GOSPEL
It is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven
From the Gospel according to John
Jn 6:30-35
The people said to Jesus, ‘What sign will you give to show us that we should believe in you? What work will you do? Our fathers had manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’
Jesus answered:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven,
it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven,
the true bread;
for the bread of God
is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.’
‘Sir,’ they said ‘give us that bread always.’ Jesus answered:
‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.’
The Gospel of the Lord
Satisfy my needs.
Yes, I am hungry, a hunger within that is only satisfied by you, Lord. It is the hunger for true love in my marriage; the hunger to break free from routine to live each day with a renewed marriage; it is the hunger for you to deliver me from the evil that imprisons me, self-destructs me, and hurts my husband. Give me your Bread of Life in the Eucharist, satisfy those spiritual needs that unsettle me. Through Your Marriage with the Church, you saved us. Through ours, you make us holy. Praise be to the Lord.
Applied to Married Life:
Olga: I don’t know what your religion brings to you. To me, it’s brainwashing. They’ve got you all brainwashed. You need to be more modern.
Mario: Do you really want to know? I can tell you about my experience, but you have to be sincerely open.
Olga: Sorry, I am open. I have no prejudices.
Mario: Great. I’ll tell you what has happened in my marriage since we embarked on our faith journey together. These are real experiences because you’ve spent a lot of time with us and you know there’s been a change.
Olga: That’s true.
Elena: Well, the Lord is teaching us to love, and in our intimacy with Him, He is mysteriously transforming our love. And I have to tell you like this because that’s how it’s been. I no longer see my marriage as a prison, but as a liberation from my whims, my selfishness, my false securities; I don’t see it as a trap I fell into by mistake, but as a test that makes me strong, that gives meaning to my life; it’s not a burden for me, but a grace that allows our love to spread to our children and beyond; I also don’t see it as the effort of two, but as a vessel being filled with God’s Love, through which He acts and performs His divine works. I don’t know, I wish I could express it better, but that’s the most I can say.
Olga: (Moved)
Elena: Hey! Olga, what’s wrong, dear?
Olga: I want to live what you both are living.
Mario: Don’t worry… You’re thirsty for Love, it’s normal, and it’s within your reach. You can live it. Come with your husband, and my wife and I will help you. By God’s Grace, we’ve become Marriage Mentors, serving other marriages.
Mother,
The Eucharist, what a great nourishment! Our sacrament united with that of Redemption, what Divine Grace! What nourishment these sacraments from the side of Christ are. Praise be to the Lord for His Abundant Mercy. Amen.