Gospel

From the Gospel according to Mark6:17-29

Herod was the one who had John the Baptist arrested and bound in prisonon account of Herodias,the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.John had said to Herod,“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”Herodias harbored a grudge against himand wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,and kept him in custody.When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed,yet he liked to listen to him.She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday,gave a banquet for his courtiers,his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee.Herodias’ own daughter came inand performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests.The king said to the girl,“Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.”He even swore many things to her,“I will grant you whatever you ask of me,even to half of my kingdom.”She went out and said to her mother,“What shall I ask for?”She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request,“I want you to give me at onceon a platter the head of John the Baptist.”The king was deeply distressed,but because of his oaths and the guestshe did not wish to break his word to her.So he promptly dispatched an executioner with ordersto bring back his head.He went off and beheaded him in the prison.He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl.The girl in turn gave it to her mother.When his disciples heard about it,they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

The Gospel of the Lord

 God’s will

Today we celebrate the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist, of whom his father Zechariah said: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give His people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” (Luke 1:76–77).

He was the first martyr to defend the truth of marriage as God intended it, speaking out before Herod about the unlawfulness of his relationship with his brother’s wife, Herodias. John gave his life to do the Will of God. And I—what am I willing to give in order to do God’s Will in my life? How far am I willing to go? One thing is clear: we are called to holiness, and the way to reach it is by living according to God’s Will.

We have been called to the vocation of marriage, and that is where we must give everything. We are not called to be holy priests, nor holy religious… but holy husbands and wives. With the help of God’s grace, and our small but sincere “yes,” we will make it!

Living it in Marriage:

Steven: Martha, we need to talk…

Martha: Oh Steve, don’t scare me—those words bring back such bad memories….

Steven: You’re right, forgive me. But maybe the Lord wanted to bring back that memory,  when we were on the verge of throwing away our marriage and our family. I remember the turning point was the retreat we attended led by project for conjugal love

Martha: Now that’s a much better memory. What an amazing retreat! What a gift your sister gave us, without even knowing how badly we were doing, when she decided to invite us as a Christmas present! . I’ll never be able to thank her enough—or Our Lady, who was the one who truly brought us there.

Steven: Well, that’s actually what I wanted to talk about. I know money is really tight with the kids’ school…

Martha: True, but it’s the best choice we could have made. Our children’s education is so important. As a friend of mine says, “if we have to eat rice every day, then we’ll eat rice.” The change we’ve seen in them at their new school is another gift from Our Lady. Just yesterday little one told me that she no longer feels like a “weirdo” for going to Mass and praying.

Steven: Well, my idea is that we should now give back the gift my sister once gave us. Do you remember Lukas, my coworker? He told  me they already have an appointment with a lawyer to get divorced. On top of that, they’re struggling financially. I was thinking… (Martha interrupts)

Martha: I think that’s a wonderful idea, and honestly, I believe it’s our duty. To give now what we once received—even if it means a real financial sacrifice. “Give until it hurts,” as Mother Teresa of Calcutta used to say. Thank you for your generosity, Steven. You help me so much to see God’s Will in our life. I love you so much—and now I’m off to prepare some rice! (laughs)

Mother,

It must have been so painful for you to learn that the son of your beloved cousin, Saint Elizabeth, had been beheaded. Surely it was another sorrow you kept deep in your heart. How much pain we cause others when we act out of selfishness. Forgive our weaknesses and help us to discern God’s Will in our lives, so that we may be salt and light for the world. Blessed be your purity, and may it be forever so!

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Matthew 24:42-51

Jesus said to his disciples:”Stay awake!For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.So too, you also must be prepared,for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant,whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time?Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’and begins to beat his fellow servants,and eat and drink with drunkards,the servant’s master will come on an unexpected dayand at an unknown hour and will punish him severelyand assign him a place with the hypocrites,where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

The Gospel of the Lord

Always on Guard

When we read this Gospel, it’s easy to think only about death—the day the Lord will call us into His presence—and the need to always be prepared, since as He tells us, we do not know the day or the hour. And that’s true: we cannot simply rely on ourselves or leave everything to the last moment. We are in a constant battle against sin. It doesn’t rest, and neither can we. But the reward is always greater: God’s grace. And the final prize? Heaven and eternity with Him.

That is why we must always stay a step ahead and remain prepared—especially in the situations that are uncomfortable, inconvenient, or not what we would have chosen. Our response must always be one of renunciation and unconditional self-giving.

Married couples have a special grace through the sacrament of Matrimony, a gift we must not waste. It helps us to remain vigilant, to welcome our spouse in their weakness caused by sin—without forgetting that this weakness is also ours. We are called to reach heaven together, and every time we overcome a temptation, it is another step closer to our goal. And to reach that eternal reward, we have a wonderful solution: LOVE without limits. As St. Augustine said, “The measure of love is to love without measure.”

Applied to Married Life:

Marie: You’re home already, John! I didn’t expect you so soon. Didn’t you have a lot going on at the office?

John: Yes, it’s been exhausting these last few days, but I realized I need to set limits with work—otherwise it consumes me, and I lose sight of what matters most. Besides, it’s my feast day today, and we should celebrate it properly.

Marie: I’m so glad to see the way you’re handling this now, it’s such a gift having you home more.

John: Before, I thought work was everything—that it was the key to securing a relaxed life later on. But now I know there’s nothing more restful than simply being with you. Thank God, there’s plenty of work for the future, but I don’t want it to steal my present.

