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To Know / Him / Me / You. Reflection for marriages Saint Matthew 16:13-19

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Gospel of the day 
Matthew 16:13-19
‘You are Peter, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.’
At that time: When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’

To Know / Him / Me / You
A hell where God is loved would be a contradiction—it would cease to be hell. And in the same way, an earth where God is not loved becomes a hell. Let us love God more each day so that this world may begin to resemble heaven more and more.
To love, one must first know. The act of knowing is an exclusive gift of persons, which distinguishes us from animals. In the Bible, to know is not merely an act of the intellect. To know God is to live an experience of Him, and I can have that experience through Jesus Christ, who has come to reveal who He is. That is why the Lord encourages us to follow Him, to live that experience with Him.
The first step is to experience His presence, and then to encounter Him and build that communion of love that reveals His heart. In that experience, I also come to know myself—for I exist only in relation to Him. He gives me my identity, He sustains me, and I exist for Him.
It is the Spirit who reveals Christ’s identity to Peter. It is He who leads me to Christ, and it is Christ who leads me to the Father.
Spouses, this is the reward of prayer: to live in God’s presence, to experience the encounter with Him, and to reach communion with Him—where together we find our rest and eternal life.

Applied to Married Life
Jaime: I have discovered the importance of knowing—knowing God, and knowing you. It is an experience of intimacy meeting intimacy. As I enter into your intimacy, part of you comes with me, and part of me remains within you. And vice versa.
María: It is wonderful to experience the intimacy of God. Some people say they don’t pray because they are tired, but that’s because they don’t know what it means to rest in the Heart of Jesus—the Heart that, even while wounded, loves through its wounds. A love that comforts, fills… And He has taught me to know myself, and to know you, my husband—your masculinity. There is a new gaze within me, able to enter into you. I am present in you, and I sense you present in me. I know you, I have known your intimacy, and your intimacy has entered me. And we have become one flesh.
Jaime: What an experience! And one heart, and one soul. To hold you present in my heart, to encounter you in the deepest part of me, and to feel you within me. It is incredible what can be experienced in marriage, in the presence of God.

Mother,
You carried God in your womb; teach me to carry Him within me. You welcomed the Holy Spirit when He overshadowed you; teach me also to welcome my husband/wife in the same way, so as to bear fruits of love. Only then can we show the world who God is—by knowing Him, by being filled with Him.
Praised be He forever.

Authority in the Truth. Reflection for marriages Saint Luke 4:31–37

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Gospel of the Day
Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 4:31–37
At that time: Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Ha! 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.’ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent and come out of him!’ And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, ‘What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!’ And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

Authority in the Truth
How striking it must have been to hear the Lord when He taught in the synagogue! How fortunate were those who lived in that time! But the Lord did not teach only for that moment—His teachings remain valid today and forever.
One detail stands out: “His words carried authority.” We are witnesses of the Lord and of His glory, and for this reason we too can speak with authority. We do not speak about our own opinions, nor give speeches to attract an audience or to appear important—we proclaim the TRUTH, and truth itself carries authority.
The mere presence of Christ must have been imposing, and this is what we should aspire to: to be so united to Him that our lives reflect His life. We must hold that same authority in our own lives, which is achieved through coherence and integrity. We cannot say one thing and do another; rather, we speak of what we live, because we live united to the Lord.

Applied to Married Life
(Javier and Cristina are having dinner with their children)
Javier: Children, you know that your mother and I love you very much, and that’s why sometimes we don’t allow you to make certain plans with your boyfriends or girlfriends—plans that, according to you, “everyone else” makes. We want you to be formed so that one day you may become kind, charitable, and honest men and women—and good spouses—able to discern what is right and what is wrong in the light of the Gospel.
Cristina: What Dad means is that we’ve encouraged you to take part in the Proyecto Amor Conyugal catechesis groups for couples in the parish, so that you can learn what the TRUTH is regarding what may well be your future vocation.
Javier: Mom is right. When you have that solid foundation, you will truly be free, able to build a marriage on rock, and you will also be able to explain with authority the reasons behind your choices to your friends. It doesn’t mean they will necessarily understand you, but you will be a light and help guide them onto the right path.
Cristina: We know that sometimes it’s hard, and you may even lose some friendships, because Truth is not always welcomed in this world. But you will have peace and the certainty of doing what God wants from you at every moment.

Mother,
We ask you to help us be very faithful to the Lord, so that we may live with that authority worthy of the children of God.
Praised be the Lord who shows us the Truth.

The Unappreciated Gift. Reflection for marriages Saint Luke 4:16–30

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Gospel of the Day
Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 4:16–30
At that time: Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll, and found the place where it was written,
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
And he rolled up the scroll, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’
  And all spoke well of him and marvelled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ And he said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “ ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your home town as well.” ’ And he said, ‘Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his home town. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.’
  When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up, and drove him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away.

