, always treated as an end and never as a means.

Moved by a self-giving love, not merely emotional. A love where we learn generosity and forgiveness, to share rather than hoard, to give ourselves rather than possess.

This is the civilization we are called to build: our identity, our true “ID,” is Christ.

No appointment is needed to meet Him—He’s available 24 hours a day.

 

Applied to Married Life

Alicia: Love, yesterday I was listening to a priest’s testimony, and I was deeply moved when he said, “God doesn’t choose the best, but those He wants.” Even though I’ve heard it many times before, yesterday it truly touched my heart.

David: What do you mean?

Alicia: That God’s logic is one of pure gift. I feel like in our home, a worldly logic often prevails—where efficiency or personal interest tends to dominate our intentions.

David: That’s deep. I think I understand. In my case, I realise I project expectations onto our children—expecting them to be a certain way so they can “succeed” in the world. That influences how I treat them and what I demand from them.

 

Alicia: Exactly. And I sometimes overprotect them. Fear kills the miracle. We need to learn to see them as God sees them—and at the same time, show them through our marriage the freedom that only God gives. Only He knows the truth of our hearts.

David: Shall we pray today’s Gospel together and see what He wants to reveal to us?

 

Mother,

Teach us to stand in truth by embodying the Word of Your Son. May He be forever blessed and praised, for by His Blood, He redeemed us.

What Is Better… Reflection for married couples. Luke 11:27-28

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GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Luke 11:27-28

While Jesus was speaking,

a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,

“Blessed is the womb that carried you

and the breasts at which you nursed.”

He replied, “Rather, blessed are those

who hear the word of God and observe it.”

The word of the Lord

 

What Is Better…

It’s good to do good things and say kind words, but today Jesus in the Gospel urges us not to settle for what is merely good, but to seek what is best: to listen to the Word of God and to live it out. And it is precisely those who listen to the Word and put it into practice whom Jesus calls blessed. Like Mary, our Mother—she is “the Blessed One,” not only because she carried Jesus in her womb, but especially because she listened to the Word of God and fulfilled it.

Jesus reminds us again today of the need to listen to God’s Word, which is essential to understanding His plan for us. There is no other way. If we don’t dedicate time to be with the Lord, silencing the noise of the world and paying attention to His voice—seeking that intimacy He desires with each of us, which is forged in prayer—it becomes impossible to hear Him and know His will.

And for us as spouses, nothing is better than conjugal prayer. It is our tool for intimacy with Him and for knowing Him, and it gives us the opportunity to hear what God wants for our marriage. But it’s not enough to just listen to His Word—we must also live it, bring it into our lives, and align everything we do with His will.

That’s why Jesus calls blessed those who—first—listen to the Word of God, and—then—put it into practice. Spouses, this is our path to true blessing, our highway to happiness, because our Father in heaven knows what is best for us, His children.

 

Applied to Married Life

Susana: Michael, we’ve been invited to a gala dinner at the casino next Saturday. You have no idea how excited I am!

Michael: Susana, isn’t that the same day we have our couples’ group meeting at the parish?

Susana: Oh, you’re right—I hadn’t realised the overlap. But it’s just one time, it won’t hurt to miss a day.

Michael: I’m not so sure. We have a commitment to the community. And besides, those meetings with the other couples have been so good for us—our marriage has grown a lot since we started going.

Susana: Oh Michael, just this once… I’ve dreamed of going to that dinner for years, and now the opportunity has come up.

Michael: Susana, what will that really give you? Look, why don’t we bring it to our conjugal prayer tonight and see what the Lord tells us?

(That night, during their conjugal prayer…)

Susana: Jesus, in this Gospel You tell me that Your Mother is blessed because she listened to the Word of God and lived it. I’m excited about going to that fancy dinner—I don’t see anything wrong with it. But through Michael, You’ve reminded me that it falls on the same day as our couples’ meeting. And in this Gospel, You’ve shown me the importance of hearing Your Word and fulfilling it, of doing Your will. You’ve helped me see that there’s something better than that dinner—because in those group meetings, we’re being formed and deepening our understanding of marriage as You intended it. They help us grow in our marital vocation. And it’s true that every time we go, I come back renewed and excited about our marriage. Lord, thank You for giving me my husband, my suitable help.

Michael: Thank You, Lord, for my suitable help—and for showing us through our prayer what is better.

Mother,

You, who are the Blessed One because you listen to the Word of God and live it, teach us to pray and to have intimacy with God, to listen to His Word, to treasure it in our hearts, and to always say yes to His will. Blessed and glorious are you, Mother! May our Lord be praised forever!