Connected hearts. Reflection for married couples. John 15:1-8

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Gospel of the Day
From the Gospel according to John 15:1–8
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch, and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.’

Connected hearts

We live in a culture where immediacy, superficiality and making this reversible prevail; where we try things, change, move from one thing to another and, without realising it, this way of living also seeps into our relationship with God. We are afraid of commitment, and instead we seek experiences that excite us and make us feel something. Yet today the Lord insistently repeats the verb “remain”: “Remain in me.” To remain is not to connect from time to time; to remain is to stay there, in the Heart of Jesus, and from there to live life with Him. This abiding is born from a life of prayer (not merely from moments of prayer), and it also requires an initial effort to avoid distractions and useless thoughts that draw us away from God, efforts to shift the focus away from ourselves and fix our gaze upon the Lord, efforts to keep our minds and affections in His Heart. But little by little, as our soul grows in this union with God, the heart becomes magnetised by the Lord, and a day comes when what is difficult is not thinking of Him and with Him. Then we will be able to say with Saint Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

Applied to Married Life:(Before going to sleep, Martha and Adrian share with one another how their day has been.)
Martha: While working in the flower shop this morning, I was asked to prepare several small bouquets for children making their First Communion… I spent the whole morning making them because there were so many, and as I prepared them, I was praying for each of those children, for those souls who were going to receive the Lord for the first time, asking for the purity of their hearts… then for their parents… I spent the morning in prayer, choosing the loveliest flowers with Our Lady, doing everything “immersed” in her Heart, and together we prepared it all with care and affection…
Adrian: Well… my day was not quite as flowery as yours… rather, the Lord was pruning my pride through a colleague who constantly humiliates me and subtly ridicules me in front of the boss… but interiorly I united myself to the Lord and remembered so many humiliations that He endured… Later, at the Eucharist, I offered this pain they caused me for the salvation of this colleague and for so many souls…
Martha: I give thanks to God for this life of prayer that is drawing us ever closer to Him. How evident His grace is!
Adrian: Absolutely… I also think that committing ourselves to this journey of faith has been a key step for our souls, hasn’t it?
Martha: Yes, completely. Having a concrete path within the Church where we can deepen our prayer life, the sacraments, and our vocation… has helped us not to live a faith only occasionally, but to strive to remain connected at all times to the Heart of Jesus and Mary…
Adrian: I believe that too, Martha. We used to pick here and there according to whatever appealed to us, but we needed to commit ourselves and remain in something concrete within the Church.

Mother,

You who were always united to Jesus, teach us to keep our hearts always connected. Blessed and praised be the Lord who draws us to Himself!

Choose the other. Reflection for married couples. John 14:27-31a

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Gospel of the Day
From the Gospel according to John 14:27–31a
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I will come to you.” If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.’

Choose the other

When we allow the prince of this world to enter our marriage, discussion, coldness, suspicion and judgement inevitably begin to grow. And then two very clear paths present themselves to us: to react from our woundedness or to choose to love, because we love the Father and desire to respond to His love. It only takes one of the two to break that spiral: to renounce being right, to take the first step, to approach with humility and ask forgiveness, to embrace with tenderness, to say a sincere “I love you”… Then something changes, because grace breaks through. And peace comes to that home. Not a superficial peace, but the peace of God: the peace that enlarges the heart, that heals, that restores true joy. A peace that does not depend on circumstances, and which the world can never give us.

Applied to married life

Laura and Matthew had argued over their children’s summer camp. Laura was certain that the best option was to repeat the same one as every year, trusting what was familiar; Matthew, on the other hand, was convinced that they needed something new, to face different people and situations in order to grow in strength. Both defended their positions firmly… until the argument erupted. Voices were raised, words became sharper, and suddenly, silence. A tense, uncomfortable silence that drove them apart, each to opposite ends of the house, hearts heavy. Both knew what had happened. They had given in to temptation: where there should have been communion, division had entered. And this pained them deeply. Separately, they turned to prayer. In the hidden place of their hearts, they allowed the Holy Spirit to show them the path of Love: a path that involves surrendering one’s own judgement, obeying the one we love, seeking communion… and above all, desiring the true good of their children (precisely that for which they had begun to argue). For there is no greater good for a child than to witness the love between his parents. They still did not know what decision they would make. But they both knew that this was not the way. And then, almost at the same time, both stood up. Each, from their own place, decided to move towards the other. And unexpectedly, they met in the middle of the hallway. They looked at one another. They stopped. And on their faces, still weary from the struggle, there appeared the beginning of a smile that surprised them both; the Spirit also draws forth smiles. They each took another step… and embraced. And in that moment, without yet having decided on the camp, they had already chosen what mattered most: to love one another above all else.

Mother,

Teach us that the will of God always passes through sacrificial love and unity. Praised be the Lord!

Always waiting. Reflection for married couples. Matthew 10:17-22

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Gospel of the Day
From the Gospel according to Matthew 10:17-22
At that time: Jesus instructed his Apostles: ‘Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.’
Always waiting

How often we feel troubled, as though the Lord has gone away and we can no longer see Him. Worries, work, countless things to do — and we feel we have no time to be with the Lord. It may seem that He is the one who has gone, when in reality it is we who have drifted away. He tells us that He is “the way, the truth and the life,” yet we become distracted and fail to see Him. Spouses! He is always waiting for us to come and spend that little moment with Him. He is waiting in the Eucharist, waiting for us in prayer, waiting for us in our spouse. Let us set the world aside and enter into His Heart, because He is waiting for us. Only in Him do we find Truth and Life. Only through Him, with Him and in Him will we live fully. Take courage, spouses! Christ is with us.

