GOSPEL

You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

From the Gospel according to Luke12:54-59

Jesus said to the crowds,

“When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise, your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable,

and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

The gospel of the Lord.

“You too.”

We often struggle with making judgments, especially about our own actions. We tend to make excuses, but how good and necessary it is to discover the real origin of our sorrows, as Saint John Paul has pointed out. The Lord greatly appreciates a contrite and humble heart! It seems that acknowledging our sins is a form of humility, but in reality, failing to do so leads to arrogance.

God unveils His mysteries to the humble, so let’s become small and modest rather than trying to appear great in the eyes of others.

Applied to married life:

Ryan: I have tried several times to follow the advice of Saint Teresa of Jesus, and not defend myself when I feel hurt by you, but I can´t seem to do it. It’s hard for me to stay silent, especially when I’m not guilty.

Isabelle: It is true that surrendering one’s honor is quite a difficult challenge…

Ryan: The problem is, I also make excuses when I make a mistake, and I start looking for situations where you haven’t done well just so I can say the classic, “you too.” Oh! I wonder what the Lord will do with me…

Isabelle: Thankfully, He is merciful; otherwise, who could be saved?

Ryan: Yes, we are fortunate that God is so merciful.

Mother,

We struggle to recognize where wrongdoing can take us. Please help us to perceive it, so we can reject it and maintain our love for each other forever. Praise be to God, who chooses the humble.

GOSPEL

I have not come to establish peace, but rather division.

From the Gospel according to Luke 12:49-53

Jesus said to his disciples:

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

The gospel of the Lord.

Spouses on fire.

Jesus comes to set our hearts on fire. Is the flame still burning? It is a fire of love, and in our situation, it reaches us through marriage. Is the flame of love still burning between us?

Applied to married life:

Martha: One proof that our love is in good shape is if it keeps growing. How do you experience it?

Martin: Well, I have good and bad days, but the trend is indeed upward.

Martha:. At times, I get caught up in memories that cause me to feel resentment towards you, and this impedes our love to keep growing. However, I promptly recognize that this isn’t the right path and let go of the demanding attitude that suffocates love.

Martin: Besides my falls, the Lord is enabling me to see your true worth with more clarity every day. This something that can only be seen through the lens of faith.

Martha: How great is the Lord, granting us the opportunity to explore His mysteries.

Martín: How great is the Lord.

Mother,

Grant us the passion that our small hearts need. Blessed be the Lord.

GOSPEL

Much will be required of the person entrusted with much.

From the Gospel according to Luke 12:39-48

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said,

“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”

And the Lord replied,

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself: ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful.

That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

The gospel of the Lord.

The tip of the iceberg.

For those of us who have received the call to marriage, excuses for the difficulties we may be facing may not be valid. Marriage is an immense gift, and the more we discover about this wonderful vocation, the more it surprises and amazes us. We have received a great gift: a child of God entrusted to us as our mission in this lifetime and, a sacred bond in which Christ promises to be with us, sealed and made fruitful by the Holy Spirit. All in the image of God.

If God has entrusted us marriage; He has given us much. Excuses we make to avoid wholehearted commitment will not stand. Most of the time, these excuses are more in line with immaturity than with a matured love. What will we tell the Lord? That my spouse started first? That my spouse does not value me? Marriage is a work of supernatural art, and we have been given the necessary grace to build it. There is no room for excuses.

And for those who have received the mission of Marital love Project, this missionary project that is an incredible treasure for the salvation of marriage and the family. This project that is giving indescribable fruits. Nothing and no one shall stop us from giving ourselves fully to this project, under the service of Mary. There are so many marriages waiting to receive the good news, that there should be no excuse that prevent us from doing so.

Applied to married life:

Luke: Anna, I’m amazed by our marriage. It’s such a sacred mystery, image of God’s love, so divine, that now when I remember our old relationship based on earthly rules and parameters, it gives me shivers. It’s like we disregarded and defiled our sacrament. I feel so ashamed…

Anna: I feel the same way. Sometimes, when I think about it, I also feel ashamed… And I am certain we have yet to discover a more profound depth, as if now, we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. The resemblance between marriage and the Eucharist makes me tremble, how the Eucharist nourishes it, but marriage is a sign of the Eucharist. The meaning of the giving of our bodies… The liturgy of the body, as Saint John Paul II called it. I know I do not fully grasp the wonder of our mission as spouses and parents. To me, it’s still a value not fully appreciated.

Luke: I wish that when the Lord comes, He finds us working on him. Blessed be God.

Mother,

We have defiled the treasures that God has bestowed upon us, and that is our offense. We have paid a high price for having done so, but we regret it and desire to live our marriage with the dignity it deserves. Help us to see. Praise be to God for entrusting us with this most sacred mission.

GOSPEL

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 12, 35-38.

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.

And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way,

blessed are those servants.”

The gospel of the Lord.

Children of Charity.

The Lord girds himself to serve us. Let us also gird ourselves to serve one another and serve so many spouses who need to know Him and recognize Him in their marriage.

May we be found ready, with love in our hearts, when the Lord comes back from the wedding.

Applied to married life:

John: All my prayers and the sacraments I partake in should transform into loving thoughts and deeds for you, Anne, and through this, extend love to all those who need it.

Anne: That is true. In the end, everything should lead us to charity, and if it doesn’t, our life won’t be fruitful. John, I desire to dedicate more of myself to you.

John: And, I desire to dedicate more of myself to you my dear Anne.

Mother,

Help us to be children of marital charity. Praise be to the Lord.

GOSPEL

Whose will it be, what you have prepared?

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 12, 13-21.

A man in the crowd said to Jesus:

“Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.”

“My friend,” he replied, “who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?”

Then he said to them:

“Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.”

Then he told them a parable:

“There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself:

“What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.”

Then he said:

“This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.”

But God said to him:

“Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?”

So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.”

The gospel of the Lord.

Focusing on myself.

If I place my security in earthly possessions, I have a name: Fool. It’s also not worthwhile to place our emotional security in limited and transient earthly loves. The solution is to be rich before God. How? By listening to His Word and following it.

Applied to married life.

Luis: Today, I confessed the sin of greed.

Carmen: Greed? I don’t see you as particularly greedy.

Luis: Not in material possessions, but I am greedy in earthly loves. I’m always seeking more affection from you, wanting you to be more attentive to me… It seems like I constantly need your affection to feel good, but that is not the way of God’s love. I shall love you by wholeheartedly dedicating myself to you, this will be the source to receive the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Carmen: Now I understand. I see the wisdom of God in you. How wonderful…

Mother,

Only God is enough. Praise be to Him forever.