Gospel

I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.

From the Gospel according to Mark. Mk 2:13-17

Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Jesus.
While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples;
for there were many who followed him.
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners
and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Who can resist?

Lord, only You can call me in such a way. Your call makes me leave everything and follow You, and my life changes completely.

I see you interacting with sinners. You do not focus on their past actions and what they may deserve as a consequence, but rather, You look at how to heal them, trusting in them and their abilities to change the course of their lives.
Therefore, I should not keep an account of the offenses my husband has done to me, considering that the Lord could do the same with me, and then I would be lost. Instead the psalm continues,”But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.”How important it is! I have the opportunity to instill respect in my husband by forgiving him.
I am grateful to God for granting me the privilege of being His instrument, fulfilling His desire to forgive my husband as I extend forgiveness to him.I manage His respect. Thank you Lord

Applied to married life:

Anna: Charles, the Lord has made it clear to me in prayer, and from now on, I will not bring up any of the wounds you caused me in the past. I realized that I held you responsible for them, and I was the one keeping them open by licking my wounds. That’s how I kept them fresh. Everything is forgiven and forgotten. And if the memory of any of them comes back to me, I will push that thought away out of respect for you.
Charles: I really appreciate that, Anna. It was a ghost I couldn’t fight against, and it was seriously affecting our love. I feel liberated, and now, I feel loved by you, not for what I did but for who I am. I feel like I’ve regained my dignity in your eyes. Praise the Lord.
Anna: Praise the Lord.

Mother,

How joyful it is to have received the Lord’s call. It’s truly wonderful that He loves me and has set me apart from my previous life.

GOSPEL

The Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth

From the Gospel according to Mark. Mk 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him,
“Child, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth” –he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Through the roof.

The faith and determination of those who lower the paralyzed man by opening a hole in the roof capture attention. The homeowners might not be very pleased, but well… In our faith, we call determination Hope. Hope nourishes faith, and faith is guaranteed by charity. These are the three theological virtues that are very present in the stretcher-bearers.
Hope comes from waiting. Yes, we have to learn to wait, but without ceasing to fight. However, we fight with determination precisely because we hope, through faith, that charity will inundate our marital relationships.

Is everything not going as you would like? Wait. Still waiting that communion you long for? Wait. But wait while giving it your all, like the stretcher-bearers in our story. They don’t tell the paralyzed man to fend for himself; they don’t blame him for not being able to walk… They get deeply involved and start the house from the roof if necessary. Let’s do the same with our spouses: Let’s fight cleverly to help each other and practice Hope. Leave the rest to the Lord.

Applied to married life:

Harry: What are you doing, Evie?
Evie: I’m making a list of all the virtues you have.

Harry: Oh! It seems quite long, I see. And why?

Evie: To help you. Because I’m sure God has given you everything you need to be holy, so I’ll help you make the most of each of your virtues so that you can become holy.

Harry: Wow! That’s quite an original plan. I’m looking forward to starting.

Evie: Me too. I got the idea from today’s Gospel, and I’m going to be your stretcher-bearer.

Harry: Can I kiss my stretcher-bearer?

Mother,

We live our marriage with Hope because we know it will be God’s work and that He will make it possible. Praise the Lord for being on our side.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Mark. Mk 1:29-39

On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

The Gospel of the Lord.

He continues to act like this.

The Lord sought and seeks nothing for Himself, not even recognition, and thus He continues to act from the right hand of God the Father. He is a source of grace, a source of healing, a rocket to heaven. All His power is at our disposal. Will we take advantage of it? Let us do as He does and let us go to pray.

Applied to married life:

Lucy: I don’t feel valued, despite everything I do for you.

Deklan: I don’t feel valued by you either.

(Both went before the Lord to pray together, and the Lord acted.)

Lucy: Now I see things differently. What better opportunity for my life than to give it for you and announce the Lord?

Deklan: Nothing is more worthy or greater. It is an honor to serve you. I need nothing more for myself.

Mother,

Giving is what makes us resemble Christ. How good it is to have a vocation and a place to give ourselves away. Thank you, Lord.

Gospel

He taught with Authority.
From the Gospel according to Mark. Mk 1:21-28.

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “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!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Authority or Authoritarianism.

The scribes and Pharisees spread the Word of God but did not cast out unclean spirits from people. They imposed the law but did not expel evil. Christ, on the other hand, conveys the Word with authority because unclean spirits obey Him, and only God can cast out demons.

Lord, there are times when I preach Your Word in my home to my spouse, but I do it by impossing “corrections,” asserting my position of “I do it, and you don’t.” What do I discover by doing this? I do discover that I have no authority over him/her, and I fail to cast out evil from my home; rather, I strengthen that evil, causing my spouse to rebel against me or escape from listening me. Only by casting out the “unclean spirits” will I be conveying Your Word in Your name, Lord.

So, I have decided to change tactics. I will stop demanding that my spouse be more perfect than he/she is, and instead, I will make him/her feel welcomed by me, rest in me when tired, have confidence in me, and share his/her thoughts without fear of reprimand. I will be his/her friend, confidant, someone who pampers him/her, makes him/her feel valued, and shows the most mercy. I believe that is what you ask me to give, Lord. In short, I will be the one who loves him/her the most. Perhaps by behaving like a true spouse, I will effectively use the authority you have given me to help him/her and bring out the best in him/her.

Applied to married life:

Peter: Darling, I acknowledge that I’m making your life difficult with so many complaints about you. I understand perfectly that you don’t feel valued because hardly anything good comes out of my mouth when I talk about you. But I want you to know that I really value you a lot, and I want you to rest in me when you’re with me, to be relaxed with me, to feel important beside me, and to be yourself without fear of reproach. I want you to feel a part of me because I understand you. I don’t want to bury our love under a pile of reasoning and laws I impose on you. I want our love to flourish beautifully, full of color.

Mary: (Emotional) Thank you, darling. Now I feel much better. I will do the same. I will love you as you are, let you be yourself, and feel admired being you. The only thing that matters to me in life is seeing you happy. Everything else is secondary to me. If you are happy with me, I am happy. So, I won’t judge you when I see you nervous, take refuge in something, or when I see you bitter or dejected. Instead, I will calm you when you’re nervous, accompany you when you feel alone, make you happy when I see you sad, and encourage you when I see you tired. I believe that is the mission of a wife that God has entrusted to me.

Peter: Thank you, my love. I love you.

Mary: I love you.

Mother,

Sometimes, despite life’s difficulties, we make it harder for each other with so many demands and complaints. Always asking for more instead of making each other’s lives simpler, lightening each other’s burdens. God does not want us to act like the Pharisees, burdening each other with heavy loads. God wants us to love each other as He does, with tenderness, understanding, and mercy. Praise the Lord who speaks to us about love with such authority. He is the only Teacher. Amen.