Applied to married life:

Charlotte: Look, James, I’ve realised that lately I’ve been letting myself get carried away by worldly things.
James: And why do you say that, Charlotte?
Charlotte: Well, while praying yesterday, I realised that I’ve been far too focused on the social events we’ve had, worried about shopping, often for things that were unnecessary. Concerned about details that really are not worth it.
James: To be honest, I have noticed that sometimes you’ve seemed a little absorbed in shopping.
Charlotte: Not only that… I’ve also become attached to certain television series as a way to unwind. I told myself it was just to de-stress.
James: Well, I share that passion for series too, but I’m not quite sure where you’re going with this.
Charlotte: What I mean is that if I devote myself to these things, I neglect what is truly more important — prayer, the Eucharist, even you, my husband. And I start to think that I no longer have time for them, when in fact they are the most important things. Without Him we can do nothing, and He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
James: Now that you mention it, I realise that I too have neglected our journey of faith and have allowed myself to be trapped by the excuse of “I don’t have time.”
Charlotte: Then we need to redirect ourselves and return to our path of holiness and happiness: our Sacrament, prayer, and attending the Eucharist whenever we can. What do you think?
James: I love that. In moments like this, I discover that you truly are the suitable help God has given me to lead me to Him.
Charlotte: And I give thanks to God for the husband He has given me.

Mother,

Watch over us so that we may never drift away from the Lord, and thus journey towards Heaven, where we may all rejoice together giving glory to God. Blessed and praised be the Lord forever!

Dwelling within us. Reflection for married couples. John 14:1-12

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Gospel of the Day
From the Gospel according to John 14:1–12
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’
  Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
  ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.’

Dwelling within us

The love between spouses goes beyond mere feeling. On our wedding day, we committed ourselves to keep our marital promises. I give myself to you and promise to be faithful to you… in health and in sickness… When you are having a difficult day, in moments of weakness… when we wholeheartedly accept and live out these promises, we allow Jesus and the Father to make their dwelling in our marriage, and we allow the Holy Spirit to manifest His gifts in our hearts. This transforms our whole life. The Holy Spirit, who has been present between us since the day we were married, needs us to give Him “permission” through our intention and our actions in order to work within us.

Applied to married life:

Arthur: Lucy, since I became aware that when I promised at our wedding to be faithful to you, it also meant maintaining purity in my actions and in my thoughts, how much my heart has changed! Thank you for how much you have helped me in this.
Lucy: I have changed a great deal too. Before, I often thought badly of you, and that caused my heart to receive you with distrust. I was not being the help God was asking me to be.
Arthur: At first it was very difficult for me, and it was a great struggle, but over time it has become the most natural thing — embracing this logic of God.
Lucy: This is what we saw the other day in the catechesis: when we manage to grow in the virtue of purity, which is usually difficult for us, it disposes us to receive it as a gift of the Holy Spirit, just as today’s Gospel says.
Arthur: What joy that the Holy Spirit has manifested Himself in this. Now that Pentecost is approaching, it is a wonderful time to celebrate it.

Mother,

May we fulfil the commands of Jesus through love, so that He and the Father may make their dwelling in our hearts. Praised be God!

Act as you believe. Reflection for married couples. John 14:7-14

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Gospel of the Day

Gospel according to John 14:7–14
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
  ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.’
The Gospel of the Lord

Act as you believe

In this Gospel, Jesus reveals a central truth of our faith: “whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” In Him, God becomes visible, close, human. Christ does not only speak about God; He shows Him through His very life. And this mystery deeply illuminates the sacrament of marriage: we, as Christian spouses, united in Christ, are called to be a living sign of God’s love. Through the grace of our sacrament, we participate in His love and, as Saint John Paul II teaches, we are called to make the invisible visible.
In our daily lives, through acts of self-giving, forgiveness, and communion, we reflect the true love of God. What greatness in our marital vocation—to be, in the midst of the world, a living reflection of divine love. To be a sign, a presence, and a witness. To be, with humility and truth, a place where our spouse and those around us can glimpse the face of the Father.

Brought Down to Married Life:

Yvonne: James, do you remember when we started praying together? For me it felt natural, but with you it was often difficult.
James: Yes… I really struggled. I felt uncomfortable and even resisted letting you accompany me.
Yvonne: And I, without realising it, sometimes pressured you. I so deeply wanted to bring you closer to the Lord, but I didn’t always do it with the gentleness He would have wanted.
James: That made me close off even more. But over time, through perseverance, the Lord began to change my heart, and I started to see your faith as a gift.
Yvonne: James, and I learned to wait and to trust God more than my own efforts, because I realised that insisting only created resistance.
James: Yvonne, now I understand that God also speaks to me through you, and that letting myself be guided by your hand brings me closer to Him.
Yvonne: And it teaches me to love you with patience, self-giving, and embracing, always trusting in God’s timing.

Mother,

Lead us to the Father through Jesus and guide us to live in His heart and in His works. Blessed and praised be the Lord forever.