“Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.” (MK 1: 21-22)
My generation remembers the time when some positions, titles, or jobs were connected with authority. We respected our priests, teachers, doctors, military people, and people who served. Now, we have to work for it; there is no authority coming because of the position. Today, the most needed in our lockdown world is unconditional love, and whoever works for it will bring “a great light” to those “who sit in darkness.”
“The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light; on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death, light has arisen.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“A violent squall came up, and waves were breaking over the boat so that it was already filling up.” (MK 4: 37)
We live in different environments. Home and family could be one, and my work or neighborhood could be another. Sometimes our environments are not friendly, sometimes they are even hostile—mobbing, persecution, or just totally different values. It can happen that our problems from work might influence our home atmosphere, and our quiet home becomes the place of conflicts and arguments. Sometimes our children bring their school or relationship problems to our homes and behave in a strange way. Whatever it is, we can always ask Our Lord to quiet “a violent squall.”
“God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.” (MK 4: 34)
Our Lord is still with us, and whoever needs to know more, He wants to answer. What we need for this is to spend time with Him “in private.” Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the best place to be with Him. During this time, He speaks directly to our hearts. He listens and answers even unasked questions because He loves us and can see everything. The same strategy is also so important for spouses—spend some time in private. What would happen to children if their parents did not spend time in private, not explaining and discussing what is beneficial for children and the whole family?
“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.” (MK 3: 31)
When listens the word family, our modern society normally reduces this to spouses and children, sometimes including grandparents. But family is much more—there are our cousins (also called brother/sisters), the large family of our spouses and all our relatives. When we think about family, it is good to have a bigger version to see how much we can do when united and support each other.
“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” (MK 16: 15)
“Whole world” and “every creature” gives us a full picture of the universality of the Gospel. There are no limits; nobody is excluded or not worthy of being a part of the Church. “We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church”—catholic means universal. We are part of the Catholic Church, we are catholic spouses, and our mission is universal—to the whole world. And we want to proclaim the Gospel about marriage and family to the whole world.
“I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Jesus said to them, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.” (MK 1: 17-18)
A new vocation is always connected with “abandoning.” First, your parents and siblings, then your house, your own rituals, only to begin creating new habits and rituals with your spouse. Our ability to abandon is a sign of our maturity as well as our ability to start something new and independent. One day your children will make a similar decision, and our responsibility is to help them grow and be mature.
“The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“When his relatives heard of this, they set out to seize him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’” (MK 3: 21)
Unfortunately, it happens also today to so many of us. Examples include our parents, who are against our consecration or priesthood; our spouses, our colleagues, or our coworkers/bosses who don’t accept our beliefs; a society that is more and more secular; and governments that are not supporting our families. In all of these situations, we are those who “are out of our mind.” It happened to Our Lord, and it could happen to us. Our Lord knows and will help.
“Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him, and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” (MK 3: 14-15)
This is the basis of every vocation: “be with.” Before any action, before any mission, there is always communion of persons. “To be” is always more important than “to do.” And every good “to do” comes from good “to be.” Agere sequitur esse–action follows being. This is about marriage, and this is about the priesthood; this is about parenting, and this is about consecrated life. Action requires a person; amazing actions require an amazing person.
“God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.” (MK 3: 8)
We are ambassadors of God’s graces. When we share our experiences with our friends and our friends can see our new rituals, new habits, and new activities, we provoke them to ask questions, and we can invite them to the same path to live lives which bring happiness, satisfaction, and maturity. Our Programs with the simple six steps and homework are based on just one simple foundation—marriage is not our idea. It is God’s idea, and He supports every couple who wants to grow, fulfill their lives, and be the unconditional gift of self.
“Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.” (MK 3: 5)
Our Lord had emotions, and He wasn’t afraid to expose them. He experienced anger and pity, joy and exhaustion, disgust, sorrow, compassion, frustration, agony, empathy, and forgiveness. Our Lord had a normal human life. At the same moment, His sometimes very tough emotions weren’t an excuse to behave or take action based only on these emotions and as an excuse to explode and let these emotions escape—He always did good things. Our Lord was angry but said, “stretch out your hand. And his hand was restored.” Part of our extreme ownership is to be like Him.
“Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people.” (Gospel Acclamation)
