Blessed Are You. Reflection for married couples. John 13:16-20

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Gospel of the day

Gospel according to John 13:16–20
After Jesus had washed the feet of his disciples, he said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, “He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.” I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.’

The Gospel of the Lord

Blessed Are You

Those of us who, as married couples, have taken part in the Proyecto Amor Conyugal retreat and follow the catechesis of Saint John Paul II know how God intended marriage to be. And in this Gospel, it is as if Jesus were saying to us: dear spouses, you know how my Father designed marriage — blessed are you if you put it into practice.
But we cannot do it alone. Without him we can do nothing. Because, through our fallen nature, what comes naturally to us is to want to be served, to fight to be right, to try to dominate the other, to want the other to change.
Let us not betray the one who shares bread with us — our spouse. Instead, let us do as Jesus did: let us wash one another’s feet, giving ourselves in the small details of each day. It is to him that we do it.

Brought down to Married Life

Peter: Emma, I think today I put myself above you…
Emma: Yes, but I also wanted to be right instead of serving you.
Peter: And that is exactly what Jesus speaks about — placing ourselves at the feet of the other.
Emma: Yes, and he says we will be blessed if we put it into practice.
Peter: Sometimes I feel that I give more than you, and that poisons me…
Emma: The same happens to me. I feel it too. And I think that is the trap — staying in what we feel.
Peter: How important it is to trust and to receive one another as a gift from God, to help each other become holy. To purify what is ugly within us by filling our hearts with blessing.
Emma: Even when we fail… to keep choosing one another. It is beautiful to choose to love. We need his help — shall we spend some time praying with this Gospel together?
Peter: Yes!

Mother,

Blessed are you who put into practice all the teachings of the Father.
We enter into your Heart so that you may teach us.

I Give You Everything, I Trust in You. Reflection for married couples. Matthew 11:25-30

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Gospel of the Day

Gospel according to Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

The Gospel of the Lord

I Give You Everything, I Trust in You

My good Jesus, I am tired. And overwhelmed. So many things weigh on me. There is so much I do not understand. Many things hurt me, I struggle to accept them, they seem unfair. And there are so many moments when I fail to love, to excuse… I rebel, I get angry.

You tell me that, to resolve this, I should come to you. And that I should take your yoke. The yoke — like the one for oxen? You say yes, because the yoke makes us walk together with you. With the yoke, we do not separate from you, and you carry most of the weight. But I must allow myself to be led.

And you tell me to learn from you, for you are gentle and humble of heart. To find relief from all this burden, must I become humble? You say yes. That I am overwhelmed because I think too much about myself — what I need, what others do to me, what I deserve… You tell me to stop looking at myself and to look only at you. You give yourself without asking anything in return. You excuse, you embrace, you look at the suffering of others rather than your own. And you trust completely in your Father.

Lord, help me to stop looking at myself and to look at you. To see you in my neighbour. And to entrust everything to you. I give myself, and the rest I leave in your hands.

Thank you, my Jesus.

Brought Down to Married Life

Martha: I am exhausted. I cannot go on. And these past few days you have not stopped complaining about your work. I also have a thousand problems.

Samuel: Can you not put yourself in my place? Nothing is going right for me.

Martha: And do you ask me about my things? Or do you only care about yours? I also have difficult days at work, you know.

(After praying about it and placing it in the Lord’s hands)

Samuel: Martha, forgive me. Jesus tells us, in the face of our burdens, to be humble. And I have realised that I was not being humble. I see my problems as if they were the greatest in the world. I have only been looking at myself. I mistrust, I rely on no one. Christ wants me to stand in truth and to trust in him. To do what is in my hands and leave the rest in his.

Martha: Forgive me as well. I suffer when I see you struggling. Please, rest in the Lord and in me.

Samuel: Yes. I cannot do this alone. I am going to place myself completely in the Lord’s hands. And that means placing myself in yours. I will truly listen to you. I know that if I listen to you and do what you say, the Lord will be able to work in us. At home, I will begin by focusing on you. Let the Lord take care of what I cannot reach.

Mother,

Help me to grow in humility. May I stop looking at myself and look to you and to your Son, models of humility.
Thank you, Mother. Blessed and praised be God.

A Voice That Burns Within. Reflection for married couple. John 10:1-10

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Gospel of the day

From the Gospel according to John 10:1-10

At that time: Jesus said, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’ This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
  So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.’
The Gospel of the Lord

A Voice That Burns Within

My God and my Lord, it is painful to recognise that, through my sin, I can become a thief in the life of my spouse — one who steals, harms and causes damage. Forgive me for “feeding” them with what does not satisfy: my pride, my ideas, my expectations, my insecurities… Teach me to live in inner silence so that I may recognise your voice, and to pray so that my heart may be purified by your blood. Shepherd me, my Jesus. Only in this way will I draw my spouse to you, and together we will pass “through you”, the gate of heaven. Love of all loves, who steals hearts and draws them in: who can resist your burning voice?

Brought down to Married Life

John returns home late at night, once again. He barely greets her. He sits on the sofa and avoids conversation.
Earlier that morning, while praying, something had stirred in the heart of Maria, his wife. In the silence of prayer, she heard a voice — not the voice of hurt, but that of Christ: “John needs my love. What will you give him to drink?”
There is John, sitting on the sofa. Maria feels the impulse to react… but the voice echoes in her heart: “What will you give him to drink?”
Maria approaches him and says:
— You seem very burdened these days. Are you alright?
John replies abruptly:
— Yes, everything’s fine. I’m just tired.
Before, Maria would have insisted with a reproachful tone. Not today. She sits beside him in silence and, after a few minutes, rests her head on his shoulder.
That gesture breaks something.
John sighs… and, without looking at her, says:
— The truth is… I’m quite overwhelmed. Work isn’t going well… and I feel like I can’t keep up with everything.
Maria could take the opportunity to reproach him, but she hears again: “What will you give him to drink?”
Maria says:
— That must be very hard to carry… you’re not alone, my love.
John, breaking into tears, embraces Maria and says:
— Thank you, my love.

