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Gospel of Joy. Reflection for marriages. Luke 1:39-45

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From the Gospel according to Luke. Lk 1:39-45

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
The Gorpel of the Lord

Gospel of Joy

We could define today’s Gospel as the Gospel of Joy. A joy that originates in the miraculous work of God, who brings life through two women: one barren and the other a Virgin. Two cases impossible for men, but for God, there are no barriers. He can always do more.
Even the child in Elizabeth’s womb rejoices, and surely Jesus also rejoices in Mary’s womb, though He cannot manifest it physically.
When God arranges an encounter, it is always an encounter of joy. Let us also remember the first meeting between man and woman, which Saint John Paul II described as the greatest celebration of humanity, when man exclaims, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”
Let us delight in the joy of the encounters God arranges. Our marriage is a precious encounter where it is God who makes us one.

Applied to Married Life:


Laura: Ruben, knowing that it was God who planned our meeting from all eternity, I can’t help but live it with more joy.
Ruben: Well then, Laura, let yourself be carried by that joy, because that joy comes from God.
Laura: You are the most important thing to me. With you, I need nothing else.
Ruben: I in you, you in me, and the Lord and Our Mother within us. Can we be happier? I don’t think so.
Laura: Neither do I.

Mother,


Thank you for showing us where the true source of our joy lies: in God and within each other. Praise be to God, who has united us, and we are joyful.

Are You Jumping on Board? Reflection for marriages. Luke 1:39-45

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From the Gospel according to Luke. Lk 1:39-45

Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

The Gosper of the Lord

Are You Jumping on Board?

This is the ninth Beatitude: Blessed are those who believed because what the Lord told them would be fulfilled. I don’t know about you, but God told us on our wedding day that we would become holy through marriage. God gave us this amazing Sacrament to make it happen, and we believed it! Are you jumping on board with those of us who believe?

Applied to married life:

Philip: Matilda, why have you been so loving and thoughtful lately?
Matilda: Because I believe that through our Sacrament of Marriage, everything I do for you, Philip, is filled with the love of Christ, and it sanctifies us through His redeeming power.
Philip: Does that have to do with how our Sacrament is a visible sign of something supernatural happening—something much bigger but invisible?
Matilda: Exactly. The proof is that what happens is way out of proportion to what we do. It’s like at retreats, where the miracles that occur are far greater than anything we contribute to. It’s the same in our marriage, but even more so because we are united by a Sacrament that is truly effective.
Philip: That’s amazing! Can I try it?
Matilda: Of course, but you have to do it with faith, because it works according to your faith.

Mother,

We are jumping on board, the board of the blessed who believe. All for the greater glory of God!

Supernatural Fruits. Reflection for marriages. Luke 1:26-38

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From the Gospel according to Luke. Lk 1:26-38

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
The Gospel of the Lord

Supernatural Fruits

Mary knew the prophecies and understood that a Virgin would bring Emmanuel, the Savior, into the world. She was entrusted with this mission and chose to surrender her will, becoming the Lord’s servant. Each of us has a mission, and to fulfill it, we must also surrender our will to God, just as Mary did. Are you ready to surrender yours?

Applied to Married Life:

Joe: I’m not sure we fully realize the mission God has entrusted to us: to manifest and live out His eternal covenant through our marriage. It’s something deeply supernatural, which is why we need to open ourselves to God and let Him work through us.
Lola: I don’t really understand what you’re saying. Can you explain it in simpler terms? You’ve been studying so much that you’ve become way too intellectual for me.
Joe: I mean that through our Sacrament, the Lord has given us a grace that is supernatural but that we are unable to fulfill unless He makes it happen.
Lola: Got it. So what’s our part in this?
Joe: Our part is to have faith that every time we give of ourselves to each other and lovingly receive one another, His Love is acting supernaturally. That’s when we’ll start to see supernatural fruits in our relationship. What do you think?
Lola: Wow. That’s amazing—it really is.

Mother,

Help us recognize the greatness of our mission and the incredible gift God has given us through the Sacrament of Marriage. We are truly part of a profound mystery. Glory to God!

Brave or Reckless. Reflection for marriages. Luke 1:5-25

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From the Gospel according to Luke. Lk 1:5-25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.
Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”
Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.” Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute.
Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.
After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”
The Gospel of the Lord

Brave or Reckless

Reflecting on the connection between today’s readings, the angels declare that they will not drink wine or strong liquor. This reminds us of the importance of weakening the flesh so that the Holy Spirit may prevail.
Both women in the readings were barren, but when the spirit is strong, it overcomes the weaknesses of the flesh. The angel announces that John, who will not drink wine or liquor, will go before the Lord with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of parents toward their children and lead the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, preparing a people ready for the Lord. This is the power of the Holy Spirit—when the human spirit rules over the flesh.
Applied to Married Life:

Mary: Andy, I think we should try to give up some of the comforts we enjoy to help strengthen our spirit.
Andy: I’ve been thinking about that too. Building a stronger love between us can’t be based on indulgence.
Mary: How about we try practicing periodic abstinence, as they suggested during the retreat?
Andy: That’s a good idea. We need to make sure that our desires don’t control our relationship and that we prepare ourselves to live with a love that seeks nothing for ourselves but focuses entirely on communion. Though I admit, it’s going to be hard because I’m so attracted to you…

Mary: And I feel the same way about you. But we need to purify our passions and align them with God’s will. Thank you for agreeing—it’s really brave of you.
Andy: I don’t know if it’s bravery or recklessness, to be honest—I’m not sure I can do it.
Mary: The Holy Spirit and the grace of our Sacrament will help us. You’ll see. Where are you going?
Andy: To chain myself to the washing machine.
Mary: Haha! You’re so silly. But I love you so much, Andy.

 
Mother,

Strengthen our spirit through our sacrifice. Praise be to the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

Finding a Way Out of trouble. Reflection for marriages. Mathew 1, 18-24

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Gospel

From the Gospel according to Mathew. Mt. 1, 18-24.
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”).
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

The Gospel of the Lord

Finding a Way Out of trouble.

We love the Scripture readings of Christmas. How beautiful they are! Even in the midst of Joseph’s trial, we see God’s tender care through the message of the angel of the Lord, as well as His profound respect and love for Mary—His Mother, Daughter, and Spouse.
Now, let’s focus on the key point: Joseph, during a moment of darkness, remained a righteous man before God- similar to what we now call living in a state of grace. In the midst of his struggle, he chose to trust in God and His message, which for us today would mean trusting in the message of the Gospel. And God pulled him out of his trouble.
May we, in our own moments of darkness, trust in the Word of God and those who bring it to us as His messengers.

Applied to Married Life:

Paul: We’ve been struggling for a while now. It feels like we’re stuck in a hole we can’t climb out of. What do you think we should do, Kelly?
Kelly: I spoke with our tutors today and asked them for advice. They reminded me of something simple—something we’ve heard before but aren’t really practicing.
Paul: And what’s that?
Kelly: That where love is lacking, we need to choose to put love there. To truly love, we first need to face the real source of our sadness—our sin. Then, we need to look to the ultimate source of love, who is Christ, and learn how He loves, even in situations like ours. After all, Jesus came to save His people from their sins. When I choose to love you, I am choosing to love the Lord.

Mother,

How much You delight in seeing us love one another, for in doing so, we make Your Son present. May He be praised forever.