Author Archives: Esposos Misioneros

God is Love. Reflection for marriages. Luke 9:18–22

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Gospel of the Day

From the Gospel according to Luke
Luke 9:18–22
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

God is Love
If we were to ask people in the street, “Who is Jesus to you?”, today we would receive all sorts of different answers. But Jesus addresses each one of us directly. He wants to know who He is to me, because He loves me personally.
Each one of us can say, “God loves me completely”, without this diminishing in any way the love that others receive. God created me out of love, He calls me by name and He loves me in a unique and personal way. His Heart is so infinite that each one of us can know ourselves to be His beloved child.
And this is how special my spouse is to God too. He loves my spouse because he or she is His beloved child, unique and unrepeatable.
And this is how He asks me to love my spouse: completely, without this diminishing the love I have for my parents, my children, my friends…
Husbands and wives, do you want to show God how much you love Him? Then love one another with the love you receive from Him.

Applied to Married Life
(Santi and Anna during their marital prayer)
Santi: Anna.
Anna: Santi! You frightened me! You’d had your eyes closed for so long that I thought you’d fallen asleep in the Lord’s arms.
Santi: Haha, very funny! Darling, forgive me. The truth is that today the Lord has shown me the way He loves me: just as I am. Me, with my full name, with my family, with my sins, with my weaknesses… It’s incredible. It really moved me.
Anna: How wonderful! The Lord is so good, such a good Father. It moves me too. And I’m so happy for you, and thank you for sharing it with me, because through you He is saying it to me as well. I really needed to hear that because my prayer has felt drier and more barren for some time now. I haven’t been “feeling” anything, but I’m persevering out of love for Him.
Santi: You’re beautiful! The Lord has been purifying you for some time because I’m moving at a slower pace, and you’re accompanying me along this path with patience and so much love. I wanted to ask you something, because you’ve been receiving formation for longer than I have. Now that this love God has for me is engraved upon my heart, what would the next step be?
Anna: Well, that’s very simple. The Lord truly loves us just as we are, wherever we may be at this moment, but there is a beautiful phrase: “He dreams of us becoming saints.” So we must continue with our formation and our journey of purification, and of course with the Sacraments and prayer, so that each day the two of us may grow closer to one another and become more deeply united with Him.
Mother
Thank you for everything. We remember these words of Saint Augustine:
“You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.”
Help us each day to become more and more conformed to Your Son.
Blessed and praised be He for ever!

Recognising God. Reflection for marriages. Luke 9:7–9

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Gospel of the Day

From the Gospel according to Luke 9:7–9
Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
“John has been raised from the dead”;
others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;
still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
But Herod said, “John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
And he kept trying to see him.
Recognising God
God is far more present in our lives than we can imagine, and what happened to Herod can also happen to us: we can see that something extraordinary is taking place around us and, instead of opening our hearts, keep them closed within our own reasoning. The weight of our sin, which continues to echo within us, can prevent us from recognising what God is doing in us.
We need to ask ourselves whether we truly know Christ or whether we only know about Him from what we have heard. We should also consider whether our past, our sins, wounds and fears make it difficult for us to recognise God’s action in our lives.
Something similar can happen in marriage. Sometimes we look at our spouse through the lens of previous situations, mistakes and wounds from the past, which prevent us from discovering what God is doing in him or her and in our marriage.
Only a reconciled heart can recognise the presence of the Lord and allow itself to be transformed.
Applied to Married Life
Louis: Hi Mercedes, I’m exhausted. At work they don’t give me a moment to breathe, then I come home and it feels as though everything is against me. On top of that, I bring it all to prayer and it seems as though nothing happens. I don’t see any answer because everything stays the same. It’s as if the Lord isn’t listening.
Mercedes: Oh, Louis, you’ve come home feeling really overwhelmed. But don’t worry, you have me, and besides, the Lord does great things for you and through you.
Louis: Well, you’re saying that to reassure me, but I feel a bit abandoned.
Mercedes: Don’t say that. It may seem as though the Lord isn’t listening to you, but you know very well that He is. To me, you’re a real example of perseverance. Despite everything, you never give up prayer, and you always look for those little moments to be alone with Him.
Louis: The truth is, I need it. I can’t stop seeking that intimacy with God. But when it seems pointless, as though there’s no answer, I feel like throwing in the towel and simply leaving everything to Providence.
Mercedes: You know very well that doesn’t work. Remember what we were like before we knew the Lord. We wanted to control everything and do everything through our own strength, and you know where that leads. Remember that back then we really did come close to throwing everything away, but He came to rescue us, entering into our lives and changing everything.
Louis: That’s true. Without God, we came close to separating, and when we allowed Him into our lives, He changed everything for the better.
Mercedes: That’s why you can’t allow yourself to think that it’s all pointless. Perhaps you’re so focused on your own concerns that you’re not allowing Him into your heart. With all the noise created by everything happening around you, perhaps you’re paying more attention to yourself than to the Lord. It happens to me sometimes too.
Louis: You’re right. It’s not so much that I’m receiving nothing; it’s that I’m no longer listening to Him. Thank you for the light you bring me, and above all, I thank God for speaking to me through you, just as He has done now. I am truly blessed.
Mercedes: Glory to God!
Mother,
Help us to have humble hearts, capable of recognising God in our marriage and allowing ourselves to be converted by His presence.

