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To the core. Reflection for marriages St. Luke 4:31-37

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GOSPEL

I know who you are: the Holy One of God.  
Reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 4:31-37
Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee.
He taught them on the sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching
because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon,
and he cried out in a loud voice,
“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”
Then the demon threw the man down in front of them
and came out of him without doing him any harm.
They were all amazed and said to one another,
“What is there about his word?
For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits,
and they come out.”
And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.
The word of the Lord.

To the core.
There are words and words. There are empty words and words that carry within them the power of God. That was the fear of the unclean spirits, that the Word of Christ cast them out.  
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there without having watered the earth and made it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).  
It is the Word of God.

Grounded in married life:
Carlos: And you all, why are you so eager to pray the Gospel daily in your Conjugal prayer?  
Carmen: Because the Gospel is not like any other reading. The Gospel has a healing, transforming power. The Gospel expels evil from us and fills us with the Holy Spirit.  
Carlos: We still find it difficult to do conjugal prayer every day.  
Carmen: Saint Paul says to the Hebrews: that the Word “penetrates to the dividing line of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow; and it discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” When you experience this, you will understand what it is to live a truly deep experience between you.
Mother,
May the Word penetrate us and transform us. Blessed be God who gives us His Heart and His wisdom.

Not getting used to you. Reflection for marriages St. Luke 4:16-30

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GOSPEL
He has sent me to evangelize the poor… No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Reading from the holy Gospel according to St. Luke 4:16-30
Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll,
he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?”
He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb,
‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place
the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’”
And he said,
“Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you,
there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
The Word of the Lord.
Not getting used to you.
Mismanaged trust poses a serious danger, which is getting accustomed to the presence of the Beloved (with an uppercase letter) and not valuing it to the height it deserves. 
We wonder today what the Lord sees from the Custody when He is exposed before us. How many lost gazes, how many distractions, how many vague thoughts jumping from one trivial theme to another without paying attention to the impressive presence of the Most High before us.
May we not get accustomed to the Beloved with an uppercase letter nor to the beloved with a lowercase letter. Grant us this grace, Lord.
Grounded in married life:
Juanjo: How many times do couples come to talk to us, each filled with mutual complaints (which are usually authentic nonsense), and they are not able to appreciate the “great” man or woman they have by their side.
Marisa: They are hearts of immense beauty and they cannot appreciate it. It makes one want to shout at them: Have you looked closely at your spouse lately?
Juanjo: How important it is to do exercises of “mutual unaccustomedness.”
I love looking back at you as if receiving a gift and unwrapping it slowly as if it were the first time.
Marisa: I love that you look at me with those eyes and make an effort to please me. It helps me a lot to recognize the impressive value that God has given you.
Mother,
May we learn to value the gift of the closeness of the Beloved with an uppercase letter and of the beloved husband who has been entrusted to me as a task. Blessed be the Lord for so much.

Not getting used to you. Reflection for marriages St. Luke 4:16-30

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GOSPEL
He has sent me to evangelize the poor… No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Reading from the holy Gospel according to St. Luke 4:16-30
Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll,
he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?”
He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb,
‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place
the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’”
And he said,
“Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you,
there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.
The Word of the Lord.
Not getting used to you.
Mismanaged trust poses a serious danger, which is getting accustomed to the presence of the Beloved (with an uppercase letter) and not valuing it to the height it deserves. 
We wonder today what the Lord sees from the Custody when He is exposed before us. How many lost gazes, how many distractions, how many vague thoughts jumping from one trivial theme to another without paying attention to the impressive presence of the Most High before us.
May we not get accustomed to the Beloved with an uppercase letter nor to the beloved with a lowercase letter. Grant us this grace, Lord.
Grounded in married life:
Juanjo: How many times do couples come to talk to us, each filled with mutual complaints (which are usually authentic nonsense), and they are not able to appreciate the “great” man or woman they have by their side.
Marisa: They are hearts of immense beauty and they cannot appreciate it. It makes one want to shout at them: Have you looked closely at your spouse lately?
Juanjo: How important it is to do exercises of “mutual unaccustomedness.”
I love looking back at you as if receiving a gift and unwrapping it slowly as if it were the first time.
Marisa: I love that you look at me with those eyes and make an effort to please me. It helps me a lot to recognize the impressive value that God has given you.
Mother,
May we learn to value the gift of the closeness of the Beloved with an uppercase letter and of the beloved husband who has been entrusted to me as a task. Blessed be the Lord for so much.

