Will It Rain This Weekend? Reflection for marriages Luke 12:54-59

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Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke12:54-59

Jesus said to the crowds,”When you see a cloud rising in the westyou say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the southyou say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.You hypocrites!You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,make an effort to settle the matter on the way;otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,and the judge hand you over to the constable,and the constable throw you into prison.I say to you, you will not be releaseduntil you have paid the last penny.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Will It Rain This Weekend?

These days we rely more and more on weather forecasts that can tell us, at least a week ahead, whether it’ll rain or not — and usually, they’re right. That makes it easy to plan our weekends. We no longer have to look to the west or check which way the wind is blowing. Everything’s served to us on a silver platter, so we barely need to think anymore.

But maybe that’s part of the problem. It’s also becoming harder to tell what’s truly right or wrong, and we end up just going along with whatever society or the tv says is best for us. What a terrible mistake! The Lord reminds us that we won’t leave there until we’ve paid the very last penny.

Husbands and wives, how much do we still owe for not living the Gospel with integrity?

Applied to Married Life

Ed: Hey, Lucy! How was your day? What a downpour! And of course, I forgot my umbrella. I’m soaked!
Lucy: Oh, Ed! Go take a hot shower and get changed — you’ll catch a cold, and you’re getting everything wet.
Ed: Ah, that feels so much better now that I’m dry. Need a hand with dinner?
Lucy: Thanks, it’s almost ready. I was just sitting here thinking and thanking the Lord. Do you remember when I used to call you my weatherman? You were glued to the news and the weather reports, always checking your phone. We went out perfectly prepared for the rain or cold, but we never had time to pray or just sit and talk as a family.
Ed: Oh, I remember. We’ve changed so much since we went on the Project for conjugal love retreat and started praying together every day. And you’ve stopped watching all those gossip shows that were so toxic.
Lucy: Ugh, don’t remind me. Now when I visit my mom and she has them on, I can’t believe how much time I used to waste on that nonsense. You know, I even confessed for spending so many hours in front of the TV!
Ed: You’re amazing, you know that? You have such a beautiful soul. Let’s eat — I can’t wait to do our prayer together.

Mother

Thank you for everything. We know that you gently guide us, with a loving hand, into the presence of your Son, giving each of us what we need at every moment. We pray for all marriages and families going through dark times. Here we are, ready to help you lead them to Him.
Blessed and praised be He!

Burning With Love. Reflection for marriages Luke 12:49-53

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Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke. 12:49-53
Jesus said to his disciples:”I have come to set the earth on fire,and how I wish it were already blazing!There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?No, I tell you, but rather division.From now on a household of five will be divided,three against two and two against three;a father will be divided against his sonand a son against his father,a mother against her daughterand a daughter against her mother,a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-lawand a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Burning with Love
The words of Jesus, saying that He has come to “set the earth on fire,” may sound harsh at first, but that’s exactly what He came to do — to ignite the fire of His love. He longs for that fire to spread, for His love to reach every person in the world.
We see this in the flame of His Sacred Heart — the fire of His divine love — and how deeply He suffers when that fire sometimes divides and separates instead of uniting, which is His greatest desire.
Through the sacrament of marriage, we represent Christ on earth by spreading that same fire around us — through our love, which is meant to lead us into full communion with one another and to shine as a light for everyone around us.
Sometimes, that fire between us may cause division among those who see the change it brings in our lives and don’t understand it. But may they be able to say instead, “How that marriage burns with the love of Christ, and how it draws us closer to the love of God.”
Applied to Married Life
David: Alice, have you noticed how much Mary and Ian have changed since the last time we saw them?
Alice: Yes, it’s impossible not to notice — though don’t you think they might be overdoing it a bit?
David: Maybe, if you look at it objectively. But there’s something really beautiful about the way they treat each other.
Alice: True, but you and I are nowhere near that. Besides, they spend so much time on their marriage and on helping others. We don’t have that kind of time — our life is just too complicated.
David: You’re right, but seeing them makes me want to try to improve.
Alice: To get to where they are, we’d have to change so many things… I don’t think we’re ready for that. And honestly, just thinking about it makes me focus more on what separates us than on what unites us.
David: That’s true. But they make me realize what I need to change so I can grow closer to you each day — to be more united instead of drifting apart.
Alice: Would you really be willing to do that for me? Sometimes I think about what I could do to change too, but I just don’t know where to start.
David: Then why don’t we try together? I know we’ve got a long way to go, but if we’re both thinking the same thing, maybe we can make it happen.
Alice: Great idea! I’ll call María and Iñigo so we can meet up and they can tell us how to get started. We need to ask for help — we can’t do this alone.
David: Works for me.
Mother,
Help us enter into the fire of Your Son’s Sacred Heart, so that we may burn with His love and learn to love in peace and unity.
Praise be to the Lord.