The Only Bag We Need. Reflection for marriages. Luke 9:1–6

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Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 9:1–6

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.”
Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.
The Only Bag We Need
Jesus calls the Twelve together and sends them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God. We too are called and sent. As married couples, we have a beautiful way of evangelising: by showing the beauty of our vocation and making God’s Love visible.
When a married couple remains united to the Lord through the Sacrament, their human love is gradually transformed into a divine love, becoming a mirror in which the world can look and discover how God loves. That visible love is the only bag we need. Our true strength lies not in what we carry in our hands, but in our union.
How beautiful it is to be able to evangelise together, showing our love and bearing witness to the work God is doing in our marriage!
What is it about marriage that enables it to represent God’s love here on earth? What a great mystery! What greatness!
Today, during this little time of prayer, I ask myself: Can someone encounter Christ by looking at our marriage?
Lord, make us a living sign of Your love.
Applied to Married Life
Christine: Were those Anne and Louis sitting at the table next to us?
Oscar: Yes. We hadn’t seen them for such a long time.
Christine: But they seem like completely different people… They were on the verge of separating. They used to say there was no hope for their marriage…
Oscar: Well, look at the change in them. I wouldn’t have given them a chance. I was surprised because she even said to me, “Now we thank God even for that difficult time.”
Christine: For that difficult time?
Oscar: Yes. She told me that it was precisely then that they discovered they couldn’t do it on their own, and they began to let God into their marriage.
Christine: Well… I don’t know exactly what God has done with them, but you can tell He has done something… and something very beautiful!
Oscar: What do you think about giving them a call and arranging to meet up another day, so they can tell us about it?
Christine: Yes. Something has stirred in me too… Perhaps we also need to make a little more room for the Lord.
Mother,
How beautiful it is to have you in our marriage too. Blessed are you!