Mother,

Teach us to listen to the voice of your Son.
Blessed and praised be he forever,
he who redeemed us by his blood.

Missionary Spouses – Reflection for married couples – Mark 16:15-20

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From the Gospel according to Mark 16:15–20

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

Missionary Spouses

The last time the Lord appeared to His disciples before ascending into Heaven, He said to them: “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Jesus promises salvation to those who believe and are baptised. This is not merely an intellectual faith, but an active and missionary one — a faith that calls us to renounce worldly ways and a life of sin, in order to embrace the ways of the Kingdom of Heaven and a life of grace.

To be baptised is to be converted: to leave behind the old self and be reborn into a new life in the Spirit, as children of God. And He tells us that those who believe will be accompanied by signs: they will cast out demons, speak new tongues and heal the sick.

Spouses, we are called to live as new creations, being reborn together within our marriage. And today we see how the Risen Christ sends us out to proclaim the Good News to the whole world. It is His final command before His Ascension.

Jesus Himself told us: “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (Jn 15:14).

We cannot remain silent!

Let us proclaim to the whole world the joy of the Good News of marriage — announcing it through our witness, through our lives: by welcoming our spouse as a gift, looking upon them with mercy in difficult moments, without demands or reproaches; listening with patience; offering those gestures of tenderness and affection, those kind words that do so much good; asking for forgiveness…

Let us be missionary spouses within our families, and also among our friends, acquaintances, and at work — in all the ordinary realities of our daily lives. That is our world, and that is our mission.

Jesus promises us eternal salvation — what more could we possibly desire?

Brought into Married Life

Mary: I think we should be doing more, Vincent.

Vincent: What do you mean?

Mary: Since we went on the Project retreat and discovered what we are called to, we’ve hardly done anything. We’ve barely changed.

Vincent: But we’ve been going to the parish marriage group meetings! And many days we pray together as a couple. And we’ve been to some Adoration times…

Mary: Yes, but it still feels like very little. During prayer today, I felt that Jesus is asking more of us. He says that those who believe will be accompanied by signs — casting out demons, healing the sick… I see that if someone truly believes, they must put it into action; otherwise, they don’t really believe. He asks us to proclaim the Gospel.

Vincent (teasing): Right… and it also says they will speak new tongues. We don’t speak any new languages — does that mean we don’t believe?

Mary: The language of the world is not the language of love or of the things of the Spirit. That could be the new language.

Vincent: Forgive me, Mary. I’ve just mocked what you were saying — and in the end, I’m the one who looks foolish. I realise you’re right, and that it’s only my laziness that makes me look for excuses.

Mary: You see? You’re already beginning to speak a new language.

Vincent: It’s true — it is a new way of speaking. And you’re right: we’ve discovered the greatness of our marriage. We shouldn’t be afraid to be witnesses of what God is doing in us.

Mother,

Teach us to be living examples of divine love, always doing the will of the Father and proclaiming the Word of the Son without fear of the world or its consequences, but abandoning ourselves to His providence, just as you always did.

Blessed and glorious are you, Mother! May the Lord be praised for ever.

Jesus Remains with Us – Reflection for married couples – John 6:52-59

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From the Gospel according to John 6:52–59

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my Flesh is true food,
and my Blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Jesus Remains with Us

In the Eucharist, Jesus is truly present — His Body, His Blood, His Soul and His Divinity. He is the same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, who preached in Galilee, who suffered, died and rose again in Jerusalem. The Living Bread come down from Heaven, who waits for me, who waits for us, longing to satisfy His thirst for love.

What prevents me from being with Him?

It is clear that my spouse, my children, my parents and my work are duties of my state in life that I must not neglect. But what about the rest of my time? My hobbies, my series, my rest… me, me, me… Where is the Lord who gave His life for me?

Being aware of this — spouses! — let us go more often to the Eucharist, to Adoration, to pray before the Tabernacle. Our eternal life is at stake.

Brought into Married Life

Mary: Hello, Charles — how was your day?

Charles: Hello, my love — exhausting. I’ve had meeting after meeting and hardly even had time to eat.

Mary: Oh dear… what a day. I finished earlier today and was able to spend time with the children, helping them with their homework. My mother picked them up a little while ago and took them to the park for a walk.

Charles: Oh! Then we could make the most of this little bit of time and go to the Eucharist. I didn’t manage it this morning because I got caught in terrible traffic.

Mary: To Mass? But Charles, it’s not Sunday. You know I think it’s wonderful that you go whenever you can, but today I was hoping we could go shopping together. It’s been ages since we last went, and you know how much I enjoy it.

Charles: How about we try to do both? Let’s go to Mass at the parish — it’s just nearby — and afterwards we can head to the shopping centre next door.

Mary: Alright then, but afterwards let’s not rush, agreed?

Charles: That sounds good. I’ll be there with you for as long as you need.

(After Mass)

Mary: My love, shall we go to the park for a little walk with the children? Right now my heart is so full of the Lord, and all I want is to be with you.

Charles: Thank You, Lord… thank you, Mary. There is no better plan.

Mother,

Help us to become ever more aware that your Son is waiting for us in the Eucharist. He is the same Child Jesus whom you cradled in your arms and laid in the manger, offering Him as food for our souls.

Thank you, blessed Mother!