Asleep or Awake? Reflection for marriages Luke 12:39-48

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Gospel

From the Gospel according to Luke
12:39-48

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said,
“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied,
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward
whom the master will put in charge of his servants
to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, he will put him
in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself,
‘My master is delayed in coming,’
and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,
to eat and drink and get drunk,
then that servant’s master will come
on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour
and will punish the servant severely
and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
That servant who knew his master’s will
but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will
shall be beaten severely;
and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will
but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating
shall be beaten only lightly.
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Asleep or Awake?

We live surrounded by hurry, noise, and endless responsibilities—so often pulled away from what truly matters: our love and our calling as husband and wife. These distractions numb our hearts. We end up living half-asleep, forgetting—or maybe never really knowing—who I am, what I’m here for, and what my ultimate goal is.

If my life and my choices don’t answer those questions, I’m lost—wandering without direction or purpose. I might be busy all the time, swept along by the pace of life, by noise, by shopping, by social media… but really, what am I doing with my life? Am I the person God wants me to be? Are we the kind of spouses God is calling us to become?

One thing is certain: our last day will come. We don’t know when—but we do know that the Lord wants to find us loving, because we are His children. We’re here to love, and Heaven is our final home.

To help us love well, God gives us many gifts. Saint John Paul II, whom we remember today, said in a catechesis:

“God entrusts talents and gifts to us; we will be judged by how we use them—by the faithfulness with which we manage them in our personal, family, and social lives.”

(General Audience, 1994)

When the Lord returns, may He find us using these gifts with joy and responsibility. To be faithful and wise means to care for what He’s given us—and to use it for the good of our spouse and our family, doing in each moment what love asks of us.

Applied to Married Life:

Paul: Teresa, you won’t believe this—my phone just sent me a screen-time alert saying I’ve been on it way too long today… I’m embarrassed to even tell you how many hours!

Teresa: Oh wow… I have to admit, I got that same alert yesterday and didn’t say anything. It’s crazy how much time we waste without realizing it! It’s honestly kind of scary—because it distracts us, scatters our attention, and makes it so hard to stay aware of God’s presence during the day… with all the messages, memes, and videos constantly popping up.

Paul: Yeah… but what really hits me is that time itself is a gift from God. He’s going to ask us how we used it. What will we say?

Teresa: You’re right. Enough is enough. The enemy has us fooled—numbed—and he’s stealing our time. And time belongs to God. No wonder he works so hard to take it from us.

Paul: Exactly! So, since we’re on this topic, maybe we should take a look at everything God’s given us—our faith, our marriage, our virtues, His grace. Let’s make sure we’re not letting those gifts slip away too. Come on, Teresa—let’s get to work. God’s entrusted us with so much.

Mother,

Don’t let us be deceived. Help us wake up from our numbness and recognize the gifts the Lord has placed in our hands. Everything belongs to Him, and to Him we offer it—

All for His glory, forever and ever. Amen

Ready to Love! Reflection for marriages. Luke 12:35-38

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From the Gospel according to Luke 12:35-38

Jesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.”

 

Ready to Love!

Jesus invites us to live with our waists girded. In those times, girding one’s waist meant being ready for work, service, or mission, because a loose tunic would hinder free movement. Today, that gesture challenges us: to rid ourselves of our lazyness, of any attachment that hinders our self-giving, such as the pursuit of our own pleasures, the stubborn defense of our own viewpoints, our selfish love, and so on.

