Gospel

He taught with Authority.
From the Gospel according to Mark. Mk 1:21-28.

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “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, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Authority or Authoritarianism.

The scribes and Pharisees spread the Word of God but did not cast out unclean spirits from people. They imposed the law but did not expel evil. Christ, on the other hand, conveys the Word with authority because unclean spirits obey Him, and only God can cast out demons.

Lord, there are times when I preach Your Word in my home to my spouse, but I do it by impossing “corrections,” asserting my position of “I do it, and you don’t.” What do I discover by doing this? I do discover that I have no authority over him/her, and I fail to cast out evil from my home; rather, I strengthen that evil, causing my spouse to rebel against me or escape from listening me. Only by casting out the “unclean spirits” will I be conveying Your Word in Your name, Lord.

So, I have decided to change tactics. I will stop demanding that my spouse be more perfect than he/she is, and instead, I will make him/her feel welcomed by me, rest in me when tired, have confidence in me, and share his/her thoughts without fear of reprimand. I will be his/her friend, confidant, someone who pampers him/her, makes him/her feel valued, and shows the most mercy. I believe that is what you ask me to give, Lord. In short, I will be the one who loves him/her the most. Perhaps by behaving like a true spouse, I will effectively use the authority you have given me to help him/her and bring out the best in him/her.

Applied to married life:

Peter: Darling, I acknowledge that I’m making your life difficult with so many complaints about you. I understand perfectly that you don’t feel valued because hardly anything good comes out of my mouth when I talk about you. But I want you to know that I really value you a lot, and I want you to rest in me when you’re with me, to be relaxed with me, to feel important beside me, and to be yourself without fear of reproach. I want you to feel a part of me because I understand you. I don’t want to bury our love under a pile of reasoning and laws I impose on you. I want our love to flourish beautifully, full of color.

Mary: (Emotional) Thank you, darling. Now I feel much better. I will do the same. I will love you as you are, let you be yourself, and feel admired being you. The only thing that matters to me in life is seeing you happy. Everything else is secondary to me. If you are happy with me, I am happy. So, I won’t judge you when I see you nervous, take refuge in something, or when I see you bitter or dejected. Instead, I will calm you when you’re nervous, accompany you when you feel alone, make you happy when I see you sad, and encourage you when I see you tired. I believe that is the mission of a wife that God has entrusted to me.

Peter: Thank you, my love. I love you.

Mary: I love you.

Mother,

Sometimes, despite life’s difficulties, we make it harder for each other with so many demands and complaints. Always asking for more instead of making each other’s lives simpler, lightening each other’s burdens. God does not want us to act like the Pharisees, burdening each other with heavy loads. God wants us to love each other as He does, with tenderness, understanding, and mercy. Praise the Lord who speaks to us about love with such authority. He is the only Teacher. Amen.

Gospel
From the Gospel according to Mark. Mk 1:14-20

Repent and believe the good news!

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”. As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,”Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Leaving father and mother.

I have always wondered how poorly Zebedee must have felt when a stranger arrives, invites his sons to follow him, and they leave him alone with the boat and the nets. I have also wondered, what about Jesus? Doesn’t it bother him that Zebedee’s sons are leaving him alone? He could have at least called one and left the other… But God makes no mistakes. When He calls you, He calls you, and we must respond despite everything we leave behind.

It is relatively common for one of the spouses to have some “attachment” to their family of origin. First, because they are accustomed to being subject to their parents and depending on them; second, because there is affection and a sense of indebtedness towards them; and third, because with their family of origin, they feel “at home,” as it is where they were born and raised. But when I get married, God calls me to serve through my marriage, and that implies detaching myself from my parents. Can this cause them some kind of “pain”? It may be so, but it is God’s call, and He does not make mistakes. Not in vain, the family of origin often becomes one of the main reasons for breakups in marriages. It’s sadly ironic.

Therefore, there is a clear command from God: “A man (or woman) will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife (or husband), and the two will become one flesh. What God has joined together, let no one separate.” Christ explicitly mentions this because there may be a temptation to “leave” my spouse out of pity or a certain preference for my parents or siblings, and that is not what God wants. He wants me to become one flesh with my spouse, for that is why He created me.

Applied to married life.

James: My mother says we should come for lunch on Saturday.

Laura: James, it can not spend every weekend at your parents’ house. If we barely see each other during the week, on Saturday, we’re with your parents, and on Sunday, with mine. What time is left for us?

James: Well… they look forward to it, and it’s just a short time for lunch.

Laura: No, James. In the end, we don’t do anything else all day. Between you going, starting lunch late, then an eternal after-meal chat, helping to clear the table, and afterwards, it’s time for the children’s snack… We end up with no desire for anything else, and we go home to the couch. We don’t go on outings together, we no longer have our moments to talk, there are no moments to nurture our family, our own.

James: I understand. That should not be neglected. If you agree, from now on, we’ll plan weekends based on our plans. First, you and I; second, our own family; and any time left, we’ll dedicate to the extended family, friends, and others. Does that sound good to you?

Laura: Yes, thank you for understanding, James. Also, I needed to know that I am your priority. Sometimes I feel like you worry more about your parents than us.

James: Don´t be silly… You are my life, and you always will be. And after you, our little ones. I love you, I adore you.

