GOSPEL

Birth of John the Baptist

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:57-66

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbours, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be? For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Unexpected Turns of the Spirit.

We insist on programming our lives according to our criteria, but God’s plans often take a different path, and I have to be open to it because, as someone once wisely told me, it’s through the unforeseen that the Holy Spirit ‘slips in.’ It is not that, things go well when they go as I had planned, but rather they go well when they happen as God wants. In other words, always.

Applied to Married Life:

Christina: I think my marriage is null. I had imagined something else. I got married thinking he was a knight in shining armour, and I find myself with the ghost of lost causes.

Charles: Well, let’s say you created expectations different from what the reality is. But, do you love your husband?

Christina: I do. However, he doesn’t love me.

Charles: Then accept him as he is and give yourself wholeheartedly, and you will see the work of God in your marriage. Do you want to miss out on that?

Christina: No! Not the work of God.

Charles: Do you think Isabel and Zechariah expected to have the precursor of Christ as their son? No, right? So start doing what you need to do in your marriage and trust. You’ll see how things are much more beautiful than they appear.

Mother,

God’s plans are always more beautiful than ours. We love being in His hands. Praise the Lord.

GOSPEL

The Almighty has done great things for me.

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:46-56

Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.

The Gospel of the Lord

Window to Heaven.

I love the Magnificat because it reveals the inside of Mary’s heart, wide open.

It immerses me in the purity of Love. What an incomparable place. It is the beauty of grace and humility. It is the beauty of the presence of God. Perhaps I could say that Mary’s heart is a window to heaven.

Applied to Married Life:

Becky: Joshua, would you like to join me in glimpsing into heaven?

Joshua: How do we do that?

Becky: By entering into the Heart of Mary. Let’s contemplate the Magnificat together. Mary is full of Grace, the Lord is perfectly in her. Doesn’t that seem like heaven to you?

(Becky and Joshua spent that afternoon contemplating humility, grace, the power of God, His faithfulness, His mercy… Becky and Joshua enjoyed a little bit of heaven that evening.)

Mother,

We want to live with you in heaven already. Let us always be in your heart. Thank you, blessed Mother.

GOSPEL

How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:39-45

Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said,

“Most blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”

The Gospel of the Lord

It’s Mary!

The experience of Elizabeth is familiar to us because we have also felt that joy and a sense of unworthiness in prayer before Mary, the Full of Grace. Who else is better than her to bring us closer to the Lord? Who else is better than her to fill us with the Holy Spirit? It’s Mary!

Applied to Married Life:

Phil: My life has undergone a transformation on all levels since we consecrated ourselves to Mary.

Margaret: I’ve noticed it too. A series of circumstances and events have been unfolding since then, shaping and guiding our lives.

Phil: It’s true that we’ve had to remain faithful to the consecration, trusting in God, like Elizabeth, who remained steadfast in fidelity to God, and He granted her a child when it seemed impossible.

Margaret: Well, it’s true that along the way, God tests our trust. We must continue to stand firm in our faith.

Mother,

How does this happen to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? Blessed are you forever, Mother full of grace.

GOSPEL

You will conceive in your womb and bear a son.

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month, 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

Gentleness

God intervenes directly, changing the course of human history. Here, it is the angel who, by divine command, enters the presence of Mary as the actor in this beautiful scene starring Mary.

The workings of God are incredibly beautiful, displaying an unmatched tact and gentleness. Because God does not use force when He intervenes in our lives. He respects our freedom and invites us to the greatness of our vocation.

Applied to married life

Andrew: I contemplate the beauty of the Annunciation and see gentleness and greatness on God’s part, and delicacy and humility on Mary’s part. But always gentleness.

Julie: Yes, everything that comes from God is infused with charming beauty and harmony. I am amazed when I contemplate them.

Andrew: That’s why I believe that when we are going to communicate something from God to each other, that beauty, humility, and gentleness must necessarily be present. Without these elements, we are not being a channel of God’s grace

Julie: I would be wonderful if we could always uphold that beauty and gentleness. Shall we make it a commitment?

Andrew: Great idea!

Mother,

You captivate me. I could spend countless hours absorbed in this scene. I love you Mother, I love you Lord.

GOSPEL

Gabriel announces the birth of Jhon the Baptist

From the Gospel according to Luke 1:5-25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.

Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”

Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.” Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home.After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”

The Gospel of the Lord

It seemed impossible.

Perhaps God wants to give me the greatest surprise of my life, just as He did with Zechariah, granting him the long-awaited son when they thought it was impossible. And what a son! None other than the greatest man born of woman. But maybe the wonderful story that God has planned for me is clouded by my lack of trust in Him. Perhaps He is waiting for it to appear as an impossible scenario, ensuring that I recognize His hand in it rather than attributing success to my own efforts.

That is my experience. When I thought our love was impossible, when I was unable to solve it on my own and asked for help, He, through Mary, called me to make it new from Him, with Him, and for Him. And He did it, in His own way. Slowly, with different pace between my husband and me, amidst many clumsiness and missteps, we gradually stopped being blind and began to see and live our marriage as God intended. I have no doubts anymore. Just as He transformed my situation, I know He will do it with you. That’s why I have full faith that He will make you experience love as He wants you to, if you are docile, accept His plans, and make a sincere effort. Care to make a bet?.

Applied to married life:

Marcus: Mary, there’s a couple over there with a lot of problems and many wounds. They are suffering a lot.

Mary: I’ll talk to them, don’t worry.

(A few days later)

Marcus: Mary, did you manage to talk to that couple?

Mary: Yes, but unfortunately, there seems to be no solution.

Marcus: Didn’t you mention that the Lord can make all things new?

Mary: Indeed, but they must be open to humble their pride. The only barrier to God entering is a hardened heart, one that no longer believes in anything and relies solely on reason—a heart that thinks the solution lies outside of itself. They need a softened heart, a contrite and humble heart that God does not despise.

Marcus: They are my friends. Let me talk to them.

(A few months later)

Marcus: Mary, they’re ready. With the help of the Spirit, I managed to help them understand that if they continue on this path, they will continue to experience sadness, pain, and lack of love. They are eager to have a wonderful marriage but don’t know how. They are willing to let themselves be guided by us and, above all, by the grace of God.

Mary: Hallelujah! They are saved! Let’s go for it. I’ll call them today. The Lord will work wonders for them.

Mother,

We often see ourselves as the main character of our story, yet the true protagonist is the Lord. Understanding this has been crucial in our life as spouses. The moment I shift my perspective from viewing my husband as an obstacle to following Your instructions, “Do whatever He tells you,” is the day the miracle begins. A love is born within us that serves as the precursor to “The Love” that will follow. Praise be to the Lord, who has been great and generous to us. Amen.