GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Luke
Lk 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 word of the Lord

We need it. Thank you.

Jesus sends and gives power and authority to carry out His mission: to evangelise by word and to carry out acts to heal people. Words were not enough, nor were works. It had to be both.

To all of us, Christian spouses, that have been called to proclaim the Gospel of Marriage, must not only proclaim the truth and beauty of marriage, but give ourselves through collaboration with our time and effort, so that others may be converted and begin to strive to live marriage as God intended.

This is what we do at “Marital Love Project”, with an attitude of poverty, humility, knowing that we are useless servants. Thus, we are witnesses of miracles that Our Mother performs. Just by putting ourselves at Her service. Amazing! Then there are those who do not accept it and those who accept it, those who do not persevere and those who do. That no longer depends on us. Responding to the Call is up to each of us and we cannot do anything about it. Now, the One who answers is amazed.

Reflection for married couples: 

Jaime: (Singing) There are three things in life, health, money and love…

Marta: What are you singing all of a sudden? By the way. If you had to say the 3 most important things in your life, which would you say?

Jaime: 1 God, 2 you and 3 our children and other family members around us.

Marta: Very well. More generally I would say: Belonging to God, not belonging to myself and belonging to you and to others. In the spiritual path it is what is called unity of life. It is key to promote these 3 aspects at the same time to live with joy and the peace of God.

Jaime: Let’s see: Belonging to God, I think we are doing it because He is always present in our life, although sometimes we do not act as His children. It is where we need to improve. Not belonging to myself, we are working on the spiritual path and we are on it, and belonging to others, we are also on it, because I am working to become better for you and together for our children and we also collaborate in the “Marital Love Project” for the salvation of many marriages and families.

Marta: Good! It seems that we are on the right path.

Mother,

The mission of announcing the good news of the Gospel is necessary for us. Thank you for giving us this path so that we can give ourselves. Thank you Blessed Mother.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Luke

LK 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.”

The word of the Lord

Social inclusion.

Today it is fashionable to talk about social inclusion. A very artificial way of pretending what they call social cohesion.

But the Lord speaks to us of true “inclusion” which is adherence to Him. The glue is the love of God and the way is through faith: Listening to His Word and fulfilling it. This is true social “inclusion”, based on truth, which we prefer to call “communion” in Christ and with the Holy Mother Church.

Applied to Married Life:

Manuel: If you had to give a general recommendation for marriages to be more united, families more united, and society more united, what would you give?

Ana: Without a doubt, that they listen to the Word of the Lord and fulfill it. It never fails.

Mother,

In Christ we live, in Christ we move and in Christ we exist. Glory to God!

GOSPEL

GOSPEL

Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

Mark 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples made their way through Galilee; and he did not want anyone to know, because he was instructing his disciples; he was telling them, ‘The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men; they will put him to death; and three days after he has been put to death he will rise again.’ But they did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him.
  They came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’ They said nothing because they had been arguing which of them was the greatest. So he sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.’ He then took a little child, set him in front of them, put his arms round him, and said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reaching for the Highest

Jesus speaks to His disciples about the greatness of His mission—a supernatural mission, nothing less than the salvation of the world through the cross. He is about to reach the pinnacle of human dignity by giving His body for me.

In contrast, the disciples sought greatness through domination, attempting to impose themselves on others. This attitude clearly causes division among them, while Jesus’ approach fosters an alliance—a union stronger than death. So strong that nothing will separate us from Him. The question now is: Do I want to create separation with my spouse through domination, or union with him/her through service and sacrifice? I choose to love.

Applied to Married Life:

Bettany: Lord, I don’t feel valued for what I do as a wife and mother. But I know these feelings are temptations; my ego wants to be exalted through vanity, and I don’t want to succumb to that temptation. I would rather be humbled with You through my self-giving on the cross, as a wife who offers her sacrifices for the salvation of her husband and children. I am with You, Lord; I will follow You.
Jack: Lord, I ask for forgiveness for not embracing the gift You’ve given me through my wife, and I thank You for her, for she teaches me how to love. Please help me to be more humble.
Bettany: No, Jack, you are a wonderful gift to me. These are temptations I need to overcome. I love you.
Jack: I love you too.

Mother,

How ugly it is for us, your children, to try to impose ourselves on one another. It must be an immense pain for You to witness these divisions born from our desire to be greater than others. Only God exalts, and He exalts those who humble themselves. How beautiful is the path of God’s love. Praise be to Him.

GOSPEL

It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick

Matthew 9:9-13

As Jesus was walking on, he saw a man named Matthew sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.
  While he was at dinner in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When he heard this he replied, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Creative Strength

You, Lord, are able to see in me more than others can. Where others find reasons for judgement and condemnation, You search deep to uncover something valuable within me. I want to look at my husband in the same way. Teach me, Lord, to see him like this. It seems very difficult to me, as I lack purity of heart, but I trust that You can help me find the best perspective within.

Applied to Married Life:

James: Saint John Paul II says in his catechesis that “the husband attentively observes his wife with a creator’s loving concern, seeking all that is good and beautiful in her and desiring it for her.” Reading that filled me with hope.
Martha: And why is that?
James: Because I believe that the Lord has instilled in me a creative strength capable of building with my love what you may lack in becoming the perfect wife.
Martha: That’s beautiful. Thank you.

Mother,

We offer that creative strength of beauty.