GOSPEL

Jesus will be born from Mary, betrothed to Josep, son of David.

From the Gospel according to Matthew 1:18-24

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Welcome what comes from God.

Today the Gospel tells me to not be afraid and welcome what God wants to convey to you through your spouse, because it comes from the Holy Spirit. Name it according to Holy Scripture or Doctrine to ensure that it comes from the Holy Spirit, and if it is consistent with the Truth, embrace it without fear. If not, ask yourself what God wants from that situation He has allowed.

All this will happen to fulfill the truth of the Sacrament of Marriage, through which my spouse is a minister of God’s grace for me. That is my vocation, just as Joseph’s was to be the husband of Mary and the father of Jesus, to fulfill the scripture.

Applied to married life:

Helen: Yesterday, in our marital embrace, you asked me for something that I believe is inconsistent with the dignity of the children of God. I wondered what God wanted from that situation, and I realized that I had to talk to you about the wonderful dignity you have. In addition to being a child of God, a temple of the Holy Spirit, bought at the price of Christ’s Blood, you are a minister of God’s grace for me. I wanted to remind you of this so that you keep it in mind at all times. You are a minister of God’s grace for me, and I am attentive to what you say or do or ask of me, because I hope that you truly are. I ask that whenever you act with me, it be in accordance with the immense dignity that God has conferred upon you.

Peter: You are right, Helen. Thank you for telling me. Your words come from God and,  are clearly for me. Thank you for being His mediator. I am very grateful to God for having you, and I promise to respond to this wonderful gift with the dignity it deserves.

Helen: Thank you for embracing this message with such opennes,  for your simplicity and nobility. I wouldn’t have welcomed it with such humility. Now you are truly being a witness to God’s action for me. Thank you.

Mother,

May we always be attentive to God’s voice, discerning the circumstances or advice we receive. Once discerned that it comes from God, may we be open to doing what He asks, however strange it may seem to us at times. With this simplicity, we are ready to welcome the Child Jesus with everything He wants to bring into our lives. Praise be to God.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to John
Jn 1:6-8, 19-28

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not. “Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”

So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’” as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Gospel of the Lord.

The bar is set so “low.”

I am not the Messiah either. And you? If the Lord, who is so great… so great… so great… clothes Himself in a piece of bread and allows Himself to be consumed, what should I, who am so small… so small… so small… do? As things are I am not to complain, not to demand that I be valued, it seems to me.

John´s confession should be made by me every minute of my life, in every good act, to acknowledge that it is not me who does it but Christ who is the source of all good. He, whom I don’t even deserve to unstrap the sandals of, a typical task of a slave in that era. I don’t deserve to be His slave, and yet, He completely gives Himself to me.

Before Him, I present myself every day so that He allows Himself to be consumed. And I am ashamed of my ridiculous pride, and I marvel at His divine humility.

Here we wait for You, King of Kings, with the empty manger of our soul and our heart.

Applied to Married Life:

Sharon: What are you doing, Andy?

Andy: I am counting the times I have put myself above Our Lord.

Sharon: And how is the count going?

Andy: Well, I see that there are fewer grains of sand on the beach than acts of pride on my part. I don’t know what to do now with all this, because Christmas is in a few days. What do I offer to the Baby Jesus?

Sharon: How sweet you are. You are becoming more and more like a child. I believe you can offer the Lord this feeling of yours. He will love it.

Mother,

The Lord has set the bar so “low” that it makes it impossible for us to lower ourselves and stand behind Him. What great greatness there is in His humiliation. Praise be to the Father who sent Him to be a Witness of His love for us.

Gospel

Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him.

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Mt 17:9a, 10-13

As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”
Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Apparent Failures.

There is an experience that identifies a similarity between St. John the Baptist and Jesus, and it is that, in both cases, people did to them as they pleased. It is clear to us that, through that path, they renewed everything. Each one at their level: St. John as a precursor and Jesus as a Redeemer, but it is no coincidence that people did to both of them as they pleased.

Perhaps I may decide to join the group of those who collaborate in the renewal of everything, but perhaps I hadn’t considered this as the true path.

The challenge for this Advent is this: From today until the coming of the Child, let us be like St. John and let them do with us as they please.

Applied to Married Life:

Declan: What do these words suggest to you? Henpecked, submissive, intimidated…

Lucy: It sounds like someone ridiculous, a bit foolish. Why?

Declan: Because to me, they sounded the same as to you. But reading today’s Gospel, it seems that letting people do with you as they please for the love of God dignifies you.

Lucy: Why do you say that?

Declan: To St. John the Baptist and Jesus, those in power did as they pleased. The apparent defeat turned into a triumph for heaven. If that’s the case, I also want to be a failure, even if it hurts pride.

Lucy: Even if it hurts pride, indeed. That is the necessary sacrifice in the name of love, for the redemption of the world.

Mother,

To lose to win for God. That’s what we want. To Him all the Glory and Praise for all eternity.

Gospel

From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 11:11-15

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Peace amid violence.

The Lord has sown in us the seed of the kingdom of Heaven, but this seed placed in our soul undergoes violence. We live, and we must inevitably experience the great tribulation because only the grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies bears abundant fruit. Let us not expect to bear fruit without the cross, for only through the humiliation of giving everything I am, as Jesus does in the manger, will Life come through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Applied to married life:

Toni: If God loves us so much, why does He allow us to suffer?

Louise: Because we have to strip ourselves of everything to welcome the All. Removing what points to me to point entirely to Him and thus to you. And that hurts.

Toni: It’s easy to say, but indeed, it’s challenging.

Louise: He makes it simple; it is us who make it complicated. As St. Augustine said: Love and do what you will. So, entrust yourself to Him, and everything will be set in order in your heart. It is His promise.

Mother,

May we be instruments of peace in the midst of the violence that the kingdom of Heaven undergoes. Praise the Lord.

Gospel
From he Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 11:28-30

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Tireless.

There is an infused or supernatural virtue for each natural virtue. One of the characteristics that those virtues have is that they do not get tired. They are the ones that allow us to forgive without limits, believe without limits, hope without limits… Because it is not us who carry out those acts, it is the force of supernatural Grace that does it through the merits of Christ. This how I will know if I did it or if it was God who did it.

Applied to Married life

Robert: I’m tired of trying. I make effort after effort but I make no progress to grow in virtue.
Helen: That’s because you’re trying alone. Ask for God´s grace each time, convinced that it will assist you and you will see how things change.
Robert: I don’t think that by asking for grace things will happen magically.
Helen: Well, that’s the problem, since you don’t believe, the Lord can’t help you. Keep putting in all your effort, but now trust in God´s Grace and you will see the results. Not quickly, but little by little you will see them. Shall we bet?
Robert: If it´s like this, I´m coming with you every day to the Adoration.
Helen: Deal! Book it in your agenda. Ha ha ha

Mother,

How much time and effort spouses waste by not coming to you. You wishing to pour Graces and them forgetting that you are there waiting for them. Thank you Blessed Mother.