Daily Archives: 7 February, 2026

Give Glory to God. Reflection for marriages. Matthew 5:13-16

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From the Gospel according to Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Give Glory to God

Jesus, how do I do that in my marriage? Can good works be done without the light shining? Can good works be done and still not serve to give Glory to God? Yes, You know they can, my Jesus, because You know my heart. Many times I do things not really trying to love through them, not the way You would do them. In subtle ways, my self-love takes over and I seek myself. Then what seems good is nothing more than using the other person for my own benefit, doing things so I’ll be recognized. And then darkness comes: when I’m not recognized for how “good” I am, I get upset, even if it is only felt as sadness or discomfort in my heart.
But when I let myself be guided by You, when my heart lets itself be burned in the Furnace of Love that is Your Heart and is purified of self-love, then I see that it’s by loving my wife in every circumstance, when she’s well, when she’s not, when she asks for what I like, when she asks for what I don’t, when I give myself in those small details… that’s when You make that Light shine, the Light that comes from Your grace, and it lets us enjoy a small piece of heaven on earth. And our small works give Glory to God the Father, because they have the value of having been done not by us, but through the Son. How much light a marriage like this radiates in the middle of the world, a marriage that lives surrendered into the Lord’s hands. How much joy they carry in their hearts. I want that. And you?

Applied to married life:

Rose: For a while now I’ve been reading a daily Gospel reflection on a website. It’s made for married couples. Most of the time I feel like it’s not for me, like it’s not real.
John: Oh yeah, the Conjugal Love Project one. The dialogue part can be a bit cheesy sometimes, right? And other times it feels a bit too intense for me. It doesn’t always feel very real to me either.
Rose: Yeah… and since I don’t really have that kind of faith, the kind where you actually feel that “Love of God”. It sometimes puts me off. But today I met a couple who give off this peace, this different kind of happiness. The way they look at everyday things, at problems, it’s different. It’s like they reflect a different light, a different kind of joy.
John: Really? And who are they?
Rose: A couple from the parish. They’re in Conjugal Love Proyect. I only spoke with them for a little while, but the light they reflect really impacted me. I want that. I don’t know how they have it, I don’t know what they’ve done, but I promise you, it’s different. They’ve got something.
John: It can’t be that big a deal, can it?
Rose: I promise you, what I saw in them is something I’d love for us to live too. Do you want me to ask them about it next time I see them?
John: Yeah… it wouldn’t hurt to give our marriage a little push.

Mother,

Lead us to the Heart of Jesus, to His Furnace of Love, so that He may purify our hearts and make our works give glory to God.
Praised be the Lord forever!

Come and rest with me. Reflection for marriages. Mark 6:30-34

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From the Gospel according to Mark 6:30–34

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Come and rest with me

Jesus notices how tired His apostles are. He doesn’t ask more of them than they can give, He doesn’t put pressure on them or judge them; on the contrary, He understands them deeply and invites them to step away with Him to rest, embracing them with mercy. This attitude of Jesus speaks directly to married life. What do we spouses do when our husband comes home exhausted after a long day at work? Do we complain and say, “you’re never home,” or do we welcome him with gratitude, recognizing the huge effort he makes for his family?
“Come and rest with me, my husband.”
Welcoming your husband or wife also means quietly and lovingly asking yourself: what’s hurting him/her? what’s weighing on him/her? Having compassion for your spouse doesn’t mean justifying everything; it means not hardening your heart, even when it’s hard. It means choosing understanding over reproach, proximity over distance. This is how we live marital charity: being a loving presence, a gift from God that lives in our heart and is constantly knocking at our door. If we open it, our life becomes self-giving and Eucharist for others.

Applied to married life:

Emily: Honey, can you come shopping with me? I’m completely overwhelmed today.

Henry: Emily… I was just about to go for a run. I’ve been looking forward to it all week. But I see you’re stressed, so of course, let’s go together.

Emily: Thank you, really. I know how much you love your workout time, and I hate cutting it short, but I really appreciate the effort you’re making.

Henry: Don’t worry. Sometimes the Lord invites us to love in the small things, even when it messes with our plans. Come on! let’s go, and we’ll use it as time together.

Emily: That helps me so much, Henry. And when we get back, if there’s time, you can still go out for a run.

Henry: Perfect. And now, let’s go get those groceries… but with a good attitude, okay? Because even here, we can choose to love.

Mother,

model of charity, teach us to love and serve as you do. Make our hearts simple, humble, and ready to serve. Blessed and praised be the Lord forever.