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A Holiday at Zero Cost. Reflection for married couples. Matthew 14:13-21

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GOSPEL

‘They all ate and were satisfied.’
Matthew 14:13-21
At that time: When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ But Jesus said, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ They said to him, ‘We have only five loaves here and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves 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 twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
The Gospel of the Lord

A Holiday at Zero Cost
A great crowd goes out to meet Jesus, leaving behind their villages without a thought for where they might sleep or what they’ll eat. And in that encounter, they end up resting on the grass, healed and satisfied.
Can you imagine it?
In the heat of August, lying on cool green grass, healed of your wounds, your needs fulfilled (not stuffed, just satisfied) — and all at zero cost. Now that’s a proper holiday.
But watch out for the fine print:
Uncertain destination: you don’t choose it — your spouse does. Where he is, there you will be (and your rest too).
Full board: you’ll get what you need, not necessarily what you fancy. If you want steak and your husband wants fish… guess what’s on the menu.
“Total Gift” package included: you’ll go last in everything, giving up every privilege for your spouse’s sake.
And then, come September, you’ll return truly renewed.
As though those three weeks had been multiplied.
And you’ll long to keep resting… not just at weekends, but every day — in the love of Christ who feeds you, heals you… and calls you to feed your spouse.

Applied to Married Life:

(Madeleine and Daniel are in the sitting room. Daniel is holding a notepad, and Madeleine is on her phone.)
Daniel: So, shall we confirm the dates? Three weeks — 5th to 26th. Now we just need to pick where we’re going. I’d like something a bit more organised this year.
Madeleine: What if we leave it more open? Somewhere quiet, no schedule. Just you and me.
Daniel: You know I find it calming to have things sorted ahead of time. And if we don’t plan, we might end up anywhere — no place to sleep, grabbing whatever food we find.
Madeleine (smiling): Well… what if that’s okay? What if, in the end, it’s not about the place or the food… but how we are?
Daniel (half-joking): You’re deep today… has the fresh air got to you?
Madeleine (laughing): Maybe. Or maybe I’m hungry… for something else.
Daniel: Hungry for what?
Madeleine: For being really with you. No clock. No pressure. Just you and me. Resting — not from the routine, but from ourselves. From our habits, our demands.
Daniel (slowly lowering his notepad): That… wasn’t on my list. But it sounds… different.
Madeleine: And if we find a place where all we get is bread and tomatoes… we’ll share it.
Daniel: And if you want the seaside and I want the mountains… what then?
Madeleine: We’ll find a river.
(Pause. They look at each other. They smile.)
Daniel (closing the notebook): What if this is the holiday we’ve been needing all these years?
Madeleine: No photos. No agenda. Just you, me… and God — who knows what we really need.
Daniel: Shall we pray and see where He leads?

Mother,

You who found your rest in your Son, teach me to rest in Him by giving myself to my spouse. Praised be the Lord!

Living in Sin. Reflection for married couples: Matthew 14:1-12

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From the Gospel according to Matthew 14:1-12

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus
and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist.
He has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”

Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.

 

Living in Sin

Today, we reflect on Herod and Herodias, living in an illicit union—in sin. We see how this situation, far from bringing them closer to each other or to God, drags them deeper into the mud. Herod lives in fear, constantly worried about what others think, unable to forget the terrible injustice he committed—when he hears about Jesus, he thinks John the Baptist has risen from the dead. Herodias goes as far as manipulating her own daughter, dragging her into participating in John’s murder. How important it is to live in a state of Grace! To pray and draw near to the sacraments—especially for married couples: the sacrament of Matrimony, the Eucharist (the center), and frequent Confession. In this way, the Lord helps us purify our hearts and gives us the strength to help others draw closer to Him as well.

 

Applied to Married Life

Ángela: (shouting) Who left the toothpaste cap off again? Seriously… it’s exhausting. I’m the only one cleaning up while the rest of you are turning the house upside down. Ramón, you’re worse than the kids. I can’t take it anymore! Lord, give me patience, because if You give me strength…

(Later during personal prayer)

Ángela: Lord, once again I let myself be carried away by exhaustion and focused only on myself. I keep falling over and over again. I don’t know what to do… it hurts so much, the way I spoke to my husband in front of our children. What can I do? Ah! Of course—my perspective is clouded. I’m going to go to confession! Thank You, Lord.