Let us live in grace, imitating Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life. As Christians, we know that, in the image of Christ, we are not here just to live life, but to give it away, and in doing so, we find the joy of living for what we were created for: to love. Let us live, then, awake and watchful, ready to give of ourselves at every moment, for love of Christ and for the one He has entrusted to us; our husband or wife. Blessed will we be if, when the Lord comes to take us to our eternal home, He finds us like this: girded, vigilant, and poured out in love. Ready to love!

 

Applied to marriage life

Clare and Matt sit in silence late at night in the living room. The children are asleep, and only the ticking of a clock can be heard.
Clare: What are you thinking about, Matt? You’ve been quiet for a while.
Matt: Today, one of my coworkers asked me a question that really got to me. He said, “If you had only one week left to live, what would you do?”
Clare: And what did you say?
Matt: At first… nothing. I just stood there thinking. Then I realized that if I only had one week, I’d want to spend it on what really matters: you, the kids, God, loving you all better. And that’s when something clicked.
Clare: What was it?
Matt: That if those are the truly important things… why do I always put them off? Do I need to be a week away from dying to start living what really matters? I realized I give too much of myself to things that won’t last… work, worries, wasting time on nonsense on my phone, even basketball, which I love of course, but in the end, none of that goes with me to eternal life. But our love, our dedication to our children, our faith… those do.
Clare: I’m so glad you realized that, my love. We have to stay so alert… Sometimes we run so fast after what fades away that we forget to care for what never dies: love, self-giving, union with God, in in summary, what leads us to eternal life.
Matt: Yes, Clare… I hope that if one day someone tells me I only have a week to live…
Clare: Oh Matt, don’t start with that…
Matt: [laughing a little] Well! Or if someone asks me that question again, I won’t feel like I have to change much maybe nothing at all. That would mean I’m already living the way I should.

Clare: Then let’s do it, Matt. Because listen… shhh (you can hear the ticking clock): time is passing… and it won’t wait. Let’s go!

 

Mother,

Your life was one of constant readiness for God’s will. No excuses, no delays, always ready to give yourself, to love, and to serve.
I want to live like you and give glory to God! Praised be you forever!

Tiredlessly. Reflection for marriages. Luke 18:1-8

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Gospel
From the Gospel according to Luke. Lk. 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being.  And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'”
The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Tiredlessly

The Lord longs to have a personal relationship with each one of us. We just have to truly believe it. But sadly, He asks us whether He will find faith expressed in that kind of intimacy. How often do we come to the Lord only to ask and ask… and after a while, we stop asking, we stop speaking to Him about that one thing, and we start asking for something else. And so it goes on without ever entering into a true intimate relationship with Him, where our concerns become His concerns, and our life becomes a continuous conversation with Him, marked by trust.
The same can happen in marriage, our relationship with our spouse can become just about asking for things or managing responsibilities, without any real intimacy. Functional marriages without true communion. Just as a soul without prayer is like a dead soul, a marriage without prayer eventually begins to “die.” Daily conjugal prayer is the best way to build that intimacy shared by three: between the spouses, with the Lord in the center leading us to true life.
Husbands and wives! What are you waiting for to begin that journey of prayer with perseverance? The Bridegroom is waiting for us!

Applied to married life:

Martin: Tess, don’t you think Anthony and Rachel are a bit over the top with all that prayer stuff?
Tess: Well, sometimes I think so too. Honestly, it even stresses me out a little.
Martin: But it’s also true that when we do pray, we’re better.
Tess: You’re right. Now that I think about it, when we pray and persevere like they tell us to, something changes in the way we see each other, or at least I feel like you look at me and I look at you with more… mercy?
Martin: It’s like we wake up from a long sleep. And on the other hand, when we don’t pray, we get lazy, sluggish, and everything feels harder.
Tess: I think in the end, they’re right. Without prayer, without grace, we can do nothing.
Martin: That’s true. I’m thinking today we could go to Mass and then stay a bit afterwards to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.
Tess: That actually sounds good to me.
Martin: Maybe we’ll even start to enjoy it! [laughs]

 
Mother,

You who kept all things in your Heart, teach us to pray like you, with that silent, intimate prayer so pleasing to God.
Blessed Mother! Blessed be God!