Gospel of the Day
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll, and found the place where it was written,
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
And he rolled up the scroll, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ And all spoke well of him and marvelled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth.
The Today of the Gospel is not only liturgical; it is also everyday. Christ longs to continue proclaiming the Good News to the world, to our family, and very concretely within our marriage. Our marriage is called to be a place of liberation, a place where we can open our hearts and share ourselves as we truly are, with the freedom to speak knowing that our words will be received with loving attention.
A place where words heal rather than judge, criticise, or react out of wounded pride. A place of grace, where through acts of self-giving and embracing we make Christ present by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Christ comes to proclaim the Good News to the poor, the poor being spouses worn down by routine and constant self-centredness; parents who do not know how to educate; insecure children… The Christian spouse is not the saviour of the other, but is an instrument of the Holy Spirit through listening, forgiveness, patience, and truth spoken with charity.
The Good News Christ brings to our marriage is that He comes to free us from “you’re always like this”, from “you never change”, from “until my spouse changes, I won’t move”, from punishing silence, from loveless authoritarianism. He frees us by teaching us to act always from love and mercy, even when we do not understand, without allowing cold reasoning to dominate our judgement.
Brought into Married Life
(A couple speaking with their mentoring couple)
Mentor: When Jesus says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” do you think that stops at the church doors, or does it continue in your home?
Wife: I suppose it should continue… but at home there is often just tiredness and bad moods.
Mentor: Saint John Paul II tells us that this tiredness is precisely the place where Christ wants to act. Where do you feel the Good News is lacking in your daily life?
Wife: Honestly, in the way we speak to each other. We have grown used to speaking badly, and everything sounds like reproach.
Mentor: Then that is a place of poverty, and Jesus came to bring the Good News to the poor. What concrete gesture might Christ want to announce to you today through His Good News?
Wife: Listening to each other without interrupting, looking each other in the eyes and embracing what the other is sharing with charity… even if it is hard.
Mentor: That is already cooperating with the Holy Spirit. And what about liberation? From what does your marriage need to be freed?
Wife: From pride. From acting according to my own reasoning instead of from self-giving love.
Mentor: Very good. Christ does not come to accuse us, but to open paths. And with God’s help, you are opening a path towards deeper communion in your marriage. Let us ask the Lord to pour out His grace, to strengthen you and help you persevere in this decision.
Mother,
As you welcomed the Word and kept it in your heart, teach us to listen to one another with respect, to speak truthfully, and to decide together in the light of God. Blessed be the Lord for ever.