Today, out of love for us, Jesus warns us: “Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held to account.” Woe to you who do not enter yourselves and prevent others from entering!
Today is a day for me to examine myself: What is there in my heart and in my behaviour that prevents me from entering the Kingdom of Heaven and living in a state of grace? What makes it difficult or prevents my husband and children from entering, too?
Perhaps it is my desire to control everything and always be right, my outbursts of anger, my thoughtlessness and harsh manner. Perhaps it is my temperament, which, instead of welcoming and encouraging others, leaves them feeling disheartened and sad.
Thank You, Lord, for waking me up! Blessed are You! How deeply You love me!

(That evening, during their prayer together as husband and wife.)

George: Catherine, please forgive me. I’ve been unbearable today, in a bad mood and snapping at the slightest thing. I’ve spent the whole day dwelling on the “nasty little mess” in my heart. And what hurts me most is that I’ve made you feel bad, too.
Catherine: George, yes, it’s been a difficult day. And instead of welcoming you in your weakness and sin, I’ve added my own sin to yours. We’ve hurt each other, and we’ve hurt the Lord, too.
George: I want to help you experience a foretaste of Heaven here in our home, with the two of us united to the Lord. How deeply I long for that intimacy between the three of us!
Catherine: What a wonderful gift our Sacrament of Marriage is! How Jesus rescues us, time and time again.
George: Tomorrow, I’ll ask the children to forgive me, because I exasperated them today.
Catherine: My dear husband, you have such a beautiful heart.

Mother,

Praise be to the Lord!

My good Jesus, when I hear these words of yours, so harsh and challenging, at first I don’t feel that they apply to me. I’m not like that, I tell myself. But when I look deeper, when I truly listen, this question rises in my heart: what are You trying to tell me here, Jesus?
And suddenly, I see that part of me that does what is expected, that apparently does the right thing, yet deep down “overlooks the love of God”. That part of me that is unable to love truly, to love in the midst of weakness, to love when I don’t like the way I am treated…
I also see that part of me that still likes to have the best seats, to be praised for what I do well. Forgetting that whatever I do well is thanks to You. You alone deserve my thanks for it. I must not take the credit for my successes, because without you, Lord, I can do nothing. Without you, I make a mess of things.
And I see that part of me that places unbearable burdens on others. I make demands of my wife, my children… taking for granted that they should have gifts you may not have given them. I forget all my own weaknesses and shortcomings, and take for granted, without thanking you, the gifts you have given me.

Lord, help me to give of myself without demanding anything and without judging. Teach me to love as you do.

Brought into married life:

Mary: John, this is so unfair! We’re late again because of you! I’m working myself to the bone, and what have you done?
John: But I haven’t stopped for a second! And don’t speak to me like that in front of the children!
Mary: You don’t help me at all!
(That evening, after their prayer together as husband and wife.)
Mary: John, please forgive me. I was so unfair to you this morning. I gave in to temptation. I spoke terribly to you and didn’t put myself in your shoes…
John: Thank you, Mary. I really do try to be as efficient as possible at times like that. But I don’t come anywhere near doing everything you do. Forgive me; I’m so clumsy.
Mary: You’re so sweet! You have such a big heart. I expect you to do the things that come easily to me, and I forget that what I need to do is learn from your patience and kindness. The Lord has shown me that, in those moments, I should turn to you for help and look to you as an example of how to do things patiently and gently. And if we arrive a little late, at least we’ll have done so with love. That’s a thousand times better!
John: Mary, thank you so much for everything. I love you so much.
Mary: And I love you just as much! Thank goodness we persevere in prayer. Otherwise, we wouldn’t see any of this.

Mother,

Help me to give myself completely, to lay down my life without asking for anything in return. As you do, and as your Son does.

Blessed and praised be God, who loves us with infinite love!

While dating, we looked at our future spouse with admiration. We discovered their virtues, marvelled at their gifts, and almost everything about them seemed beautiful to us. But, as time goes by, our sin can gradually cloud that vision. We stop admiring and start judging, stop giving thanks and start making demands, until we end up seeing their faults before we see the gift God has given us.

Today, the Lord invites us not to content ourselves with cleaning “the outside”, trying to change the other person so that they fit our expectations. He invites us to look within, to purify our own hearts and, from there, recover a clear gaze.

“Give alms from what is within,” Jesus tells us. Let us therefore offer the gifts we carry within us, which the Lord has given us: our understanding, our tenderness, our forgiveness… and let us stop making demands and begin to give of ourselves.

Andrew: Darling, remember, we’re leaving for dinner in five minutes!
Beth: Andrew, you know I like to look my best when we go out. I’m not sure five minutes will be enough time to put my make-up on.
Andrew: I don’t know why you bother with make-up when you’re already so beautiful. You don’t need to put all that stuff on!
Beth: I love you, darling, but wrinkles have to be concealed. I’m not getting any younger…
Andrew: Well, I’ll tell you something: your inner beauty is so great that it shines through on the outside. I’m telling you that as your husband, but other people notice it too—and I’m not just paying you a compliment!
Beth: Come on, Andrew, stop it or you’ll make me vain, and that’s not a good thing.
Andrew: Sorry if I’m embarrassing you, but I can see how you nurture your inner life, how you try to stay close to the Lord, and that eventually shines through on the outside.
Beth: Thank you, darling… the credit belongs to the Lord. The closer we are to Him, the more we can reflect His beauty. You help me so much to draw closer to Him, too.

Mother,

help us to live through Him, with Him and in Him.

Blessed and praised be God for ever!

For the Jews of that time, the expression “evil generation” was not an empty reproach. It immediately brought to mind the ancient people of Israel, those who had been freed from Egypt, had seen the sea part, had been fed with manna and had received the Law on Mount Sinai; a people surrounded by signs who, nevertheless, continued to doubt and ask for further proof. Jesus recognises that same attitude in those speaking to Him: they ask for a sign, but not out of a desire for truth; rather, out of a sense of entitlement, distrust and suspicion. That is why He grants them no further sign. It is not a question of signs, because when the heart is closed, no sign is ever enough.

Instead, He reminds them of two examples very familiar to them: the Queen of the South, who travelled great distances, driven by the desire to find the wisdom of God; and the people of Nineveh, who repented because they knew how to listen to Jonah’s preaching and put their trust in it. Because of their hardened hearts, those Jews failed to recognise God even though He was right there before them.

Today, we can run the same risk. Husbands and wives! The sign has been given: through our Sacrament, Jesus is present in our marriage; He is present in my spouse. Do I recognise Him?

When the heart trusts and is willing to welcome, it learns to discover God’s provident hand in the little things of everyday life: in a correction from my spouse, in a smile, in the children who draw us out of our comfort zone, in a friend’s words… Then we begin to see God in everything and in everyone.

Mother,

From within your heart, we share your very own desire. How we would love to see the tabernacles packed with people, all worshipping the Lord! My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You. I ask Your forgiveness for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You.

Blessed and praised be You for ever!