The Unappreciated Gift
This passage invites us to reflect on a common reality in married life: the difficulty of recognising the greatness and the work of God in those closest to us. Jesus is rejected precisely by those who knew Him from childhood. Familiarity prevents them from seeing what God is doing through Him.
In marriage, something similar can happen: over time, we stop “seeing” the other—their worth, their gifts, or even their suffering—because we take them for granted. “Love” (misunderstood love) can grow cold, not necessarily because of great problems, but simply due to routine, habit, and lack of wonder at the reality that our spouse is a precious creature and child of God. The Lord invites us to look at our spouse with His eyes—with renewed tenderness—valuing their story, their wounds, and their gifts.
It is beautiful to see in this passage how Jesus does not conform to the expectations of His people. In our married life, it is also vital to accept that the other is not exactly as I would like them to be, but as they are. To love is not to mould the other into my image, but to welcome them, accompany them in their journey, and give myself as I am, just as they are.
The violent reaction of the people against Jesus warns us of the danger of closing ourselves off to change, of not letting the Spirit confront and transform us. In marriage, this can take the form of pride, stubbornness, or fear of giving in. But mature love requires humility, listening, and openness to mutual correction.

Applied to Married Life
Julio: You know what? Since we did the Proyecto Amor Conyugal retreat, I’ve been discovering a Rosa that I was missing before. Now I see you more and more as a gift for me and truly my suitable helper in everything.
Rosa: How beautiful, Julio, thank you very much. I also try, although, as you’ve surely noticed, many times I don’t manage it and I fall again into the temptation of not looking at you with the eyes with which the Lord looks at you.
Julio: Well, I’m not perfect either, but I admit that as soon as I notice myself criticising you inwardly, the Lord gives me the grace to realise it, and I try with all my strength not to dwell on those bad thoughts. Sometimes I don’t succeed, and that’s when I mess things up and the arguments begin.
Rosa: That’s fundamental—trying to practise that self-control, which is so hard for me. When I don’t put a stop to it, all the past gets stirred up in me, and I don’t get out of my criticisms or bad thoughts toward you. The devil often traps me, and I fall into victimhood and self-pity, without noticing all the good things you do for me and for the girls.
Julio: Well, many times I don’t make it easy for you either. You know I’m not perfect, and when I think about it—even though you’re not perfect either—I realise how difficult I make it for you to reach that self-control and to rediscover the value I have in God’s eyes.
Rosa: Well, you’ve given me very good ideas: I’m going to start putting into practice what you said, and I’ll try to stop those bad thoughts from the very beginning and, instead, always try to see you as a gift for me.

Mother,
Help me to rediscover the value of my husband each day, to learn to look at him with your mercy, and to recognise that he is an instrument of God for me.
Praised be the Lord!

The Unappreciated Gift. Reflection for marriages Saint Luke 4:16–30

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Gospel of the Day
Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 4:16–30
At that time: Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll, and found the place where it was written,
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
And he rolled up the scroll, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’
  And all spoke well of him and marvelled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ And he said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “ ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your home town as well.” ’ And he said, ‘Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his home town. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.’
  When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up, and drove him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away.
The Unappreciated Gift
This passage invites us to reflect on a common reality in married life: the difficulty of recognising the greatness and the work of God in those closest to us. Jesus is rejected precisely by those who knew Him from childhood. Familiarity prevents them from seeing what God is doing through Him.
In marriage, something similar can happen: over time, we stop “seeing” the other—their worth, their gifts, or even their suffering—because we take them for granted. “Love” (misunderstood love) can grow cold, not necessarily because of great problems, but simply due to routine, habit, and lack of wonder at the reality that our spouse is a precious creature and child of God. The Lord invites us to look at our spouse with His eyes—with renewed tenderness—valuing their story, their wounds, and their gifts.
It is beautiful to see in this passage how Jesus does not conform to the expectations of His people. In our married life, it is also vital to accept that the other is not exactly as I would like them to be, but as they are. To love is not to mould the other into my image, but to welcome them, accompany them in their journey, and give myself as I am, just as they are.
The violent reaction of the people against Jesus warns us of the danger of closing ourselves off to change, of not letting the Spirit confront and transform us. In marriage, this can take the form of pride, stubbornness, or fear of giving in. But mature love requires humility, listening, and openness to mutual correction.

