From the Gospel according to Matthew 17:10-13.
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.
Recognizing You in My Husband
Lord, I wonder whether I would have recognized You when You came. And today, do I recognize You in my husband, or do my pride and self-love hide Your presence in him/her? This Advent, I want to learn to see You in my spouse: to speak to him/her with tenderness, to look into his/her eyes and discover there Your gaze. Just as many did not recognize Elijah in John the Baptist because they expected something more spectacular, may we not make the same mistake with You in the everyday.
Saint John Paul II reminded us that husband and wife are a reciprocal gift, a sacrament of Your Love. For this reason, help me to recognize Your ways of reaching me through my spouse, through his/her words, in what he enjoys and what wounds him, in his fragility, and in the small details of daily life.
May I never have to hear: “I sent you a husband as a suitable help, and you did not recognize Me in him/her.”
Lord, this Advent open my eyes and my heart to discover You in my husband and to prepare our hearts together for Your coming.
Saint John Paul II reminded us that husband and wife are a reciprocal gift, a sacrament of Your Love. For this reason, help me to recognize Your ways of reaching me through my spouse, through his/her words, in what he enjoys and what wounds him, in his fragility, and in the small details of daily life.
May I never have to hear: “I sent you a husband as a suitable help, and you did not recognize Me in him/her.”
Lord, this Advent open my eyes and my heart to discover You in my husband and to prepare our hearts together for Your coming.
Applied to Married Life
Miriam: Dan, can we talk about something that’s been on my heart and has worried me a little?
Dan: Of course, sweetheart. Sit down and tell me whatever you need.
Miriam: It’s about our intimacy. I feel that lately we’ve been growing distant… as if our hearts were walking without meeting. It saddens me because I long for us to live a fuller communion.
Dan: Sweetheart, I’ve felt it too. When I come close to you and sense distance, I wonder if your heart no longer wants to unite with mine. And sometimes I fear your silence is a sign that I’m losing you.
Miriam: It’s not rejection, Dan. It’s just that I need to feel your affection and tenderness… that helps me to give myself.
Dan: I understand, Miriam, and I’m sorry for having created distance. When I seek you physically, it’s not only desire; it’s my way of saying, “I need you, I want to unite with you, I want to be one with you.” But when I see you’re tired, I stop… and sometimes I feel frustrated because it seems my desire for communion isn’t welcomed.
Miriam: Oh Dan… I’m so sorry…
Dan: What would help me is that, if you’re not ready, you tell me what you need in order to feel closer. I don’t want to guess or create stories that aren’t real.
Miriam: Of course, Dan. And what would help me is that you show me your affection through small gestures: a hug, a look… without it immediately implying a physical encounter.
Dan: Miriam, thank you for your understanding and for listening to me.
Miriam: Thank you for trusting me with your heart.
Dan: Of course, sweetheart. Sit down and tell me whatever you need.
Miriam: It’s about our intimacy. I feel that lately we’ve been growing distant… as if our hearts were walking without meeting. It saddens me because I long for us to live a fuller communion.
Dan: Sweetheart, I’ve felt it too. When I come close to you and sense distance, I wonder if your heart no longer wants to unite with mine. And sometimes I fear your silence is a sign that I’m losing you.
Miriam: It’s not rejection, Dan. It’s just that I need to feel your affection and tenderness… that helps me to give myself.
Dan: I understand, Miriam, and I’m sorry for having created distance. When I seek you physically, it’s not only desire; it’s my way of saying, “I need you, I want to unite with you, I want to be one with you.” But when I see you’re tired, I stop… and sometimes I feel frustrated because it seems my desire for communion isn’t welcomed.
Miriam: Oh Dan… I’m so sorry…
Dan: What would help me is that, if you’re not ready, you tell me what you need in order to feel closer. I don’t want to guess or create stories that aren’t real.
Miriam: Of course, Dan. And what would help me is that you show me your affection through small gestures: a hug, a look… without it immediately implying a physical encounter.
Dan: Miriam, thank you for your understanding and for listening to me.
Miriam: Thank you for trusting me with your heart.
Mother,
This Advent, teach us to imitate Your humility in our marriage, so that we may open our hearts to Christ and to mutual communion. Blessed and praised are You forever, Lord.