GOSPEL

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you

From the Gospel according to John. Jn 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Spousal Priesthood.

Christ is the eternal Priest, and He asks us to love one another as He loves us. It is time to put in practice the priesthood of the laity. It is time to offer ourselves in sacrifice, remaining in Him, united to His sacrifice. That is marriage: to give ourselves to each other as He gave Himself to us. From there, all the fruits will emerge.

Applied to married life:

Theresa: This Christianity thing boils down to one thing: Do you love Christ? Surrender yourself to Him. 

Rapha: And this marriage thing boils down to one thing: Do you love your spouse? Then surrender yourself to him or her. 

Theresa: It’s clear. And it is love that moves us to surrender. Otherwise, it’s not love. 

Rapha: And that love is given by the Holy Spirit. We understand that, right? So let’s not be surprised by the consequences then. 

Theresa: May the Lord help us on our journey. 

Rapha: May He help us, indeed. We need to stay very close to Him.

Mother,

Love is the key to everything. It is what enables us to surrender. We want to grow in love. Help us, Mother.