Mother

Sometimes we are not aware of the importance of our vocation and that it is God who calls us to marriage, and it is God who wants us to focus on becoming one. Sometimes, we disguise as good to focus our attention and charity on other things or people that distract us from our vocation.

Mother, teach us to be faithful to our call, as you were. You subjugated anything else to your vocation as the Mother of God. Teach me to do the same with my vocation. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.

The word of the Lord.

Opening the heavens.

Today, we reflect on the profound image of the Holy Trinity: where the Son undergoes baptism by John, the heavens dramatically unfold, unveiling the Holy Spirit, accompanied by the Father’s voice bestowing blessings upon Him, affirming, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you, I am well pleased.” This serves as a poignant illustration of the Father’s love for the Son. Benedict XVI emphasized that “Christ’s alignment with the Father’s will paves the way to heaven, as heaven is the realm where God’s will is fulfilled.”
Hence, we, too, can “unlock heaven” by embracing God’s will for our marital purpose. In our spouse, we find our beloved, and during our baptism, God bestowed the Holy Spirit upon us. Let’s ponder this symbolic scene and integrate its essence into our married life.

Applied to married life:

Peter: (Praying) Lord, there are numerous instances when I struggle to comprehend the dynamics between my wife and me. Often, her thoughts and concerns elude me. She tends to hold onto grievances, overlooking my efforts and love. Unintentionally, I end up hurting her again, and sometimes, I catch myself being self-centered instead of considering her… Nevertheless, Lord, my ultimate desire is to align with Your will, even in my confusion, even if my attempts are awkward, even if my strength falls short. I want to convey this earnestly. With hopeful anticipation, I pray for Your will to unfold, even if it means tearing open the heavens. Amen.

Mother,

In this valley of tears, we sigh and weep, turning to you… gaze upon us with your merciful eyes, and once our exile concludes, reveal Jesus to us… Holy Mother of God, intercede for us, that we may prove worthy of the promises made by Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.

The word of the Lord

Focus solely on worshiping Him.

The Magi and Herod both seek Jesus, but their motives differ. When we genuinely seek Jesus, everything around us becomes a tool that God uses to guide us to Him. Conversely, if our intentions are impure, like Herod’s, God won’t allow us to disrupt His plan.
My spouse is a significant avenue God uses to lead me to Him. Depending on my intentions, my spouse may either support me or inadvertently lead me away from the right path. While I might believe my marriage’s success depends on my spouse’s behavior, what truly impacts my encounter with the Lord is my own behavior. Even if our intentions aren’t ideal, God can use various aspects to draw us closer to Him if our intentions are good. The primary focus should be on worshiping and expressing gratitude to Him.

Applied to married life:

Mom: Good morning Peter. Are you up so early?
Peter: Mom, what presents did the Wise Men bring to Jesus?
Mom: Gold, incense, and myrrh.
Peter: Oh! Why didn’t they bring toys like they do for us?
Mom: These gifts symbolize who that Child was. Gold represents His kingship, incense His divinity, and myrrh His sacrifice as a Man for us. Through these gifts, they worship Him, acknowledging Him as King, God, and the perfect model of Man.
Peter: Can we worship Him too?
Mom: Absolutely, and it’s something we should do. Worship is reserved for God alone, and every action should be dedicated to Him. In everything we do, we offer Him gifts, recognizing Him as our King, our God, and the flawless model of Man we should follow.
Peter: When will you get up to see if the Kings have arrived?
Dad: We’ll get up now, but first, call your siblings. Let’s express our gratitude to Jesus for this beautiful day and family. We’ll gather at the Nativity scene to worship the Child, and then we’ll check under the tree for gifts. Sound good?
Peter: Yes! (Leaves, jumping) We want to see the Kings, we want to see the Kings, we want to see the Kings…!

Dear Father,

Heavenly God: On this sacred Christmas, we want to thank you for your abundant love. We appreciate our family and our home. Bless us on this special day. We come together to worship the Child God and thank Him for entering our world to rescue us. May our lives glorify you. Amen.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to John
Jn 1:43-51

Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip.
And Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.
Philip found Nathanael and told him,
“We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”
But Nathanael said to him,
“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
“Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him.”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this.”
And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see the sky opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

The word of the Lord.

Seeing by God

God observed Nathanael while he was under the fig tree, experiencing His divine calling. Jesus, acknowledging Nathanael’s doubts, responds as God, not bothering to explain His actual birthplace but emphasizing Nathanael’s divine calling.
In my own calling, that’s where I should focus my attention, steering clear of human reasoning that might lead me astray.
Lord, You are the Son of God.

Applied to married life:

Amy: Here we are, frequently criticising the Church’s words or actions, like in today’s Gospel, questioning if anything good can come from Jesus being from Nazareth…
James: You’re correct. We understand the sacredness of our marriage, yet we’re not fully embracing it.
Amy: I ponder: If Jesus were to observe us now, would He say we are living up to the profound vocation we’ve received as spouses?
James: I believe we still have progress to make… So, you and I, let’s concentrate on being faithful to our calling, and we’ll witness and contribute to more significant things. This is how we’ll genuinely bear witness to the truth.
Amy: Amen.

Mother,

I aspire to be true to the significant mission of being a spouse entrusted to me by God. Guide me closer to the Lord. Forever praised be His name.