(That night during family prayer)

Ángela: I want to ask your forgiveness for the way I spoke to you this morning, especially to Dad. I’ve been praying about it and I also talked with our parish priest, Father Antonio, after confession. I know I need to keep working on how I give myself to our family. I ask you to help me when you see me getting tired—that’s when it’s hardest for me. Thank you, Lord, for giving me such a beautiful family. May we all reach holiness.

Ramón: Amen, Ángela. Thank you for your constant dedication to our family and for teaching us to ask for forgiveness—you’re an example of humility and perseverance. Lord, thank You for such a wonderful wife. From now on, we’ll each be more mindful about picking up after ourselves. It’s important that we all do our part.

 

Mother,

You are our model. Today I see you giving yourself silently and humbly in the task of making your house a home. With what sweetness you must have carried out every small act of love—cooking, tidying up, making the beds… Help us to put love into everything we do, especially with our families. Glory and praise to our Lord forever!

Leaving a Mark. Reflection for married couples: Matthew 13:54-58

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From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:54-58

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?”
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house.”
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.

Leaving a Mark

Sometimes, in our marriage, no matter how much we do or say, it seems like it’s not enough or like it doesn’t make any difference. But without realizing it, we are leaving a mark through what we say, in the way we behave, and in the things we do. It may seem like, in His own town, no matter what Jesus said, it didn’t have much effect. Yet surely many were silently converted—they kept His example and His words in their hearts, and without noticing it, He had changed their lives.

Let us not worry if people don’t listen to us, if they ignore us, or even despise us—everything we do is to manifest what we carry within. God is present in our marriage; it must be evident in all we do, in what we say. It is always the Lord acting through us, and He is the one who should receive all the glory through our actions. Let us leave a mark of God’s love within us. Let us not be ashamed to stand up for the Lord—through our love, our joy, our surrender, and our sacrifice, that is how God reveals Himself to others. Let that phrase of Saint John Paul II resonate in our hearts: “Love is always victorious.”

Brought into Married Life:

Pilar: (Thinking) “I’m going to suggest to Álvaro that we pray the rosary together—it’s so good for both of us. Although, come to think of it, I might be coming on a bit strong lately, so maybe I’ll just pray it on my own for him, and trust that the Lord will gradually place in his heart how important it is to pray together.”

Álvaro: (Coming home tired from work, thinking) “I’m exhausted after a long, hard day, and now Pilar’s probably going to ask me to pray the rosary. It’s hard for me because it feels a bit burdensome, but I’ll offer it up for her because I know it’s actually really good for me.”

“Hi, love. How was your day? I’m wiped out—give me a minute to get into something more comfortable, and if you’d like, we can pray the rosary together.”

Pilar: “What a joy to hear you say that! I have to ask your forgiveness because I doubted you. I already prayed it, but I’m sure Our Lady would be delighted if we pray another one together.”

Álvaro: “Yes, it’s true that it’s tough for me, but through your example and your persistence—even when I get upset—I’m starting to see how much it helps me to pray and to draw closer to the Lord. Thank you for always wanting what’s best for me.”

Pilar: “It amazes me how little by little, what the Lord places in my heart, I’m able to share with you—and how gently you receive it. I’m realizing more and more that we truly are becoming one flesh, and that helps me a lot.”

Álvaro: “Thank you for being so persistent—your perseverance brings me closer to the Lord and to you every day. I love you so much.”

Mother,

Under your mantle and protected by your Immaculate Heart, may we always act with Him, for Him, and in Him, always leaving a mark of God’s love.

Blessed and praised be the Lord.

