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Dazzle or illuminate. Reflection for marriages Luke 21:5-11

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Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy gospel according to St. Luke 21:5-11
While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, “All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”
Then they asked him,
“Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”
He answered,
“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end.”
Then he said to them,
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
Dazzle or illuminate.
With this Gospel, the Lord directs our gaze to the heart, so we do not focus on the external glimmers that dazzle and inflate our pride, but on the light that Christ brings from within through His grace, a light that illuminates the soul. And for His Kingdom to come, there must be battles in our hearts, and we must persevere in them for our spiritual strengthening by overcoming the trials that He allows.
Grounded in married life:
Bea and Alberto are very worried about the daily tasks and problems. This causes them not to have time to nurture the intimacy between them and with the Lord. From their hearts arise pride, selfishness, and vanity. When this occurs, they do not have the light that the Spirit leaves through prayer in understanding, so it becomes a very strong struggle that destroys them and takes hold of them. Darkness envelops them in its gloomy mist from which there seems to be no escape. Everything is wrong, and they only manage to see the blame in the other.
By the advice of their mentors, they decide to spend some time before the Lord every day. Gradually, their souls begin to be illuminated, and they see the truth of what lies within them. The real reasons for their sadness and fears.
At last, they have something to start fighting in the right direction. Finally, there is hope.
Mother,
May we submit our hearts to sincere criticism, so that we may see within ourselves, without excuses, the true origin of our sorrows and fears. Then, help us to work for the eternal: Love. Blessed be the Lord, who shows us the way of love.

See your heart. Reflection for marriages Luke 21:1-4

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Gospel of the Day

Reading from the holy gospel according to Luke 21:1-4
When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people
putting their offerings into the treasury
and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins.
He said, “I tell you truly,
this poor widow put in more than all the rest;
for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
The Gospel of the Lord.

See your heart.
God’s measure always has to do with love. We weigh what our love weighs. Therefore, what matters is not how much we do but the love with which we do it. How much sacrifice there is and how much love there is towards the person we give ourselves to. On the other hand, there is the issue of judgment. Be very careful about judging my husband’s love because he may be giving much more than I realize and I may not be valuing it.

Grounded in Married Life:
Jaime: Wife, today in the Gospel the Lord has made me see how much you love me. I have seen countless sacrifices you make out of love for me that I wasn’t valuing because they were sacrifices that didn’t cost me anything. That’s why I wasn’t able to appreciate them. But your dedication was real.
Andrea: I’m very happy to hear that. Which ones, for example?
Jaime: For example, my lack of sensitivity. Yesterday, for instance, I said, “Of course, you’re always tired,” in such a way that instead of appreciating the many moments when you overcome your tiredness out of love for me, I trivialize those efforts by turning your tiredness into a sort of exaggeration on your part.
Andrea: Thank you very much for telling me this, my husband. I see how hard you try to be more sensitive, and that is much more than I deserve. 
(And the Lord saw with pleasure in the hearts of these spouses the effort to value their mutual dedication, and he blessed them).

Mother,
I want to value my husband/wife’s dedication more. Show me their heart. Thank you, Mother. Blessed be God who sees into our hearts.

Am I a Burden? Reflection for marriages Luke 20:27-40

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Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke 20:27-40

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying,
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us,  If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.”
Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, forthey are like angels; and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything
The Gospel of the Lord.

Am I a Burden?
God has set the path for us to move from our history of sin to the glory of redemption, and that path is through great tribulation. But in order to bear this journey, we need grace, especially for married couples, where the grace of the Sacrament of Marriage is essential.  
However, the Lord will come in all His glory to take us to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. At that time, the grace of the Sacrament will no longer be needed, because we will see God face to face, and His divine presence will unite us for all eternity.

Applied to married Life:
Teresa: I struggle with accepting our imperfections. I look at Jesus, and I am captivated by Him, but then it’s hard to look at you with your miseries.  
Louis: I understand. You long for heaven, you were created for glory, but we won’t access glory unless we first live through the cross.  
Teresa: I do face many crosses. Every time you lack consideration, it feels like a cross for me.  
Louis: But do you truly love me? Or am I just a burden to you, one that allows you to offer yourself to the Lord? If I don’t love you for who you are, if I don’t give myself to you out of love, then I’m not truly living the cross of Christ.  
Teresa: That’s harder for me—to love you with your flaws that hurt me.  
Louis: Let’s pray together that the Lord will purify our sight so we can see the gift in one another, to recognize the image of God in each of us, and then we can truly give ourselves for love.

