Gospel

God does not want any of these little ones to be lost.

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew 18:12-14

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples:

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheeps, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Pharisees or Shepherds.

There is a significant contrast between the attitude of the Pharisee who dismisses the sinner, accusing and despising him, and the attitude of the Good Shepherd, who leaves the righteous to go in search of the lost sheep. The question is: When I am lost, with whom would I like to meet? With the Pharisee or with the Good Shepherd? I have a clear answer. So when it is my spouse who is lost, may I go in the name of the Good Shepherd and not in the name of the Pharisee.

Applied to married life:

Matt: I notice that my love for you is maturing. Before, it was swayed by emotions, and now it is much more stable.

Sarah: More stable in what sense?

Matt: Well, before, it depended on the consolations I received from you in order to pay back as you deserved. That is, I used to love the consolations I received from you, not yourself, as I should. Of course, loving the consolations and not yourself has serious consequences for our union.

Sarah: Now I understand. Of course, that’s why, when there is no maturity in love, it is impossible to love the other when they are in sin. Because loving is not kicking someone when they are down but helping them recover, as Christ would do.

Mother,

Stay with us in this precious wait. Thank you, blessed Mother.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke
Lk 5:17-26

One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” he said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

We are stretcher bearers.

I wonder about the merits of that paralytic. While others carry him, Jesus forgives him due to the faith of his bearers. Subsequently, He heals the paralytic, intending to impart a lesson to the Pharisees. The beneficiary is the paralytic, who has played no active role. We don’t even know if he had faith. This is the power of intercession. Much like stretcher bearers, we bear the responsibility of guiding married couples. I also let myself be carried by those who love me, especially by my spouse. He/she carries me with his prayers every day before the Lord. I no longer fear or despair because the Lord will not leave me like this; He will not leave me paralyzed. When He sees me before Him in profound need, surely He will have compassion on me, and at His appointed time, He will bring healing. In each confession, He says ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ and I am confident that, at the right time, He will say, ‘Rise, take up your mat, and go home.’ Today, I rest thinking about that day because I know it will come.

Applied to married life.

Josh: Darling, can I ask you a favor?

Anna: How can I help?

Josh: I need you to be my stretcher bearer and for a while focus your prayers and all your faith on asking the Lord to heal me of this sin of pride. It makes me respond poorly to you many times and hurts your sensitive heart.

Anna: Okay. Count on it.

Josh: You won’t forget, will you? Will you do it please?

Anna: Daily and with all my faith, offering all my sacrifices.

Josh: By your faith, the Lord will save me. Thank you, Anna. Praise be to the Lord.

Mother,

The Lord always has compassion on us. I have to have hope, keep fighting, pray, ask others to pray for me… and He will make it possible. He will lift me out of my pits, my darkness, and help my husband out of his. We have to be stretcher bearers for each other. Praise the Lord who never disappoints. Amen.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Mark
MK 1:1-8

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.”
John the Baptist appeared in the desert
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People of the whole Judean countryside
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.
John was clothed in camel’s hair,
with a leather belt around his waist.
He fed on locusts and wild honey.
And this is what he proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Gospel of the Lord.

Is my door closed?

I’ve often wondered: If John knew that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit, why did he use water for baptism? Now I understand that I need a “conversion baptism” to be ready for the baptism in the Spirit. This requires a sincere desire to follow the Gospel’s guidelines, especially in my marriage. These guidelines emphasize putting God first in my life and loving my spouse as God loves me—no less. It involves significant sacrifice and humility so that the Spirit can truly reside in me. If I don’t prepare my heart through effort and prayer during this Advent, I won’t be ready to welcome the Child into my life. Despite external decorations, there won’t be a meaningful Christmas in my marriage. God is about to be born. Will I make a way for Him? Will I prepare a place for Him in my home, or will I keep my door closed when Mary comes knocking to give birth? I firmly believe that the Lord desires to enter my home and will assist me in preparing my heart. I earnestly want to receive Him.

