Thank you for your testimony. Reflection for Marriages. Matthew 5:43-48

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GOSPEL

Love your enemies.

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 5:43-48

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you ,that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The word of the Lord.

Thank you for your testimony.

Perhaps, this way of loving is the one that should most differentiate us as Christians, and it is the one that allows us to bear witness to Christ before the world. Because if we love those who love us, what differentiates us from non-believers? Being in God’s image and acting in His likeness is what keeps us still His children in the Son.

Grounded in Married Life:

Eduardo: Yesterday I was asked by a wife whose husband had left her, if she could come to the Proyecto Amor retreat Conjugal with another partner.

Valeria: And what did you say to her?

Eduardo: I told her that we do not exclude anyone, because many of those who are doing it could be in that same situation if the Virgin had not rescued them; therefore, that we understand it perfectly, but that this retreat is to make the most of the sacramental grace of marriage and that only those who can access that grace can come. Nor can a nun or a bachelor come, no matter how holy they may be.

Valeria: The truth is that there have to be very hard situations, but there are husbands who have been abandoned and who continue to give their lives for their spouses. A precious mission that deserves a life, because Christ remains between them and their spouses and we cannot abandon Christ. It is a mission for holiness that of those who are separated or divorced and faithful to the bond, which can only be understood from the eyes of Christ who came into the world and his own did not receive him, and in response to that rejection, gave his life for them.

Eduardo: What a great opportunity to be with Him and live this situation in Him. What a marvel of a mission, what a great dignity that of those who live it. We thank God for his great witness of life, worthy of a Saint. May He bless you.

Mother

Your Son was taken from you and you continued to love those who condemned Him and executed Him. That is why you are the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church. Thank You, Blessed Mother, for Your witness. Amen

Love that gives freedom. Reflection for Marriages. Mt 5:38-42

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GOSPEL OF THE DAY

 

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Mt 5:38-42

 

Jesus said to his disciples:

“You have heard that it was said,

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil.

When someone strikes you on your right cheek,

turn the other one to him as well.

If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic,

hand him your cloak as well.

Should anyone press you into service for one mile,

go with him for two miles.

Give to the one who asks of you,

and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

 

The Gospel of the Lord

 

Love that gives freedom

 

If I apply this Gospel to myself and imagine also giving the mantle to the one who wants to take my tunic, I may feel a little stupid. But if I stand on the side of the one who is taking the other’s tunic, then suddenly I see that he not only gives me the tunic without resisting, but also gives me his cloak, I may be upset and converted. That’s what Jesus did for me. The overabundance of it makes me feel confused and converts me.

 

Landed to married life:

 

He got up in a bad mood. It is one of those days when he wakes up with the idea that everything is wrong and something must be done to make it better. From time to time, he would refer to me as the responsible for many of the things that have not been working properly.

 

I not only didn’t respond, but I decided to be more attentive. I made him breakfast, I have been looking after him all morning. Always in a good mood, always that person of mercy of someone who sees others suffering and would like to do something so that they would stop suffering.

 

In the afternoon we went to Mass. There he asked me for forgiveness. He hugged me and kissed me at the moment of Peace be with you.

 

Only abundance of love frees and transforms people, it is Love that does it as it did in Christ for me. Free yourself!

 

Mother, 

 

Love is stronger than pride, selfishness, vanity… it is stronger than death. With the Love of God as our weapon, we can do everything. There are many marriages that have been transformed by the “disproportionate” or abundance of love of one of the two in a couple. It is not enough to endure, love is generous, super abundant. Many times I have experienced how, by loving my husband when he is not kind to me, I can heal him. Praise the Lord who opens our eyes to understand the truth of love. Amen.

 

Do You Want to Be a Miracle? Reflection for marriages: Mark 4:26-34

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GOSPEL

The kingdom of God is a mustard seed growing into the biggest shrub of all
From the Gospel according to Mark 
Mk 4:26-34

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’
  He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’
  Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.

The Gospel of the Lord
Do You Want to Be a Miracle?

