GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to John
Jn 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you.”

Word of the Lord.

Truth does not come from Google.

How beautiful it is that Jesus always considers the Father and the Spirit when He speaks. He does not only convey information but also love, courtesy, unity.
To delve into the truth, we need the Holy Spirit to communicate it to us. Therefore, let us be wary of guides who do not pray. Dear married couples, tutors, and guardians, let us rely more on prayer, for it is the Holy Spirit who guides us to the truth. All Truth comes from the Father, and what does not come from Him is not true. To decide what I need to do in our daily life in marriage, pray a lot. To know how to help my husband, pray a lot. To help other spouses, pray a lot. Prayer, Sacraments, giving and receiving in marriage… everything that attracts the Spirit of Truth, to be in the truth.

Applied to married life:

Ramón (Julia’s husband): Going to play golf on Sundays, I don’t think it’s wrong, right? Sports are good, and besides, it relaxes me.
Julia: After working outside all week, he spends Sundays with friends. I don’t know how to give up without resignation. Deep down, I am left with an internal burden that later takes its toll on me.
Andrés (Laura’s husband): I think our problem is that my wife is unbalanced. If she calmed down a bit… maybe with a little pill…
Laura: I don’t understand why I had to end up with such an unbearable in-law family. I married my husband, not his family, right?
Jaime (Ángela’s husband): Besides the rosary, do we have to pray the Gospel every day? Seems like an exaggeration to me. We should be more normal…
Ángela: My husband does not accompany me in matters of faith. Should I sign up to be a catechist if he does not share this decision? Yesterday I suggested praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in the car, and you should have seen how he reacted…
Married Tutor: To discern correctly, pray more, pray a lot together, spouses.

Mother,

It’s impressive how much wisdom the Holy Spirit has left in the Church throughout the centuries. Why do we often live as if we have to rediscover the truth from scratch? Why don’t we rely on Him to make our decisions or to clarify reasons that lead us to unfruitful arguments? The Father gives us the gift of Wisdom through the Spirit, and we seek it on Google. Praise be to God who shares everything and does not keep anything for Himself, as far as we are capable of understanding. Amen.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to John
Jn 16:5-11

Jesus said to his disciples:
Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

Word of the Lord.

Our task.

Human justice unjustly condemned the Lord. Divine justice will prevail in the end, and every sin will be revealed, and condemnation will come to the prince who rules this world. Therefore, it is not up to me to administer justice; that is the Lord’s task. Meanwhile, our task is to mutually save each other through our surrender.

Applied to Married Life:

Juanjo: Lord, for many years I have judged and condemned my wife for each of her sins, but now that I know you, Lord, I want to offer myself for her so that you do not hold her accountable for the suffering she has caused me and only see every single one of her acts of surrender, which have been many.
Marisa: Lord, for many years I have been very attentive to the pain in my heart from the wounds inflicted by my husband. But now, Lord, before Your Sacred Heart, I ask you to forget all his lack of charity and only see how much he has always wanted to love me. I offer myself for his salvation.
(And the Sacred Heart of Jesus is consoled in heaven)

Mother,

We love each other and want mutual redemption. We will live for that purpose. Praise be to the Holy Spirit.

GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to John
Jn 15:26—16:4a

Jesus said to his disciples:
When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.

I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you.

Word of the Lord.

Truth or domination

refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth. In the catechism (No. 1606), under the section ‘Marriage under the bondage of sin’, it speaks of the threat to the union of man and woman by, among other things, the ‘spirit of domination’. Let’s reflect: Which of the two ‘spirits’ do I allow to govern my marital relationship? The spirit of domination or the Spirit of truth? The Spirit of truth comes from God, not from us. He is the advocate, and He is the one who changes people: ‘…He will testify about me; and you also will testify,’ says the Lord. He ‘christifies’ us, making us more and more like Christ. Let’s allow God to be God.

Applied to married life:

Julio: I’m worried because I feel like we’re stuck and not making progress.
Marta: Don’t worry, Julio. We are in the hands of the Lord. We are consecrated to Him and we entrust everything to Him. The Spirit will guide our lives. We’ve experienced it before. How many times has the Lord placed the person who needed us the most by our side? How many times has He resolved our needs by moving the hearts of others? How many times has He rescued us with a word from a friend, from a priest…
Julio: It’s true. Since forever, but especially since we consecrated ourselves to the Heart of Jesus through Mary, we look back and see God’s providential hand in our entire lives. We trust in Him!

Mother,

It’s true that many times we don’t understand God’s plans, but it’s part of the test. We have only this life to prove our faith and our trust in Him. Make us not falter. Praise be to the Lord who never abandons us and sent us His Spirit.

GOSPEL

From the Gospel according to John

Jn 15:18-21

Jesus said to his disciples:

“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;

but because you do not belong to the world,

and I have chosen you out of the world,

the world hates you.

Remember the word I spoke to you,

‘No slave is greater than his master.’

If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,

because they do not know the one who sent me.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Worldly to God.

The problem isn’t the World, but being worldly: From the worldly perspective, someone without ambition is a failure, someone who humbles themselves is foolish, someone who serves is weak, and someone who seeks inner growth is either a burden or enlightened. But blessed be God, because to them, to the “foolish, weak, enlightened…” belongs the Kingdom of Heaven in their marriage and in their home. They are the ones who can expect more. You, Lord, urge us towards a greater, eternal aspiration.

Applied to married life:

Antonio comes home late every day, and when he arrives, his heart and mind are still at work. There are rumours of a promotion, and he wants it.

Marta, his wife, was chosen by the Lord, taken away from the world three years ago. She no longer has her heart set on fashion, decoration, or herself. Additionally, she requested reduced hours to spend more time with her family.

No one around her seems to understand her. Her friends criticise her and constantly tell her that religion is fine, but there’s no need to take it too seriously. Her own family doesn’t approve of her giving up her career while Antonio keeps climbing the corporate ladder. They worry that he might look down on her and meet someone more ambitious, leaving her with nothing.

Marta finds consolation in prayer, realising that Jesus experienced misunderstanding, criticism, even persecution… This comforts Marta and helps her understanding that it’s part of building a Kingdom based on love, service, and surrender… in the centre of this world. Marta has kept Jesus’ words in her heart and shares them with Antonio. Antonio respects her, but he hasn’t quite kept Jesus’ words in his heart.

When Marta talks to him about not letting his heart be so focused on work and how his family needs him, Antonio shows a dismissive attitude… Marta doesn’t get angry; she understands that her husband doesn’t see it. She has also seen Jesus asking the Father for forgiveness for those who are blind, unable to see Him. Marta trusts in Jesus. She knows He is the way and offers her pain with a smile, all for her husband’s conversion.

After two years, Antonio begins to pay attention to the Word of God more and more. Months go by, and Marta has seen him reading it and seeking answers for himself. Over time, Antonio listens to Marta, and Marta listens to Antonio. They both speak the language of Love now; it’s the power of the Holy Spirit that makes any sacrifice possible… Glory to God!

Mother,

I thank you because the Lord has chosen us. Blessed be You, Lord, for all the good You give us. I ask that You also choose (name marriages in need). Amen.