Gospel of the day

From the Gospel according to Luke 6:43-49

Jesus said to his disciples:
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,
but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?
I will show you what someone is like who comes to me,
listens to my words, and acts on them.
That one is like a man building a house,
who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock;
when the flood came, the river burst against that house
but could not shake it because it had been well built.
But the one who listens and does not act
is like a person who built a house on the ground
without a foundation.
When the river burst against it,
it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”

 

Putting the Word into Practice

How important it is to listen to the Word of God! Jesus reminds us of it time and again. When He was asked which was the greatest commandment, before saying you shall love the Lord your God, He first said: “Hear, O Israel.” When Martha tried to criticise her sister Mary for listening to Jesus instead of helping her, He told her that Mary had chosen the better part. And in this Gospel He repeats it once more. Listening to the Word of God is essential for nourishing the spirit: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

But it is not only a matter of listening; we must also put the Word into practice — that is, to carry it in the heart and make it life, to live in accordance with the Word. Jesus calls prudent the one who listens to His Word and puts it into practice, the one who lives according to His teaching; and He calls foolish the one who listens but does not act. He compares the first to a man who builds upon rock, and the second to one who builds upon sand.

And I? What do I do? Do I build my life, my marriage, upon rock, or upon sand? Do I listen to Jesus and put His Word into practice? Do I listen to my spouse? Do I believe that the Lord speaks to me through my husband or wife? Do I try to please them at all times? Do I truly strive to become one flesh with my spouse? Do I make daily spousal prayer and share my intimacy with my husband or wife, seeking true communion?

For that is what Christ reminds us is the essence of marriage as God intended it: “A man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is God’s will for spouses: that they build a true communion.

 

Brought into Married Life:

(Leo sends a voice message to his wife)

Leo: Margaret, I have to accompany the boss to a reception, and we’ll finish late. Don’t wait for me for supper.

(When Leo arrives home, late, Margaret is waiting for him.)

Margaret: Hello, love. Have you eaten? Shall I make you something?

Leo: No need, darling. Thank God they gave us something at the reception. But thank you so much for offering.

Margaret: Do you think we could do our spousal prayer?

Leo: Margaret, sweetheart, it’s past midnight and I’m exhausted. What I need is to rest and sleep.

Margaret: But we didn’t pray yesterday either…

Leo: These are difficult days.

Margaret: Precisely for that reason — this is the moment to persevere, to keep choosing spousal prayer even when it costs us an effort, because we’ve already seen the good it does us. I believe we’re laying the proper foundations of our marriage now; even if the fruits aren’t immediately visible, they are allowing us to build firmly upon them. Look back and see how much we’ve grown as a couple since we began praying together.

Leo: Yes, spousal prayer has really united us.

Margaret: And we’ve also seen the consequences of leaving it aside.

Leo: Yes, the arguments over silly things came back, the resentments, and pride stopped us from recognising one another as the gift we are for each other.

Margaret: Exactly. I don’t want to go back to that again. That’s why I waited for you, even though I’m tired too, so that we can pray before bed and not let two days go by without spousal prayer.

Leo: You’re right, love. It’s the tempter trying to keep us from it, because he knows the good it brings. Thank you so much for your effort and your perseverance. Truly, prayer has changed our marriage, and I don’t want to go back to how it was before either. Let’s do our spousal prayer — I’m sure the Lord will grant us restful sleep afterwards.

(And they persevered in spousal prayer, and built their marriage upon rock, and their marriage grew and bore abundant fruit.)

 

Mother,

Teach us to listen to the Word of God and to live always in accordance with it, as you did — treasuring it in your heart and putting it into practice. Blessed are you, Mother! Praised be the Lord!