Do You Say You Love God?Reflection for marriages. Luke 8:19–21

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Gospel of the Day

From the Gospel according to Luke 8:19–21
The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you.”
He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”
Do You Say You Love God?
Jesus reveals where Mary’s true greatness lies and the source of the communion between them: Mary is the one who listened to the Word of God and lived according to it. The fruit of this is communion and intimacy with Him. Jesus invites all of us to become intimate with Him by living according to His Word.
What kind of love do we have for God if we listen to His Word but do not want to embody it in our lives? Let us examine our hearts and ask ourselves whether I act according to the will of God or react from my wounded heart.
We must be very attentive: we may pray together as a married couple, help at retreats and go to the Eucharist, yet still not allow the “Word” to become incarnate in us as the Word became incarnate in Mary. To love God is to do His will, even when it does not coincide with our own.
Applied to Married Life
Laura is going through a marital crisis that requires a process of healing, patience and forgiveness. She has called her mentor and told him that she no longer wants to continue.
Laura: I’m tired. Tired of forgiving, of giving in, of always being the one who loves… I don’t want to carry on anymore.
Edward: And what do you want to do?
Laura: Think about myself. Let him change. I’ve already done enough; now it’s my turn to be happy.
Edward: That isn’t the way, Laura. Not if you want to follow Christ.
Laura: I want to follow Christ, yes, but not my husband.
Edward: To love God is to do His will. “Whoever loves me will keep my word.” Do you remember these words from the Gospel? Don’t allow yourself to be deceived by the devil. What you are doing is standing before God and saying: “I don’t want to do Your will. I don’t believe Your way will lead me to happiness, so I’m going to do things my way, not Yours.” Do you see?
Laura remains silent.
Edward: This is the moment to do God’s will, even when it is contrary to your own. We know that our will, distorted by sin, leads us to death, while His will leads us to life.
Laura: But I can’t take any more.
Edward: I already told you that, when the time came, we would carry you in our arms, on a stretcher, however necessary — and that is what we will do. Will you let us?
Laura smiles.
Laura: How could I say no to God?
Mother,
Give us your obedience to the Word of God and your humility, and we will be blessed with you.
Praise be to the Lord!

Matthew or Pharisee? Reflection for marriages. Matthew 9:9–13

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Gospel of the Day

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 9:9–13
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him,
“Follow me.”
And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
He heard this and said,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words,
‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Matthew or Pharisee?
In our marriage, we often fall into the attitude of the Pharisee: we place ourselves in the position of judging our spouse, and even judging the way Jesus is working in their life. We allow ourselves to be carried away by spiritual pride and begin to measure the life of faith in terms of “merit” or moral accounting. We think ourselves more worthy of the Lord drawing near to us because we consider ourselves holier, because we make more sacrifices, or because we are more involved in the parish. Yet this attitude of self-sufficiency actually distances us from Him, because where there is judgement, there is no room for mercy.
Jesus completely overturns this logic of merit. He does not seek those who believe themselves to be “righteous”, but contrite and humbled hearts that recognise their need for healing. This is why He did not call Matthew because of what he was at that moment — a tax collector regarded as a public sinner — but because of what he could become through His grace. If, instead of judging our spouse for their shortcomings, we adopt that same gaze of hope, we transform our married life into a place of redemption.
Whenever we are tempted to consider ourselves “the good one” in the marriage, let us remember how far we ourselves still are from the true mercy of God, and that being seated at His table is an undeserved gift that we receive only through His grace. Marriage does not need two perfect people, but two forgiven sinners who help one another towards holiness.
Let us rejoice sincerely and celebrate whenever our spouse receives even the smallest grace from Jesus — a little step forward, a gesture, a caress from Him — recognising in it the freely given love of God.

Applied to Married Life
Laura: John, are you angry with me?
John: No… Well, a little, but more with myself. Lately I’ve been unsettled inside. I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’m the one keeping everything going: things at the parish, praying together, keeping an eye on the children’s faith… while it all seems very comfortable for you.
Laura: Yes… I know you’re very committed.
John: And sometimes I think that, I don’t know… that I’m better than you because I do all those things.
Laura: Do you really think that?
John: I’m a little ashamed to admit it, but yes. I suppose I’ve fallen into thinking that I’m the “good one” out of the two of us and judging you.
Laura: John, I need you to be my husband and to stand beside me, not ahead of me.
John: Yes… You’re right.
Laura: I know I’m not where you are at the moment, but I also know that Jesus is working in me and walking with me.
John: That’s what I find difficult. Instead of trusting in what Jesus wants to do in you, I focus on what you’re lacking.
Laura: And I also have to admit that when I feel you’re judging me, I close myself off.
John: Forgive me. I want to learn to rejoice whenever I see even the smallest step you take, even when it’s different from what I expected.
Laura: And I want to allow you to help me more too.
John: In the end, neither of us has earned the right to be closer to Jesus.
Laura: No. It is He who has invited us, through His mercy.
John: And how patient He is with us…
Laura: Thank goodness.

Mother,
May I always recognise myself as someone in need of the healing of my wounded heart.
Praise be to God!