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Listen, Learn, and Live. Reflection for marriages. John 6:44-51

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From the Gospel according to John
John 6:44-51

Jesus said to the crowds:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:

They shall all be taught by God.

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

 

Listen, Learn, and Live.

The process is made clear by Jesus: 1st Listen, 2nd Learn, 3rd Live the Truth. If we change the order, that’s when we go astray. If we think we know the truth without learning, we end up messing up, and this is what happened to those of us who got married thinking we already knew how to love each other. If we learn from others who haven’t listened to the Father, we go off track and become miserable. This happens to everyone who follows ideologies that promote other types of families or marriages, which are not as God created them. To live a happy marriage, or in other words, a Holy marriage, I first need to listen to the Word. That way, I learn and begin to walk towards the Truth, which gives Life. Because yes, I have to confess, my marriage gives me life.

 

Applied to married life:

Laura: Do you remember when I used to tell you that I’ve learned almost everything with you?

Jaime: Yes, we were so young when we started dating…

Laura: But now I believe that we’ve learned everything together since we encountered the Lord and started reading the Word. It’s changed the way we think, live, our priorities, our preferences…

Jaime: Yes, it has turned our life around in an incredible way. I can’t stop thanking God for all He’s given us since He rescued us. We were on a very bad path, and He has redirected our lives. Praise be to the Lord!

Laura: Praise be.

Mother,

We also want to be disciples of God. Lord, feed us with Your Flesh to give life to our marriage and our family. **Praise be to You forever!**

Make it easy for us. Reflection for marriages. John 6:35-40

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From the Gospel according to John
John 6:35-40

Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”

Make it easy for us.

Let none be lost. This is Your will, Father, and also Your will, Jesus. Isn’t doing Your will what I desire? So, I don’t need to search any further. It’s clear to me: Let none of those You have given me be lost. My husband, and also our children, brothers, parents… and all those marriages You call through *Proyecto Amor Conyugal*. Am I willing to give myself so that my husband is not lost? Yes! And the others? Yes!

This is what I say to You, Lord. Yes! Count on me for whatever is needed and give me the grace to do it.

Brought down to married life:

Manu: Darling, I understand that there are many times when I don’t make things easy for you, and that is unforgivable.

Carol: Look, I want to be faithful to the Lord. I want us to be with Him and in Him. And you should be my suitable help in that. It’s true that sometimes you don’t exactly make things easier. I understand we go through many difficult circumstances, but in those moments, especially, we should help each other and make things easier for one another. Even encourage each other.

Manu: Yes, I understand, and you’re right. I shouldn’t be the one influencing your turmoil, but rather the one who collaborates to help you live in the presence of the Lord. But today, I want to say, *Yes!* Yes to the Lord and yes to you. I want to be your suitable help so that you reach holiness.

Mother,

We belong to Christ, and He will not allow us to be lost. Protect us, my God, for we trust in You.

Prerequisite. Reflection for marriages. Saint John 21:1–19

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Gospwel of the Day

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John 21:1–19
At that time, Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed Himself in this way:
Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.”
They said to him, “We’ll go with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered Him, “No.”
He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”
So they cast it, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards.
When they came ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them:
“Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them: “Come and have breakfast.”
None of the disciples dared to ask Him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter:
“Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him: “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him: “Feed My lambs.”
A second time He said to him:
“Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
He said: “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.”
Jesus said: “Tend My sheep.”
He said to him the third time:
“Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” and he said to Him:
“Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him: “Feed My sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and take you where you do not wish to go.”
He said this to signify by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After this He said to him:
“Follow Me.”
Prerequisite
Jesus entrusts His sheep to Peter only after confirming that Peter truly loves Him.
Just days earlier, Peter had denied Him. Now, before giving him responsibility for His flock, Jesus gently but firmly leads Peter to declare his love three times—in the presence of the same community who had witnessed his failure.
To care for the Lord’s sheep, it is essential first to love deeply the Lord of the sheep.
Applying It to Married Life
Marcos: I worry that I might not be capable of loving you as much as the Lord expects me to.
Paula: The very fact that you’re asking that question is a sign of your love for the Lord. You don’t want to fail Him—and that’s what love looks like. If you love Him, you’ll love me, because you know how much He loves me.
Marcos: That comforts me, because it’s true—I love the Lord deeply now. And that wasn’t the case when we got married.
Mother,
You know everything. You know how much I love my spouse, and how much I love my Lord.
To Him be glory and praise forever.

The Best Use of the Will. Reflection for marriages. Saint John 14:6–14

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Gospel of the Day

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John 14:6–14
At that time, Jesus said to Thomas:
“I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
If you know Me, you will also know My Father. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”
Philip said to Him:
“Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him:
“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know Me, Philip? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you I do not speak on My own. The Father, who dwells in Me, is doing His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Or at least believe because of the works themselves.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
The Best Use of the Will
It is deeply moving to contemplate how the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father. It’s a perfect communion, and from it, we have much to learn.
The Son represents the Father—He has the Father’s complete trust. He speaks only what the Father wants to say, and acts exactly as the Father would act.
At this point, one might ask: And what about my own will?
But here’s the truth: the best use of your will is to surrender it.
In doing so, there is no room for selfishness, laziness, anger, greed, lust, or envy.
Whoever surrenders their will to God’s Will can never go wrong.
Applying It to Married Life
Pablo: Carolina, I’ve deleted a few words from my vocabulary.
Carolina: Oh really? Which ones?
Pablo: “I feel like…”, “I’d prefer…”, “I need…”
Carolina: Why those?
Pablo: Because I’ve realised that I prefer to do what pleases you. That way, I’m not focused on myself. That’s what love is, right?
Carolina: That is love, my dear. Come here, because I feel like, I’d prefer, and I need to give you a huge kiss. You’re wonderful!
Mother,
Today, as we pray the Our Father, we want to pause on that beautiful phrase:
“Thy will be done.”
Yes, Mother, we surrender our will. We are yours.
What would you have us do?
Amen.

So We Never Doubt Again. Reflection for marriages. Saint John 6:1–15

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Gospel of the Day

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John 6:1–15
At that time, Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd followed Him, because they had seen the signs He was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with His disciples. The Jewish Passover was near.
Lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward Him, Jesus said to Philip:
“Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”
He said this to test him, for He Himself knew what He was going to do.
Philip answered Him:
“Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to have a little.”
One of His disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to Him:
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”
Jesus said:
“Make the people sit down.”
There was much grass in that place. So they sat down, about five thousand men in number.
Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were seated—as much as they wanted—and the same with the fish.
When they had all had enough, He said to His disciples:
“Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”
So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
When the people saw the sign that He had done, they said:
“This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Realising that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by Himself.
So We Never Doubt Again
Just as in the beginning, humanity underwent the original test to discover its identity, now we must go through the trial of faith—until we come to truly understand that we are children in the Son, that God is our Father, and that He acts like a Father.
We need to reach the point where we live with complete trust in Him, so that we may be born of the Spirit.
Applying It to Married Life
Carlos: I still remember the day I said to myself, totally convinced: “Our marriage has no solution.” And it was true—humanly, it had no solution. But then Mary intervened, and pulled us out of that bottomless pit.
Marta: There have been so many situations God has rescued us from that I can’t understand how we can still have doubts sometimes.
Carlos: Exactly. After delivering us from addictions, from attachments, from disorder, from pride… it’s enough never to doubt again.
Marta: Jesus, I trust in You.
Carlos: Jesus, I trust in You.
Mother,
I believe—but increase my faith.
Praised be the Lord forever.