In the context of married life:

Charlie : I’ve messed up again, Mary. I’ve unfairly judged you and spoken to you in a way you don’t deserve. I apologize and offer to support you in any way you need, striving to make amends for the harm I’ve caused.
Mary (Charlie’s wife): No, Charlie. I’ve also spoken poorly to you and misjudged you. Forgive me as well. Let’s together seek forgiveness from the Lord and ask for His mercy.
Both: Lord, we were making an effort, and things were going well, but once again, we stumbled, disrupting our connection, and our children overheard our arguments. Please forgive us, Lord, and grant us the strength to do better next time. It’s pride that hinders our mutual support; selfishness keeps us from prioritizing our spouse over ourselves. Vanity leads me to pretend superiority over my spouse. Grant us the humility needed to receive each other with the dignity you’ve bestowed upon us. Lord, we desire to open our hearts to Your love. May Your love be born within us this Christmas. Amen.

Mother,

You who carry Love, bring it into our home and our marriage. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Then he summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
“Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Addressed to the gathered multitude.

Today, we mark the feast of St. Juan Diego and the second anniversary of establishing the Private Association of Faithful Eucharistic Missionary Spouses in the Conjugal Love Project. Congratulations to all contributors! These initiatives serve as Marian interventions through which the Lord aims to share the Gospel’s good news and bring healing to the masses. The devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe has borne fruit globally, and the Mother of Conjugal Love continues to impact marriages and families worldwide. However, the Lord seeks partners for the mission of supporting marriage and family. The call is not to leave one’s parish or group but to occasionally collaborate with the Mother to help many marriages and families. If you sense the Mother’s calling, consider becoming a collaborator, and she will reward your efforts abundantly.

In the context of married life:

Alice: We realise we haven’t actively contributed to spreading the faith, and as Christians, we’re called to do so. Many couples seek help from the Conjugal Love Project for the Mother to bring healing, just as she did for us. What if we offer to get involved?

Jay: We’re pressed for time, and besides, we still make mistakes. Who are we to give advice?

Alice: There are various ways we can contribute, and they provide the necessary training. Come on, take a step; you’ll find joy in it!
(They joined, and the Mother led them to enriching experiences while collaborating with her)
(If you’re interested in becoming a collaborator in the Association overseeing the Conjugal Love Project method, click here: https://app.proyectoamorconyugal.es/ords/r/pac/pac/inicio and then press “Become a collaborator”)

Mother,

Send forth couples dedicated to your work, as your Project is progressing rapidly and requires more collaborators. Thank you, Mother, for your work within us and through us. We appreciate your blessed call, Mother.

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

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:

Result of the ultimate sacrifice.

Today, we observe the significant celebration of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. While we hold Mary in deep reverence, the focal point of our faith remains Christ. The Immaculate Conception, seen as the prelude to Christ’s redeeming grace, depicts Mary receiving the gift of immaculacy from her Son’s sacrifice even before it took place. Essentially, we contemplate in the Immaculate Mary a masterpiece crafted by Christ.

Applied to marital life:

Claire: Peter, why are you gazing at the Immaculate for so long?

Peter: I’m marvelling at God’s work in humanity through the Blessed Virgin. I see her beauty, simplicity, and humility, contemplating the Heart of the Creator.

Claire: That’s beautiful and profound, Pedro. Can I join you in contemplating her?

Peter: Certainly, come here by my side.

(They embrace while contemplating the Immaculate)

Peter: She is the outcome of the Father’s Heart, the Sacrifice of Christ, and the action of the Holy Spirit. What truly moves me is that the marital embrace between two spouses serves as the mediation for all these spiritual fruits. Does our marital bond hold such significance for God? It’s truly overwhelming, this profound mystery.

Claire: Indeed, God’s plans are magnificent, and He involves humanity in all His greatness. It’s incredible how much He loves us.

Peter: It’s incredible.

Dear Mother,

Happy birthday. While I entered Life on the day of my baptism, you were born into Life on the day of your Immaculate Conception. We express gratitude to God for you and your spiritual Motherhood.