Author Archives: Esposos Misioneros

Only If I Surrender. Reflection for married couples. Matthew 15:29-37

Gospel

Jesus healed many people and multiplied the loaves of bread.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 
Mt 15:29-37

At that time: Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
  Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.’ And the disciples said to him, ‘Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’ They said, ‘Seven, and a few small fish.’ And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over.

The Gospel of the Lord

Only If I Surrender

Jesus multiplies the loaves and fishes out of compassion for those in need. But He cannot act upon what is ours or what we lack unless we first give it to Him. Are we lacking love in our marriage?
Many people struggle with the idea of consecration because it means surrendering everything. But how can we expect the Lord to work in our lives if we don’t first surrender ourselves to each other?

 

Applied to Married Life:

Milton: There are many types of consecration, but did you know that Saint John Paul II speaks about how spouses are consecrated to each other through the Sacrament of Marriage?
Mia: Yes, but I’m not sure how to live that out.
Milton: Well, the way I see it, giving myself fully to you is the best way to consecrate myself to the Lord. Through total surrender to you, I best surrender myself to Him.
Mia: That’s so profound! I’m beginning to realise that the Lord won’t be able to multiply our love or transform it into His Love unless I surrender myself to Him through my total self-gift to you.
Milton: That’s such an insightful point. Just as in the multiplication of the loaves, He receives the bread we give and distributes it through the Apostles, He also receives our love when we offer it to each other and multiplies it, elevating it through us. What a beautiful thought! Shall we give it a try?
(And the Lord multiplied their love, moved by compassion because they lacked enough love to truly nourish one another and risked becoming exhausted.)

 

Mother,

Help us to surrender ourselves fearlessly to our spouse, so that the Lord may multiply our love. Praise be to Him forever.

Intimacy in His Sacred Heart. Reflection for married couples. Luke 10:21-24

Gospel

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 

Lk 10:21-24

In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’
  Then turning to the disciples he said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.’

The Gospel of the Lord

 

Intimacy in His Sacred Heart

Jesus, like His Mother, rejoices in the Spirit (or in God). He delights in the Father being Lord of heaven and earth and in revealing His intimacy to the humble. The great aspire to this intimacy, but He reveals it to whomever He chooses, and He desires to share it with the humble—as long as they remain so and do not let pride take over.
This is why our challenge lies in not exalting ourselves. As the Lord reveals more to us, we must become even smaller in the face of His greatness. 

Applied to Married Life:

Richard: Father, sometimes I experience situations I don’t understand, like when it feels as though my wife doesn’t understand me, dismisses my opinions, and demands a sensitivity from me that I don’t feel she shows me. But I believe she’s not truly to blame, and that You allow these situations so I can humble myself further before You. I accept these moments with joy, so that You may reign in me.
Lucy: Father, there are times when I feel my husband doesn’t treat me with gentleness and hurts me with his attitude. And in those moments, it seems as though he wants to impose his views while I’m expected to remain silent. But I do not blame my husband for this. I accept these moments with joy because I know You allow these trials to humble me so that You may reign in my heart.
(And the Lord continued to permit these situations so that neither spouse would exalt themselves, even as they were allowed to experience the intimacy of His Sacred Heart.)

 

Mother,

Help us resist the temptation to blame our spouses for situations that God allows to humble us and draw us closer to sharing His secrets. Praise be to the Lord who reigns in our lives.

My Faith in Your Faith. Reflection for married couples. Matthew 8:5-11

GOSPEL

‘Many will come from east and west to the kingdom of heaven.’
Reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 8:5-11

At that time: When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ‘Lord, my servant is lying paralysed at home, suffering terribly.’ And he said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ But the centurion replied, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my servant, “Do this”, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he marvelled and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord

My Faith in Your Faith

What did the Jews value in the centurion? That he had funded the synagogue. That’s why they considered him worthy of Jesus’ attention. But what did Jesus value? The centurion’s humility, to the point that He was astonished by it.