Just two ideas. First: We are immersed in a story of Creation and Salvation, led by the Holy Trinity. Let us trust in Them, in Their plan and Their strength, and we will see great fruits in time if we also sow with our daily efforts.
The second idea is that our contribution, even if we give it our all, is very small and not worth much. But united with Christ, that small and weak offering becomes great and powerful.

Applied to Married Life:

Alfred: Darling, let’s be conscious of the strength of the Sacrament that unites us and strive to make the most of it with faith and hope. I am sure, Jenny, that our marriage can become holy if we follow this path.
Jenny: It’s true, Alfred, that nowadays there is a tendency to overvalue human strength through science, technology, and various techniques, while the power of grace and the Sacraments is often underestimated. We need to make an effort to be guided by faith in what is unseen, which is much more effective than what is seen.
Alfred: The only way to demonstrate it is through experience. When something small becomes great without explanation, there is no other conclusion than to think it is a miracle, and only God performs miracles. Will you join me in being a miracle for the glory of God?
Jenny: I’m in! Of course.

Mother,
Help us to show how the seed of the Sacrament builds many holy marriages. All for the greater glory of God. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

That transparency of yours. Reflection for Marriages. Matthew 5:33-37

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From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 5:33-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the Evil One.”

Word of the Lord

That transparency of yours.

Let your speech be yes, yes; no, no. We are required to be sincere and honest. Sincerity involves two virtues: humility, because to be sincere I must first know myself, and the virtue of justice, because God is truthful and asks us to give to each person what He wants to administer to them at each moment.

It is important to be sincere so that others can trust us, and when we bear witness, they will believe that we also speak the truth.

Grounded in Married Life:

Isabel: When you tell me about your weaknesses, your blunders, and even your little sins, you give me a lot of confidence. I don’t trust those who always speak well of themselves, because that’s not real.

Tomás: I want to present myself to you as I am. Besides, if I want you to help me, how can you do it if you don’t know my whole truth?

Isabel: That also dignifies you because you are open to my help. That transparency of yours is one of the things I admire most about you and that makes me fall even more in love with you.

Tomás: Thank you, Isabel. I love knowing that you love me just as I am. You make everything so easy for me.

Mother,

We are small and clumsy, but we follow you with our “yes” day after day. Help us to be faithful to our commitment. Amen.
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It’s amazing. Reflection for Marriages. Matthew 5:27-32

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From the Gospel according to Matthew

Mt 5:27-32

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

“It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Word of the Lord.

It’s amazing.

Man and woman were created from the beginning to become one through a love of communion. Desire is naturally present because it is part of our psychosomatic structure, and our bodies were created to provoke a perpetual attraction between the sexes. Additionally, the rest of our masculinity and femininity were created for that attraction, and even inscribed in our hearts is a desire for spiritual union. Many marriages need a path of conjugal spirituality, and when they find it, they discover what truly satisfies them.

The truth is that inscribed in our hearts is a desire to give ourselves and to give our lives. The greatness of the man-woman relationship lies in responding to this call to total mutual self-giving. We usually admire those who give themselves body and soul to a mission. That is why marriage is so admirable; it evokes the admiration of children, young people, and everyone around us. Deep down, it is what everyone who shares this vocation desires more than anything else.

Grounded in Marital Life:

Alberto: Do you know that since you and I have been trying to live our marriage as God intended, many people who know us come to me for advice?
Marta: True marriage is super attractive. It’s difficult because we are selfish and proud, and it’s hard for us to give everything to each other. But when you do it and God’s love is activated between us, it’s truly beautiful.
Alberto: How is it possible that such a beautiful creation of God has become so degraded among people that it is seen as something enslaving or limited to sexual relations? It’s so crude…
Marta: That’s why we have the responsibility to evangelize by showing God’s work between us. Such love shines brighter than the stars.
Alberto: You shine brighter than the stars.
Marta: Hahaha. Will you let me get lost in your galaxy?
Alberto: Hahaha, you’ll have a hard time getting lost because my galaxy has only one star… and it’s the most beautiful of all. Impossible to miss it.
Marta: I love you.

Mother,

Thank the Father on our behalf for this gift of marriage and the Son for the gift of the Sacrament, which is already amazing. Praise be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
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