Author Archives: Esposos Misioneros

Where we do not see. Reflection for marriages John 1:19-28

Leave a Reply

Gospel of the Day

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 1:19-28
This is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted,
“I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent.
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.

Where we do not see.
A new year is beginning, and it is time to cross to the other shore, a moment of change, like those announced by John the Baptist. We embark on these changes in which God always wants us to advance towards Him, with hope. We go with the docility to the Holy Spirit that sometimes requires us to respond in places where we do not see. Let us all journey together towards the Lord this year on this new path that opens before us in 2025, with more strength and enthusiasm than ever, wherever the Holy Spirit may lead us.

Grounded in Married Life:
Pablo: Vanesa, I bought salmon for dinner tonight, knowing that you like it.  
Vanesa: (Very surprised) Salmon, Pablo? I can’t believe it! It has never been to my taste. The one who likes salmon is you, not me.  
(That evening in prayer)  
Pablo: Lord, forgive me because I felt hurt by Vanesa’s response when I specifically bought salmon for her. I don’t understand anything, because I did it with love, and because other years I’ve seen her enjoy salmon butter toasts.  
Vanesa: Lord, forgive me because I did not understand how little Pablo knows me if he doesn’t even know what I like. I failed to use this moment of misunderstanding to love him more instead of criticising him in my heart.  
Pablo: Holy Spirit, thank you for placing this moment of confusion in front of me so that I realise what prevents me from loving, which is looking at myself. I hope to better seize the next moment of bewilderment you put before me.

Mother,
Blessed be the Holy Spirit who leads us where we need to go.

To Conquer Hearts. Reflection for marriages Luke 2:16-21

Leave a Reply

Gospel of the Day

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 2:16-21

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.

To Conquer Hearts.

The Lord comes to conquer the world, and His weapons are: to become a Child and present Himself as a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  
And who does He call? Some humble shepherds, illiterate, as His welcoming committee.  
This is the typical style of God, whose desire is to conquer our hearts.  
The question is: What do I want to conquer in my husband?  

Grounded in Married Life:

Liliana: Do you know, Mario? This can’t go on like this. I’ve decided to take drastic measures.  
Mario: You’re worrying me. What measures are you referring to, Liliana?  
Liliana: From now on, no more confrontations. I plan, with God’s help, to humble myself whenever possible and submit with a smile. And I want to do this while contemplating the Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. If He does that for you, what should I do?  
Mario: I love your plan, Liliana. Especially for this Christmas. Can I play the mule?  
Liliana: Haha, come on, don’t take the mickey out of me; I’m being serious here.  
Mario: No, seriously, I love your plan. I think it’s beautiful, and I want to join you in that purpose for this Christmas. Thank you, my love.  

Mother,

How I wish you would share your thoughts with me regarding the message of the shepherds. Blessed be God for this testimony of humility.

According to Your Dignity. Reflection for marriages John 1:1-18

Leave a Reply

Gospel of the Day

Beginning of the holy gospel according to John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.

According to Your Dignity.

Those of us who have come to know Jesus have experienced a new birth. We no longer come from flesh and blood because it is the grace received through the merits of Christ that has given us a new life as children of God. This new life grants us a much greater status. This new dignity should effectively call us to the interest of remaining in it and not losing it. It is up to us to be among those who embrace this immense grace and maintain it, or to be among those who do not embrace it and lose it by behaving like unworthy children of God. I am a child of God; I just have to believe it and behave accordingly, and the grace of Christ will assist me.

Grounded in Married Life:

Leonardo: Andrea, I have asked the Lord to show me your true dignity. I need faith to be able to see it fully. I’m sure that if He reveals to me the mystery of the dignity that God wants to give us, our relationship will improve drastically.
Andrea: Well, you already know. He has given us the dignity of being children of God. What more do you need?
Leonardo: I know it in my head, but not in my heart. If I were truly aware of what that means, I could never treat you poorly. Would you speak disrespectfully to the Pope if he were physically present here?
Andrea: No, for heaven’s sake! I would treat His Holiness as he deserves.
Leonardo: In contrast, someone who isn’t Catholic might not treat him with as much reverence because they don’t know who they are before.
Andrea: Now I understand. If we recognized the true dignity we possess, we would complete each other and treat each other according to that dignity.
Leonardo: Exactly. Will you ask the Lord with me so that we will have more strength together?
Andrea: Alright. We will ask Him every day of this coming year.

Mother,

Thank you for this wonderful year, in which we have received grace upon grace. Praise be to the Lord for so much.

With both at once. Reflection for marriages Luke 2:36-40

Leave a Reply

Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy gospel according to Luke 2:36-40
There was a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
With both at once.
In the time of the prophetess Anna, one could not be married and be with God at the same time. She was married for 7 years and then served in the temple with God. Today, however, we can be married and be with God because the Lord is among us. And we can be witnesses of His presence in our Marriage. What joy it is to be with my husband and to have God present among us at the same time.
Grounded in Married Life:
Rolando: Carina, lately I have been experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit among us so strongly… It’s incredible.
Carina: I don’t experience it as much. I’m used to being in the Lord’s presence alone, but not so much with you, Rolando.
Rolando: Would you like to be in the Lord’s presence while we’re holding hands? 
Carina: Yes, I would love to.
(They entered into the Lord’s presence, and both experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit among them, giving testimony to all the spouses around them).
Mother,
Thank you for being in our lives and bringing us closer to the Lord together. Praise be to God.

Learning Through suffering.Reflection for marriages Luke 2: 41-52

Leave a Reply
GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Luke 2:41-52
Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.  When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.  After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.  When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
The Gospel of the Lord
Learning Through suffering
This Gospel anticipates what will happen when Jesus’ appointed hour arrives. At 12 years old, Jesus had reached the age of accountability to observe the law. His Mother was separated from Him for three days, unable to understand what was happening, yet Jesus was focused on His Father’s mission. Mary, who treasured all these events in her heart, surely reflected on them later during the Passion and death of her Son.
Applied to Married Life:
Vanessa :Emilio, today I feel like I’ve been living within Mary’s heart.
Emilio: What makes you say that?
Vanessa: Because nothing that happened to me this morning made sense. I was so eager to attend the Eucharist, especially since it’s the anniversary of my consecration. But first, you asked me to join you, and then to have coffee together. By the time I finished, it was too late, and I couldn’t make it. I felt so upset.
Emilio: And how does that connect to the Virgin Mary?
Vanessa: It connects because I realized that it was God’s will for me to offer this sacrifice as an act of love for you. At first, I didn’t understand, but I kept it in my heart until it became clear.
Emilio: I see now. It’s about choosing love as the priority and trusting that whatever happens is part of God’s plan, even if it seems difficult.
Vanessa: Exactly! Thank you for putting it so clearly.
Emilio: Thank you for loving me so much. Should we go to Mass together tomorrow?
Vanessa :But you never go during the week… This is such a wonderful surprise! Thank you, Lord.
Mother Mary,
How many trials you endured. You, too, learned obedience through suffering. Praise be to God!