Applied to Married Life
Julio: You know what? Since we did the Proyecto Amor Conyugal retreat, I’ve been discovering a Rosa that I was missing before. Now I see you more and more as a gift for me and truly my suitable helper in everything.
Rosa: How beautiful, Julio, thank you very much. I also try, although, as you’ve surely noticed, many times I don’t manage it and I fall again into the temptation of not looking at you with the eyes with which the Lord looks at you.
Julio: Well, I’m not perfect either, but I admit that as soon as I notice myself criticising you inwardly, the Lord gives me the grace to realise it, and I try with all my strength not to dwell on those bad thoughts. Sometimes I don’t succeed, and that’s when I mess things up and the arguments begin.
Rosa: That’s fundamental—trying to practise that self-control, which is so hard for me. When I don’t put a stop to it, all the past gets stirred up in me, and I don’t get out of my criticisms or bad thoughts toward you. The devil often traps me, and I fall into victimhood and self-pity, without noticing all the good things you do for me and for the girls.
Julio: Well, many times I don’t make it easy for you either. You know I’m not perfect, and when I think about it—even though you’re not perfect either—I realise how difficult I make it for you to reach that self-control and to rediscover the value I have in God’s eyes.
Rosa: Well, you’ve given me very good ideas: I’m going to start putting into practice what you said, and I’ll try to stop those bad thoughts from the very beginning and, instead, always try to see you as a gift for me.

Mother,
Help me to rediscover the value of my husband each day, to learn to look at him with your mercy, and to recognise that he is an instrument of God for me.
Praised be the Lord!

The Invitation Is Your Spouse.Reflection for marriages Luke14:1, 7-14

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From the Gospel according to Luke14:1, 7-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dineat the home of one of the leading Pharisees,and the people there were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited,noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.”When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,do not recline at table in the place of honor.A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,’Give your place to this man,’and then you would proceed with embarrassmentto take the lowest place.Rather, when you are invited,go and take the lowest placeso that when the host comes to you he may say,’My friend, move up to a higher position.’Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”Then he said to the host who invited him,”When you hold a lunch or a dinner,do not invite your friends or your brothersor your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.Rather, when you hold a banquet,invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The Gospel of the Lord

The Invitation Is Your Spouse

In the heart of Christ, we are given the first place. He invites us to His great banquet. Yet we often reject that invitation, betraying Him—spied upon, arrested, judged, slapped, beaten, mocked, scourged, condemned, shoved, insulted, humiliated, pierced, crucified, abandoned, mistreated, killed, buried… and finally raised by His Father and seated at His right hand.

So, where do you want to live—where do you want to have the first place? In His heart, or in your own? In His heart, you die in order to live; in your own, you live only to die.

Which feast do you long to attend—the great banquet of heaven, or a shabby party with cheap wine and an eternal hangover?

Maybe you wonder when and where this banquet will be, what food will be served, or how you should dress. The answer lies in the heart of your spouse.

Your spouse is God’s invitation to the banquet. In the intimacy of your marriage lies the great promise. In your sacrament, the doorway of entry. Do you want to attend? Do you want to be holy?

Applied to married life:

(Louis speaks with Peter, his mentor, about his marriage with Marie)

Louis: Yesterday she told me she doesn’t feel anything for me anymore. She wants to leave. She asked me for divorce.

Peter: Come here—let me give you a hug. You know you’re not alone, right?

Louis: I feel so powerless.

Peter: Maybe it’s time to ask Christ to do what you cannot.

Louis: How do I do that?

Peter: Ask yourself: who comes first in your heart—your own suffering, or Marie’s? When you give yourself to her, is it pure, or do you expect something in return? Is your self-giving complete, or are you holding something back? Have you been faithful—not just in what you do, but in your thoughts and desires?

Louis: Then… is this my fault?

Peter: This isn’t about blame. It’s about the truth: you carry Christ’s power within you to live your marriage in His way. Joy brings us together, but suffering unites us. Think about it—joy gathers us around Christ, but it’s in suffering that we are most deeply united with Him.

Louis: And where should I start?

Peter:Start before the Blessed Sacrament. Don’t say anything. Don’t demand anything. Just humble yourself and ask Him to show you your truth. Don’t be afraid. When He reveals your weakness and you accept it, His Spirit will come, and with His love, you’ll be able to walk with Marie.

Louis: But I have no strength left… not even hope.

Peter: Loluis, whether you see it or not, you’ve just received an immense grace. You’ve come to the point where your faith and your hope are not enough—you must ask for Christ’s. We think that when life is running smoothly, we’re at peace… but in reality, we’re slowly dying. To live Christ’s truth, you must be born again, and labor pains are part of that birth. But there is no greater fullness than living in the truth that only His Spirit can give.

Louis: Peter, I’m really going to need you on this path. Right now it’s hard and difficult to understand what you’re saying.

Peter: What we’ll need most is Him. And even if you can’t see it yet—that’s what faith is for. In the meantime, in His hope, I will be with you, helping you in everything you need.

Mother

Perfect Bride who remained faithful to the Bridegroom, show me the way.
Would you like me to also condense this into a short reflection + prayer (like something a couple could read together in 2–3 minutes during prayer time)?