‘You who have followed me will receive a hundredfold.’
Gospel according to Matthew 19:27-29

At that time: Peter said to Jesus, ‘See, we have left everything and followed you. What, then, will we have?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children or lands for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.’

The Gospel of the Lord

Always Choose Christ

Today, we ask the Lord the same question that Peter asked: “We have left everything… what then will we receive?” And Jesus reveals one of the secrets of the Kingdom: whoever leaves everything for His sake, in reality loses nothing but finds Everything. In our married life, what is it that prevents us from living the Kingdom of God among us? Our attachments—anything that occupies the place where Christ longs to reign. Attachment to my own will, my sense of security, my plans, my self-image, my wounds or my fears can close my heart to the gift that God wants to make of our marriage. Without even realising it, we can prevent the Bridegroom from dwelling fully among us. Today the Lord gently asks us: What am I holding on to that prevents Christ from reigning fully in our marriage? What attachment is stopping me from loving my spouse? When we dare to place that attachment into the Lord’s hands, our hearts are enlarged so that we can love more deeply. Then we discover that the “hundredfold” Jesus promises begins even now: in a deeper communion with Him, in a freer self-giving between husband and wife, and in a marriage that becomes a foretaste of the Kingdom and a sure path towards eternal life.

Applied to Married Life:

Christopher: Margaret, while praying with today’s Gospel, the Lord gave me a great deal of light. I’ve realised that lately we’ve become so focused on the grandchildren. We talk about them all the time, and whenever they call, we drop everything and rush straight to them.
Margaret: Christopher, they’re our grandchildren. How could we possibly say no?
Christopher: I’m not saying we shouldn’t help them, but it’s been weeks since we’ve had any time for ourselves—to talk, or to pray together.
Margaret: Christopher, are you saying that the grandchildren are drawing us away from God?
Christopher: No. I’m saying that our attachment to them may be drawing us away from our communion as husband and wife.
Margaret: Christopher, do you know what? You’re right. Because we’re afraid of letting them down, we’ve been neglecting what God entrusted to us—our first vocation, which is our marriage.
Christopher: Margaret, if we take care of our communion, we’ll become better grandparents too. Loving them doesn’t mean always being available.
Christopher: So, what do you think about setting aside one afternoon this week just for us—to talk peacefully, put our priorities back in the right order, and pray together?
Margaret: Yes. And if they call us, we’ll discern together whether we’re able to help or whether it’s time to say no, peacefully.

Mother,

teach us to place Christ at the centre of our marriage and to love with freedom, without attachments that draw us away from Him. Blessed and praised be the Lord.