From the Gospel according to Mark 3:22-30

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,”He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and”By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,”How can Satan drive out Satan?If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.And if a house is divided against itself,that house will not be able to stand.And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,he cannot stand;that is the end of him.But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his propertyunless he first ties up the strong man.Then he can plunder his house.Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemiesthat people utter will be forgiven them.But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spiritwill never have forgiveness,but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit”

The Gospel of the Lord

Conquering Self-Love

Self-love is one of the greatest threats to marriage, and it’s a powerful one. How can we get rid of it if we don’t first restrain it? Because often, my self-love outweighs my love for my spouse.
The solution is to bind it. But how do we do that? Jesus gives the answer in another Gospel passage: “If anyone wants to be my disciple, they must deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow me.” This means denying myself—my desires, preferences, opinions, and demands. Tie it down first! Once self-love is weakened, we can cast it out and make room for God in our hearts.

Applied to Married Life:

Nacho: Silvia, I like to eat before two o’clock. Well, today it’s three, and I hold on by the grace of God.
Silvia: Nacho, I like to have everything under control at home. Well, I hold on by the grace of God, even with the trash sitting in the kitchen since yesterday.
Nacho: I don’t like staying at home quietly. Well, I hold on by the grace of God and don’t make plans.
Silvia: I like you to listen to me attentively and not do anything while I’m talking. Well, I hold on by the grace of God and let you fix the toaster while I speak.

Mother,

Help us to conquer self-love. Glory to the Holy Spirit!