Marie: Do you realize how much our life has changed these past years? Before, we were focused on worldly things—on what we wanted or didn’t want, on money—and we poured extra hours into work just to earn more and “secure” a comfortable life. Now all of that has taken second place. We’ve discovered what God had prepared for us, and we’ve put Him first.

John: Yes, Marie, that’s exactly it. I’m so grateful we’ve finally seen it. God’s plan for marriage has always been there, but we didn’t want to recognize it. By discovering its greatness, we’ve grown together, and our relationship has flourished in ways I never imagined. We’ve chosen to put God—and each other—ahead of everything else, and our life has been transformed. I thank the Lord constantly for that.

Marie: Before, we acted based only on our own needs. But now, we’re ready for whatever comes—always on guard to do God’s will. It’s not always easy, but we don’t tire of trying.

John: It’s amazing to see how the Lord is changing us. How about we pray  together, and then I’ll cook you a dinner you won’t forget?

Marie: Perfect! You’re wonderful, and I thank God for you every single moment. Let’s do it—and celebrate your feast day as it deserves.

Mother,

Guided by your example and sheltered beneath your mantle, help us to remain always alert and prepared to welcome the Lord. Blessed be the Lord, who is always waiting for us.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Matthew 23:27-32

Jesus said,”Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside,but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.Even so, on the outside you appear righteous,but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous,and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors,we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets;now fill up what your ancestors measured out!”

The Gospel of the Lord

Hidden Beauty

“Beauty will save the world.” These words of St. John Paul II seem deeply connected to today’s Gospel. Deep within every human heart there is a longing for beauty, because God Himself is Beauty—and that is why we are naturally drawn to it. The problem is that sometimes we pursue this desire in a disordered way. Mixed with self-love, pride, and vanity, it can lead us to care more about appearances than about the heart.

That is why in today’s Gospel, Jesus warns us and calls us once again to look inward—to true conversion of the heart, and to the purification of our intentions.

St. John Paul II also said that the invisible shapes a person more than the visible. What if, instead of seeing someone’s body, we could see their soul? We might be surprised. We live in a culture of appearances—we want to look good, we crave applause, we invest more in our image than ever, we worry about what others think. But… what about our soul? Do we take care of it as much as the body? Do I seek to remain in God’s grace? Do I nurture my soul with prayer and the Eucharist, and cleanse it through confession?

True beauty is not in what we show on the outside, but in who we are within. What makes the body truly beautiful is a soul transformed by the grace of God. That is why caring for our soul is the path to reflecting the Beauty that saves.

Applied to Marriage life:

Julie: I’m convinced that this retreat we just experienced was truly from God… it was filled with a beauty that could only come from Him. I want that kind of love between us!

James: So, where do we start?

Julie: I think it begins with seeking purity of heart. Everything else—how we act, how we speak, how we dress, even how we spend our free time—flows from that. But it all starts in the heart.

James: Exactly. The Lord doesn’t want a love that’s only on the surface. He invites us to look deeper. So, what is our heart really searching for? What does it long for, what does it love? Are we truly seeking the good of our souls, or just a kind of superficial happiness?

Julie: Yes, we need to rethink so many things. We put so much effort into how others see us—being the “perfect” couple on social media, at church… but we’ve been neglecting our souls and the hidden love we’re called to nurture at home, where no one else sees.

James: That’s true. The beauty of marriage isn’t found in trips or picture-perfect moments, but in real self-giving. Let’s ask the Lord for that grace—to change our hearts and make them more like His.

Mother,

Blessed be your purity, forever and always, for God Himself delights in such radiant Beauty.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Matthew 23:23-26

Jesus said:“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,and have neglected the weightier things of the law:judgment and mercy and fidelity.But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,so that the outside also may be clean.

The Gospel of the Lord

The Greatest Reward

How often it happens to us just like the scribes and Pharisees! We worry about so many things and forget what truly matters: our sacrament. We take care of what is outside—making sure the house is in order and doing my share, work, our moment of rest, hopefully a little prayer—yet we don’t stop to look at the state of our heart and our communion.
The Lord asks us to pay attention to justice, so that we may give ourselves to our spouse just as we promised; to show mercy, so that we may share in the sufferings and weaknesses of our husband or wife when they are going through a difficult time; to refrain from judgment, keeping away thoughts, looks, or actions that are unworthy of our sacrament. May the Lord never have to say to us, “Woe to you…!” Let us purify our hearts. It will hurt, I assure you, but the reward is great: Heaven.

Applied to married life

Ana speaking with a priest:
Ana: Father, I feel so lost. I’ve gone few days without praying the rosary, and honestly, I haven’t been faithful to my time of prayer either… I also forgot some little acts of mortification, and the other day at dinner I know I overindulged. I am a mess!!
Priest: My daughter, it is very important to care for prayer, the rosary, and all that you have mentioned, it is true, and you must strive for it. But never forget what Saint John of the Cross used to say: in the evening of life, we will be judged on love. God does not look at what we do, but at the love with which we do it. Look at the love with which you pray the rosary to Mary; look at the love in your prayer to God; look at how much you love your husband in each small act of self-giving. If you practice mortification, ask yourself why and for whom. It is not about what you do, but about how much you love.
Ana: The truth is, Father, I often feel overwhelmed with all I have to do and the sense that I can’t keep up. Something inside me told me I wasn’t seeing it rightly.
Priest: Love, my daughter. Fall deeply in love with Jesus. Love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your husband as Christ loves you. Everything else will follow.
Ana: Thank you, Father, for your guidance.

Mother,

Your Immaculate Heart is where I long to find my reflection; your Immaculate Heart is the joy of God. Help me to love as You love, in You and with You. Praised be the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!