The Net of Love. Reflection for married couples: Matthew 13:47-53

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From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:47-53

Jesus said to the disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

 

The Net of Love

Today the Lord reminds us that at the end of time there will be a separation between the good and the bad. But this separation won’t be based simply on having been part of the Church or having known the faith, but rather on having truly lived as a disciple of the Kingdom. That is, on having welcomed the message of the Gospel into our hearts and lived each day according to the law of love that Jesus taught us.

The image of the scribe becoming a disciple is, for us, a call to conversion—to move from being scribes who know the law and commandments, to becoming disciples of the Kingdom; in other words, from theory to real life.

Saint John of the Cross said that “in the evening of life, we will be judged on love.”

It will not be enough to have been caught in the net—it won’t be about how much we knew or how much we did, but how much we loved.

Each day, we can fill the net of our life with “good fish”: acts of love, forgiveness, gestures of affection, prayer… and discard the “bad fish”: selfishness, hardness of heart, resentment, judgment, sin… In this way, at the evening of our life, we will have a net full of love and will be true disciples of the Kingdom, found worthy to live in it forever.

 

Applied to Married Life:

Nacho: Look, Amalia—right in the middle of the battle against marriage and family, Along Came the Conjugal Love Project. Isn’t it just brilliant? A true gift from Our Lady. It’s completely changed our lives… Nothing extraordinary has happened—and yet, everything has!

Amalia: Absolutely. The transformation the Lord has worked in our hearts is incredible. Everything feels new, and at the same time deeply anchored in the doctrine of the Church… I don’t know if I’m explaining myself well…

Nacho: Of course you are. Before, our faith was a bit like the scribes in Jesus’ time—we knew the Catechism, the doctrine, the Church’s tradition… so many things that have built up our souls. But the truth is, because of the hardness of our hearts, we had stayed stuck there—a faith made up of arguments. I feel like the Holy Spirit has completely renewed our spiritual life.

Amalia: It’s true—this Project from Our Lady has brought us renewal, excitement, hope, joy, and so many blessings. But above all, it has allowed us to live out our faith through our vocation and to live the Gospel in the day-to-day life of our marriage.

Nacho: Yes! We’ve gone from a theoretical faith to a faith grounded in real life, and it has become a true treasure. I think we should involve our children… I would love for them to know this Project and for it to help them as much as it has helped us!

 

Mother,

To love and to serve in all things!

Thank you for revealing to us the treasures of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thank you for bringing the Conjugal Love Project into our lives.

Blessed are you!

In Search of the Great Treasure. Reflection for married couples: Matthew 13:44-46

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From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”

In Search of the Great Treasure

We are all tireless treasure hunters. The question is: What are we searching for? And why?

We’re constantly seeking what we believe will give us what we need to be happy. So we pour our energy, time, and heart into work, thinking that once we have all the money we think we need, we’ll finally be at peace. We pour ourselves into having our opinions respected, believing that’s how we’ll feel valued. We chase the pleasures of life—good food, travel, comfort—thinking that’s where happiness lies.

That’s how we used to live—chasing false treasures. But then we found the Great Treasure: the instructions for building a holy marriage in Christ. And that led us to begin building God’s Kingdom within our marriage. And then—everything else was given to us as well.

Seek that one treasure that gives you everything else in return!

 

Applied to Married Life:

María: Looking back, it’s amazing how much we’ve changed over the years.

Álvaro: Totally, love… It’s unbelievable to me.

María: We went through so much before finding this path. We followed so many false instructions, thinking they’d lead us to happiness. Today, we thank God so deeply for helping us “sell” everything that was keeping us from building real love: the need to defend our own opinions, the pursuit of our personal happiness, being demanding with each other, blaming one another… But what joy it is to sell all of that in exchange for what we have now!

Álvaro: Me too, María. And even though we still struggle at times because of our pride, we now clearly know which path to follow—and I’m not turning back, not a chance!

María: Me neither, Álvaro. Thank you, my love, for embracing this.

Álvaro: Thank you, sweetheart, for not settling and for believing. I love you.

María: And I love you!

 

Mother,

Help us not to be deceived by false treasures that impoverish us instead of enriching us.

We entrust ourselves to you and consecrate our marriage to you.

Praised be Jesus and Mary forever!