 

Thank you blessed mother. Reflection for marriages Mark 7:8,14-15, 21-23

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GOSPEL

“You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition”
From the Gospel according to Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalemgathered around Jesus,they observed that some of his disciples ate their mealswith unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.—For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,do not eat without carefully washing their hands,keeping the tradition of the elders.And on coming from the marketplacethey do not eat without purifying themselves.And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. —So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,”Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the eldersbut instead eat a meal with unclean hands?”He responded,”Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:This people honors me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me;in vain do they worship me,teaching as doctrines human precepts.You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”
He summoned the crowd again and said to them,”Hear me, all of you, and understand.Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;but the things that come out from within are what defile.
“From within people, from their hearts,come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,adultery, greed, malice, deceit,licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.All these evils come from within and they defile.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Thank you, Blessed Mother.

Today is the anniversary of Conjugal Love Proyect. On a day like today, 22 years ago, Our Lady of Fatima confirmed this mission for marriage and family with a sign. Today’s readings couldn’t have a clearer message for us: to be faithful to what has been entrusted to us. To be faithful to the teachings of the Church, and above all, to be faithful to the Gospel without adding anything of our own. If we do this, this Word is capable of saving our lives, and we will become a first fruit for many who still follow human criteria.

Applied to Married Life:

Husband : If there is something that stands out about Conjugal Love Proyect,  it is that it is super faithful to the truth.
Wife : And another thing that stands out is that it gives life to thousands of spouses and their families.
Husband: Yes, starting with ours.
Wife: And more and more each day.
Husband: Truly, this has to be from the Virgin. There is no other explanation.
Wife: Mary is guiding this. Blessed be.

Mother,

Thank you for this gift of Conjugal Love Proyect.  How many marriages and families have been saved by your generous hand. Thank you, Mother, thank you, thank you… Blessed are you.

Putting It into Practice. Reflection for marriages. Matthew 25:14-30

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GOSPEL

 
“Since you were faithful in small matter, come, share your master’s joy.”
From the Gospel according to Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable:”A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–to each according to his ability.Then he went away.Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,and made another five.Likewise, the one who received two made another two.But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the groundand buried his master’s money.After a long timethe master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.The one who had received five talentscame forward bringing the additional five.He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents.See, I have made five more.’His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.Since you were faithful in small matters,I will give you great responsibilities.Come, share your master’s joy.’Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,’Master, you gave me two talents.See, I have made two more.’His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.Since you were faithful in small matters,I will give you great responsibilities.Come, share your master’s joy.’Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,’Master, I knew you were a demanding person,harvesting where you did not plantand gathering where you did not scatter;so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.Here it is back.’His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!So you knew that I harvest where I did not plantand gather where I did not scatter?Should you not then have put my money in the bankso that I could have got it back with interest on my return?Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.For to everyone who has,more will be given and he will grow rich;but from the one who has not,even what he has will be taken away.And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
The Gospel of the Lord

Putting It into Practice

God distributes gifts to one and another according to His will. They are usually different so that we can complement each other. But what do I do with the gifts I’ve received? I might demand to my spouse to have the same ones I do. I might decide that if he or she doesn’t respond the way I want (because he or she doesn’t have those gifts), I won’t use mine to serve either, as a form of retaliation. And when the Lord asks me what I did with the gifts He gave me, what will I say? That my husband didn’t respond the way I would have liked him to?

If God has given me a gift, I have to put it fully into play, for the greater glory of God.

Applied to married life:

Peter: And if my wife doesn’t respond to faith at the same pace as I do, what should I do? If she doesn’t want to give herself like Christ, I’m not going to be the fool giving my life for her.

Elizabeth: You have to ask yourself what God wants from that situation He’s allowing, but what is certain is that He doesn’t want you to fail to respond to what He’s asking of you. Remember, Peter, your vocation is a call from God, and it is to Him that you respond. He has given you everything. A humble heart, God does not despise. You’ll see.

Peter: Thank you. I see that in this, I have a mission entrusted by God. Glory to Him.
(Peter gave himself without expecting his wife’s response, and God worked in her… and in him, a good and faithful servant.)

Mother,

How many times would you have seen that St. Joseph was not immaculate, and yet you were. And still, you treated him as an equal and submitted to him and his decisions because you knew that God had assigned him the gift of guarding you and your Son. What a beautiful way to respond to Love with a capital “L.” Blessed Mother.