In marriage, we might say it’s not about expecting our spouse to do great things for us. Instead, we should value, as Jesus does, their faith in Christ and in our Sacrament of Marriage. Do I find my joy in your faith?

 

Applied to Married Life:

Louise: I don’t know what to do anymore. Your pride is so big that you don’t even realise it, making decisions on your own or imposing them without considering me.
Peter: I’m sorry. You’re right—I don’t realise when I impose things on you. It’s true that I struggle with pride; I’m aware of that. I regret it every time I act, relying on myself and my own strength. But I ask the Lord to do whatever He needs to do to purify my heart so I can love you better. Please be patient with me, because I’m certain He’s using these moments to chip away at my self-centredness.
Louise: Forgive me too. I’ve been relying more on my demands than on God’s power. I’ll go back to offering myself in these situations for your sanctification. My faith is in your faith.

 

Mother,

May we act always, not with mutual demands, but with trust in the Lord and the grace He pours out through our Sacrament. Praise be to Him forever.

Feeling Restless? Let’s Pray Together. Reflection for marriages Saint Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Feeling Restless? Let’s Pray Together.
Advent begins. And we start realizing that not only can “bad” things dull my heart, such as drunkenness and revelry, but also seemingly good things, like the worries of life. It may seem that we are fulfilling our obligations and yet be overwhelmed by so many concerns that everyday life brings. Am I carrying too much on my shoulders? Be careful! It’s time to dedicate more time to prayer together so that we don’t lose the connection to what keeps our souls awake.

Applying to Married Life:
Laura: Honey, lately I feel like you’re not making enough time for prayer and to be with me.  
Jaime: You’re right. There are many pending matters, and that has me feeling anxious. I need help to get back to the Heart of Mary.  
Laura: I love that you see it so clearly. It’s essential to recognize it to find a remedy.  
Jaime: Yes. Thank God, I have learned from previous experiences. Day-to-day life absorbs me and takes over my mind and heart. And I must love God with all my heart, all my mind, and all my being by loving you. That’s why I ask you for help.  
Laura: Let’s pray together before the Blessed Sacrament this weekend, and you’ll see how He orders your heart and mind. What do you think? And then we can go out for a loving dinner to celebrate.  
Jaime: Thank you, my wife. I love the plan. And I love you.

Mother,
If I have too many things, I cannot even imagine how much God has, and yet He dedicates Himself to becoming a Child to live a life with us, full of patience and love. By renouncing everything to be with us, He also shows us how important we are to Him. Blessed be He forever.

If we truly love each other. Reflection for marriages Saint Matthew 4:18-22

Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Matthew 4:18-22

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.

If we truly love each other.

Today is Saint Andrew’s day. Very little is known about him despite being named as the fourth apostle. What we do know is that he brought his brother Peter to Jesus, although later Peter will accept the Lord’s call.
How important mediation is, because all of us have participated in bringing someone closer to the Lord so that they can receive His call. It is so significant to recognize ourselves as mediators and continue to lead others to Jesus, even if later nothing is known about us. Andrew brought Peter to Jesus; what does it matter everything else he did or said? Just for that, his life was worthwhile.

Applying to Married Life:

Nacho: Caro, I don’t know how to thank you for bringing me closer to the Lord. Just that has immense value for me.
Caro: Well, Nacho, you would have done the same for me. Also, since you have drawn closer to the Lord, you have helped me a lot in my spiritual life, especially in deepening my marital vocation. Let’s say that I brought you to the Lord and you brought me to my vocation, and both things should be very connected. So, quid pro quo.
Nacho: We must not forget that we are here for each other, to help one another reach the Lord. If something does not help, it’s better to set it aside. Don’t you think? I believe that will give us strength to avoid temptation.
Caro: I think that’s very important. Let’s live with that awareness. If we truly love each other, we will take care to be a help to one another.

Mother,

Thank you for the mediations you placed in our lives to draw us to the Lord. As children, our parents and grandparents. As adults, so many who have intervened: married couples, priests, religious… thank you for so many. Praise be the Lord who has surrounded us with His own.