Readings: Ephesians 5:21-33, Ps. 128:1-5, Luke 13:18-21
“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. As the church is subject to Christ, wives are also subject to everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:22-25)
In St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians today, we see two vital ingredients in marriage: love and respect. Love and respect are not separate entities; as love is not complete without respect, respect is nothing without love.
- The kind of words we use with our spouses determines the direction of their lives. Are you the wife or the husband who never stops insulting your spouse? Repent! 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.
- Little quarrels pile up in our memories, and before we know it, they affect the quality of our love for our spouse. The person we once trusted with all our hearts becomes someone else in our eyes. Once that trust is gone, little mistakes become magnified; we become blind to the good aspects of our spouse, and what was once love becomes hate.
- Love is a fire; if it is not properly fed with fuel, it quenches. Rather than trying to win that fight or that argument, focus more on pouring fuel into the fire of your love. One lesson the story of “Beauty and the Beast” teaches us is that love brings out the best in people. Every “Beast” needs “Beauty”. Love your spouse not because they deserve it but because you are beautiful.
- It always backfires whenever you consciously do something to hurt your spouse. On your marriage day, 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 wounded leg or hand.
- You don’t cut off a hand or leg because it is injured; you treat it. Surely, it might not heal immediately (humans are naturally difficult), but you have to apply patience. As Jesus explains in today’s Gospel passage, little drops of love would grow into a big tree (a changed person) daily.
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, we commit our marriages and families to you. Restore love and respect in our homes. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Tuesday of week 30 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Ephesians 5:21-33, Ps. 128:1-5, Luke 13:18-21).
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu