I Will not disappoint you. Reflection for marriages Matthew 9:18-26

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GOSPEL 
“My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
From the Gospel according to Matthew 9:18-26
While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.
The Gospel of the Lord 
I will not disappoint you.
The Lord asks that we have faith. It is faith that keeps us confident in Him and detached from the things and concerns of this world. Therefore, we ask the Lord to keep us strong in faith. That we may be confident in the plan He has for us, a beautiful plan, there can be no other more beautiful. We admire His generosity, His compassion towards us, and for that, we have no doubts.
We only hope not to disappoint Him with our lack of faith. It is the only thing that would prevent Him from doing His great work in us and in our marriage.
Applied to  married life:
Ana (praying with Louis, her husband): Lord, let me not forget You at any moment. May the daily concerns not take me away from Your presence and Your plan. I do not want to lose myself, I want to be with You.
Louis: Lord, I have a strong faith, but I do not want it to weaken. I need You to keep me strong in faith so that I do not stray from my path.
(Louis and Ana have built their marriage and family on faith in Christ. The fruits will be great, very great).
Mother,
Grant us faith like Yours, also in times of difficulty, in times of not understanding anything. That is where the Lord tests our faith, and that is precisely where we must respond the most. Today, there are many reasons that hinder our faith, which is why we are the disciples of the last times. Praise be to the Lord, whom we worship and serve.

How many blessings await us! Reflection for marriages. Mark 6:1-6

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Gospel

A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
From the Gospel according to Mark. Mk 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.
The Gospel of the Lord.
How many blessings await us!
What happened to Jesus with His Wife, the Church, can happen to us with our spouse: that we fail to appreciate that he or she is the one God has placed by our side and how he or she influences on us through Him. Of course, the immediate consequence of that failure is that the Lord cannot perform any miracles in our marriage.
Applied to married life:
George: I realize how often I look at you with contempt and also the seriousness of that look. 
Paula: The truth is, it’s very common for us to complain about each other, and that is not what God wants. 
George: How can I be open to God’s gift if I despise it? It´s impossible! 
Paula: Only God knows what we have missed out by not being onpen and loving to each other. 
George: It is time to change and accept each other as God’s gift. Don’t you think? 
Paula: I think it’s wonderful. How many blessings must the Lord have prepared for us!
Mother,

How can pride makes us look with contempt at the greatest gift we have received from God after the Eucharist. Praise be to God for my husband or wife.

Renewed joy. Reflection for marriages. Matthew 9:14-17

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Gospel
How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?
From the Gospel according to Matthew. Mt. 9, 14-17.
Then, John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
 
Renewed joy. 
The Lord really comes to bring us something new. We can no longer stay in the Old Testament approaches based on the law. It is time to be joyful in faith, even in the midst of difficulties, because the Lord is with us. And in those occasions when The Husband is not with me because I have separated him from me, I will have to make sacrifices to subdue my self-pride so that I can be in Him even in those situations. 
Applied to Married life 
Anna: How much I have suffered because I saw that, because of our sin, the communion between us is not as God had intended it to be. 
James: I do understand. You have a very strong call from the Lord to live that communion with me. The idea of not being able to live this communion tortures you. If it is also because of my sin, I immediately become the source of your suffering, which does not help to continue building a communion.
Anna: But Christ came to earth, he has given himself to make it possible, and that should keep me happy despite the circumstances. So, I must take advantage of that suffering as a way to make my heart more docile to the love of God. 
James: Thank you, my wife. The lights that the Lord gives you in prayer help me a lot. Thanks for sharing them with me. 
Mother 

We do not want to separate the Bridegroom from our hearts. Help us, Mother. Praise the Lord who brings us the glory of God.

His preference. Reflection for marriages. Matthew 9:9-13

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Gospel.

Those who are well do not need a physician. I desire mercy, not sacrifice

From the Gospel according to Matthew. Mt 9:9-13
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
His preference. 
What can I offer to God and what can I offer to men? Sacrifices can be offered to God, while mercy can only be offered to men, especially to my spouse. Well, the Lord tells us today that He would prefer me being mercyful to my spouse than offering sacrifices for Him. Impressive! 
Atención therefore those who have undertaken a path of victimhood in reparation for the outrages committed against the Lord: Beware becase, above all, He asks for mercy. 
Applied to Married life
Rob: I have realized that when you are most affected by your sin, I tend to distance myself from you. 
Lorraine: Of course, sin always destroys. 
Rob: Yes, but the Lord does not want me to separate myself from you or from our sinful children, like the Pharisees do. He loves us so much that He wants we to love each other over our sin. 
Lorraine: Wow! It’s hard, and it’s often incredibly painful, but you’re right. Only with Love can the lost ones be rescued, and He wants us to love each other especially in those difficult moments so we can rescue each other.
Mother

We are sinners. Why do we turn away from our sinful spouse instead of leaving everything to rescue him or her? Clearly the self-righteous and proud judgment. Deliver us from falling into this, Mother, which destroys us. Deliver us from it, Mother. Amen.

That Power! Reflection for marriages. Matthew 9:1-8

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Gospel
They glorified God who had given such authority to men.
From the Gospel according to Matthew. Mt 9:1-8
After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “why do you harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

That Power!

Matthew refers to the forgiveness of sins as a power that God grants to men. Specifically, the Church receives it through the priestlhood. If the Church did not have this power, it would not be the Sacrament of Christ on earth. But it does, indeed! It is! and we also praise God because He has given this power to men. Otherwise… what would become of us?

 

Applied to Married Life:

Ben: Forgive me, Blanca. I’ve made you suffer a lot this week because of my pride.
Klaire: I forgive you, Ben. I’ve had the opportunity to offer myself for you. I saw you were very troubled and blinded. But thanks to God, you have returned to the arms of the Father and mine.
Ben: Yes. I have attended confession. It was wonderful. It is true that before confession, it is always a bit difficult to take the step, but how marvelous it is to be forgiven by God! I was overwhelmed at the moment when the priest laid his hands on me and, by the power granted to him in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, told me that my sins were forgiven.
Klaire: It is an experience that, if lived with faith, is miraculous.

Ben: Praise be to God.

 

Mother,

How much we value the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Without it, what would become of us? Thank you, my God. Thank you, thank you, thank you…