Mother,
If only I could fully understand the gift of God in my husband… Praised be forever.

Union of Intimacies. Reflection for marriages . Luke 19:45-48

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GOSPEL 
From the Gospel according to Luke 19:45-48
Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,
“It is written,
My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves.”
And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words.
The Gospel of the Lord. 
Union of Intimacies
The Gospel is such a beautiful gift. The Word. An immense blessing from God. Through it, He reveals His mystery, His Heart, His plans, His love for me, and His love for my husband…  
Through daily marital prayer in the Gospel, we can begin to build an intimate relationship together—with God! We become aware of being children of the Father, children of the same Mother, spouses of the Spouse, filled with the Holy Spirit’s Love at our core.  
I no longer feel like a servant; I feel like part of God’s family, experiencing how He unites us and, as one, draws us into His Heart.  
Now, our marriage is a constant house of prayer.
Applied to married life. 
Caroline: Albert, we talk about so many things during the day, but we rarely discuss the most important thing—God.  
Albert: Today, I was moved when I saw how the Lord entered into you during communion.  
Caroline: I’ve been thinking that, instead of talking about other things, I’d like to speak more about Him and experience His presence. What do you think?  
Albert: I think I’m going to order a Trappist monk habit.  
Caroline: Haha, well, that wouldn’t hurt you. Haha, you’re so funny . I love it.  
Albert: But seriously, I know it’ll be difficult for me because I tend to be a bit lazy, but it’s true that when He is present between us, He unites us in such a special way.  
Caroline: Thank you, Albert. You’re amazing.
Mother,
May our marriage be a house of prayer. Either we talk about God and His ways, or what’s the point of talking at all? Praised be forever

Self-Pity vs. Eucharist. Reflection for marriages Luke 19:41-44.

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GOSPEL

From the Gospel according to Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus drew near Jerusalem,he saw the city and wept over it, saying,“If this day you only knew what makes for peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you;they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you,and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Self-Pity vs. Eucharist

Suffering comes in two forms, and they stand in contrast to one another. One arises from self-centeredness, while the other is born of charitable love. Naturally, I tend to focus on the pain caused by those who offend, dismiss, or undervalue me. However, this is not the supernatural suffering of Christ’s Cross; instead, it is a self-focused sorrow that suffocates the soul and hardens the heart. In contrast, the pain born of charity stems from love for others, especially those in need of salvation. This kind of suffering is co-redemptive. 

Another form of suffering involves self-pity, which arises from the inability to accept my own miseries. On the other hand, there is a sorrow born out of love for others—a selfless pain rooted in regret over not sharing with others the love I have received. The first reflects the despair of Judas Iscariot, while the second reflects the repentance of Peter (Cephas). 

Christ’s pain is rooted in His sorrow for what others lose by rejecting Him and the Kingdom of God. This sorrow, born out of love, does not lead to reproach or condemnation. Instead, it leads to the ultimate gift of love—the Eucharist: a selfless sacrifice for the salvation of sinners who act out of ignorance. Let us follow this example and live in His memory.

Applied to Married Life:

Valentina: (During marital prayer) Lord, I ask for Your forgiveness, for I’ve spent too much time wallowing in self-pity, seeing myself as a victim of the hurt caused by my husband, Joe. I have failed to embrace suffering as an act of love for him—a suffering that is co-redemptive because, through it, I join myself to You and take part in Your redemptive work. 

Joe:Lord, I thank You for the precious gift of Valentina. Forgive me, and help her forgive me, for I’ve been so consumed with rejecting my weakness and rebelling against them that I’ve failed to give her the love You entrusted to me to share in Your name. 

Valentina: Lord, as I look at my husband now, I see his beauty and find myself deeply moved by his efforts to confront his struggles. I’ve decided to dedicate my life to giving myself for him—not lamenting my own pain anymore, but offering myself for his salvation. 

Joe: Lord, You’ve opened my eyes to Valentina’s worth. I’ve resolved to dedicate my life to her sanctification, helping her to come closer to You. I will humble myself and become a foundation on which she can lean as she journeys toward You.

Mother,

Help us live Christ’s example of suffering for love—a pain that becomes a pleasing offering to God. Through Christ, with Him, and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
all glory is Yours, Almighty Father.