Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
“The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”

Then he said to his disciples,
“The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Jesus tells us: “The kingdom of God is in your midst.” He also said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” and “I will send you my Spirit.”

Through baptism, the kingdom of Heaven is present in our soul by grace. Through the sacrament of marriage, the kingdom of Heaven is present in us, and we make it manifest in our home and in society, provided we remain in grace.

Every time spouses act in self-giving and welcome each other, we make the kingdom of Heaven present. What a marvel to be able to taste in advance what we will live in eternity!

Saint Teresa of Jesus wrote in The Way of Perfection:
“Oh, my daughters! Look at what your Spouse asks of you: that we ask Him to bring His kingdom. Know that this kingdom of God begins now in us; for when we love God, He reigns in our souls.”

Let us love God in our spouse, and we will live in the kingdom of Heaven.

Brought Down to Married Life

Martha: I really enjoy that we pray the Rosary together every day — and when the children join us, it’s wonderful.
Tony: Yes, it really is. Remember how we used to rush through it, squeezing it in whenever we could, without paying much attention to what we were saying?
Martha: Now it’s different, isn’t it? We pray more slowly, putting our hearts into the words and thinking of whom we’re speaking to. Many times I feel moved and filled with joy during those prayers. It feels like being in heaven.
Tony: I feel the same. It’s true we take longer now because we pray more slowly — haha! — but I look forward to our daily encounter with Mary, reliving the life of Jesus with her.

Mother,

Pray the Our Father with us, and teach us to say it with love and attention. What a wonderful prayer Jesus taught us!
Blessed be You!

Thank You, Lord, because once again You put us in our place and show us the path to true happiness.
Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Martin of Tours, whose life is a true example for us. He refused to take part in a final battle that would have earned him military distinction and promotion. Instead of seeking recognition and glory, he chose to become a soldier of Christ, leaving those “honours” to the world. Saint Martin knew what truly mattered.

How often do we feel entitled to a reward for something we’ve done, or seek gratification for simply doing our duty?
In this Gospel, the Lord makes it very clear that we were born to serve, not to be recognised.
Jesus Himself, being God, chose to lead by example — and there are countless moments in Scripture where He humbled Himself, taking the lowest place, placing Himself beneath all others.

As husbands and wives, we are called to do the same: to serve humbly, in silence, in hidden ways, giving all the glory to God.

Forgive Always

In this passage, the Lord teaches us how we should respond to offense.
When we are hurt, there is only one true response: to forgive.

Forgiveness does not mean forgetting or denying the wound. It means recognising the pain and deciding to heal it rather than letting it destroy the heart.
To forgive is not weakness but an act of great strength — one that prevents harm from ruling the relationship and allows love to keep growing.

It is an ongoing journey, because living together reveals the fragility of both hearts and demands forgiving many times, with patience and humility.
True forgiveness requires truth, dialogue, and a sincere commitment to change. It is not about keeping silent to avoid conflict but about healing together.

And the Lord shows us that, to reach this kind of forgiveness, we must rely on Him — have faith that with Him, even the greatest offenses can be forgiven.
Whoever knows they are loved and forgiven by God can also forgive and begin anew.

Let us walk this path of true forgiveness, because without it, no marriage can endure.

Brought Down to Married Life

Lewis: Anna, I still struggle to forgive you for what happened a few years ago.
Anna: I know, Lewis; you’ve told me many times. I truly regret it, and I’ve asked for your forgiveness again and again. I also tried to explain that it happened at a time when I was under a lot of pressure and let myself be poorly advised. I asked the Lord for forgiveness too — and He has forgiven me.
Lewis: The thing is, sometimes the memories come back, and I realise I still feel resentment.
Anna: My love, I know forgiveness also requires repair. And over these years, I’ve tried to make amends — by being more gentle, by trying to embrace your weaknesses and failings, and by learning to forgive you too when you hurt me. But your forgiveness is an act of your will, and only you — with the Lord’s help — can achieve it.
Lewis: Thank you, because I see now that what you’re saying is true. And thank you for reminding me that forgiveness is also a gift, one I must keep asking the Lord for. I want to forgive you — and by doing so, I want to be free from this weight that has enslaved me for years.
Anna: Thank you, my love. The very desire to forgive me is already a sign of forgiveness. I’m deeply grateful for that.

Mother,

Give us a humble heart to correct with love,
and a generous heart to forgive truly.
Praised be the Lord forever, and blessed be our Mother always.

Balancing Petty Accounts

We are temples of the Holy Spirit, yet we constantly allow “inner merchants” to enter: thoughts, affections, desires… turning the soul into a marketplace where everything is up for negotiation.
Even marriage can be lived that way: “I’ll give you if you give me — and that way, we keep the balance.”

But God’s way of keeping accounts doesn’t follow that logic.
For one lost sheep, He leaves the ninety-nine.
He pays the first and the last worker the same wage.
He feeds more than five thousand people with five loaves and two fish.

His zeal for the holiness of the temple —which we are— consumes Him. And while we remain trapped in our own calculations, God suffers, because He longs to restore what has fallen into disorder within us… and He counts on us to do so.

And what about us? We go on with our own business, counting and keeping score.

Brought Down to Married Life

(Laura and Andrew, driving home after Sunday Mass)

Laura: You know what? I need to ask your forgiveness.
Andrew: Oh? What for?
Laura: Sometimes I feel like I’m always giving and never receiving anything back. I expect your attention, your thoughtfulness, your time…
Andrew: Nothing? But I work all day so that nothing’s missing at home.
Laura: Let me finish, Andrew. Today, in the second reading, I heard: “No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” And I asked myself, how can I make Christ the foundation? Then, during the Eucharist, it became so clear: He does everything. And how can He, if I’m the one constantly doing, never leaving Him any space?
Andrew: I didn’t know you felt that way. I feel exhausted too. Sometimes I think, “What about me? Nobody sees what I do.”
Laura: My love, I think we need to stop and rediscover who we are by getting to know Him. I love you deeply, but the moment we stop looking at Him, we start looking at ourselves — and worse, at what you do or fail to do.
Andrew: Well, what can I say? It hurts that you don’t see what I do.
Laura: Forgive me, Andrew, for not seeing it. I’m sorry.

(Later, Laura in personal prayer)

Laura: Thank You, Lord, for showing me the truth about myself and for placing in my heart the joy of discovering Your plan.
I offer You my pain over Andrew’s lack of understanding, so that through Your sacrifice You may turn my tears into nourishment for my soul.
May my heart be Your dwelling place, where my senses, feelings, and understanding become Yours, so that I may do only the will of our Father.
Amen.