DAILY HOMILIES #spouse

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed, which starts very small but soon grows to become a thousand times bigger than the seed. Quarrels and fights in marriage are like grains of mustard seed. When these fights are not forgiven, they become like pieces of debris we fail to remove.

His disciples asked Jesus: “If such is the case of a man with his wife, is it not better to remain unmarried?” (Matthew 19:10). Jesus said: “Not all men can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given.” (Matthew 19:11). In other words, celibacy is not for everyone. One who is not called to a celibate life but embraces it to escape the rigours of marriage would end up frustrated. Achieving a happy marriage is difficult, but being a faithful celibate is more difficult without the grace of celibacy.

Whenever you consciously do something to hurt your spouse deliberately, it always backfires. On the day of your marriage, you were no longer two people, but one person. Treat your spouse with all the love and respect you can muster just as you would treat your leg or hand that is wounded. You don’t cut off a hand or leg because it is injured, you treat it.