GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Luke
Lk 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

The Gospel of the Lord:

Result of the ultimate sacrifice.

Today, we observe the significant celebration of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. While we hold Mary in deep reverence, the focal point of our faith remains Christ. The Immaculate Conception, seen as the prelude to Christ’s redeeming grace, depicts Mary receiving the gift of immaculacy from her Son’s sacrifice even before it took place. Essentially, we contemplate in the Immaculate Mary a masterpiece crafted by Christ.

Applied to marital life:

Claire: Peter, why are you gazing at the Immaculate for so long?

Peter: I’m marvelling at God’s work in humanity through the Blessed Virgin. I see her beauty, simplicity, and humility, contemplating the Heart of the Creator.

Claire: That’s beautiful and profound, Pedro. Can I join you in contemplating her?

Peter: Certainly, come here by my side.

(They embrace while contemplating the Immaculate)

Peter: She is the outcome of the Father’s Heart, the Sacrifice of Christ, and the action of the Holy Spirit. What truly moves me is that the marital embrace between two spouses serves as the mediation for all these spiritual fruits. Does our marital bond hold such significance for God? It’s truly overwhelming, this profound mystery.

Claire: Indeed, God’s plans are magnificent, and He involves humanity in all His greatness. It’s incredible how much He loves us.

Peter: It’s incredible.

Dear Mother,

Happy birthday. While I entered Life on the day of my baptism, you were born into Life on the day of your Immaculate Conception. We express gratitude to God for you and your spiritual Motherhood.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 7:21, 24-27

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

The Gospel of the Lord:

Certainly, and that’s final.

Adhering to God’s Word isn’t a walk in the park for us, but in this situation, we must fully commit or face significant consequences. We’re putting everything on the line, and by everything, I mean absolutely everything. So, I need to step up and embrace that specific decision, which will be crucial, conclusive, and impactful. I could express it more loudly, but not more clearly. Therefore, I say yes, and when I say yes, it means yes. There’s nothing more to add.

Applied to marital life:

James: Luisa, will you marry me?
Lucy: We got married 30 years ago.
James: Yes, but I want to fully grasp the commitment I made to you and to the Lord. What I conveyed to you that day is profoundly significant, and my entire credibility, dignity, future, happiness, salvation… everything hinges on fulfilling that commitment. Absolutely everything depends on me dedicating myself to you and accepting you just as you are. So, I’ll state it again, yes! I love you, I’ll do whatever it takes for you and your salvation, and I couldn’t care less about anything else because you’re my sole concern.
Lucy: I adore your personality, James. Your determination is wonderful. I’m certain the Lord admires you too.

Mother,

Certainly, and that’s final. Praise be to the Lord.

To see upcoming RETREATS AND MISSIONS click HERE

Gospel
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 15:29-37

At that time:
Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee,
went up on the mountain, and sat down there.
Great crowds came to him,
having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute,
and many others.
They placed them at his feet, and he cured them.
The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking,
the deformed made whole,
the lame walking,
and the blind able to see,
and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus summoned his disciples and said,
“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
for they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.
I do not want to send them away hungry,
for fear they may collapse on the way.”
The disciples said to him,
“Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place
to satisfy such a crowd?”
Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”
“Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.”
He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.
Then he took the seven loaves and the fish,
gave thanks, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied.
They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full.

The Gospel of the Lord

With eager readiness.

The Lord consistently shows mercy to those in need! We are well aware of this because. He guides us with enthusiasm to serve numerous spouses who need to comprehend the grandeur and beauty of their calling. Many are oblivious to the incredible gift from God and the profound influence of the Sacrament, their ultimate strength.
Primarily, He provides us with the nourishment that satisfies, reaching into eternity.

Applied to married life:

Mary: Is our upcoming weekend unoccupied?
Harry: No, we have a retreat.
Mary: After assisting several guided marriages this week and leading catechesis groups last weekend, it appears we haven’t earned a break.
Harry: Well, Mary, deserving or not is beside the point. We’ve simply fulfilled our duty. We’ve been of service to Our Mother so that She can work in numerous marriages. The Lord is compassionate towards them and requires our assistance. It’s an honor that He trusts our modest abilities. Wouldn’t you agree?
Mary: Indeed, it is. Apologies, it was a moment of weakness. I can’t think of a better way to spend the next weekend. Thank you, Lord, for continuing to rely on these humble instruments of Yours.

Mother,

Here we stand, ready to serve whatever purpose You have in mind. Praise be to Our Lord.

To see upcoming RETREATS AND MISSIONS click HERE

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to Luke
Lk 10:21-24

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Addressed to the “simple-minded.”

While the Lord overlooked the wise, powerful, and prominent, He deliberately chose to reveal His mysteries to us—the “simple-minded,” the seemingly ineffective, the awkward. In doing so, He unveiled insights that many esteemed individuals would have coveted. Praise the Lord!
May we, O Lord, consistently acknowledge our simplicity, clumsiness, and apparent inadequacy, allowing You to continuously illuminate our understanding.

Applied to Married life:

John: Our relationship thrives until we arrogantly assume superior knowledge over each other. It’s at that point that blindness clouds our perception.
Amanda: True. There’s a resistance to feeling humbled within me, which leaves me vulnerable to any actions of yours that might be construed as belittling. That’s when I begin to view you with disapproval.
John: Recognising this tendency is beneficial, as it indicates that the Lord is still guiding you. Undoubtedly, our journey mirrors the path of the cross, akin to any devout Christian.
Amanda: Indeed. Let’s use this Advent season to embrace the humility symbolized by the manger, where the Child will find repose.

Dear Mother,

Although we are feeble and prone to stumble, our love for you and your Son is profound. Mother, do not forsake us. All glory to the Lord, our God.

To see upcoming RETREATS AND MISSIONS click HERE

GOSPEL

Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming
Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark 13:33-37

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man traveling abroad.
He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work,
and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”

The word of the Lord.

Attentive to the “little jet.”

It is necessary to remain in grace so that our actions can have some supernatural value for eternal life. Because it is Sanctifying Grace that God has given us through the merits of Christ for our salvation. If we do not accept His merits, there is no salvation.
To remain in grace, we must be vigilant, attentive to the “little jet” that enters through the crack and precedes the great avalanche of turbid water that will overwhelm us if we do not cut it off at the root as soon as it begins to appear.

Applied to married life:

Marta: Why do you know that you love me?
Carlos: Above all, because I fight for your salvation.
Marta: And what do you do for my salvation?
Carlos: Well, above all, I am attentive not to make it more difficult for you with my sin. Every time I fall into temptation, it is easy for me to drag you into evil as well. Therefore, it is my first obligation: Out of love for you, I would rather die than sin.
Marta: How beautiful! Thank you, Carlos, for loving me so much.

Mother,

Help us to live this Advent as befits such a wonderful event. Thank you, Blessed Mother.