Reflection for Friday August 14 Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr: Matthew 19:3-12

Gospel: Matthew 19:3-12

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?  

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.” They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.”  

His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

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Reflection:

How’s our married life?

Every marriage has its own imperfections, and some marriages pass through severe trials. Ask any married couple, and they will quietly acknowledge that they have their own share of disagreements, challenges, and struggles.

If we have problems in our marriage, why do we stay and persevere? Why do we continue to work hard to make our marriage work? We remain committed because we believe in the sanctity of the Sacrament of Marriage and in the sacred covenant we made before God.

Marriage is not merely a promise made between two people; it is a sacred commitment made in the presence of God, a covenant that calls us to love faithfully through both joyful and difficult seasons of life.

Problems and challenges are part of the marriage journey. There will be moments when we misunderstand one another, moments when our patience is tested, and moments when we may even wonder if we can still carry on. But as we continue walking together, we may discover that some of our difficulties gradually fade. Through prayer, forgiveness, patience, understanding, and sincere communication, what once seemed impossible to overcome can slowly become a testimony of God’s grace.

What remains, then, is not simply the absence of problems but our deeper love for one another, strengthened by our willingness to forgive, sacrifice, understand, and persevere. Marriage becomes beautiful not because it is free from trials, but because two people continue choosing each other despite those trials.

But reality bites. There are indeed marriages that fail, whether we admit it or not. This painful reality reminds us that marriage requires constant nurturing and protection. We must never become complacent about the sacred covenant entrusted to us. When temptation lurks around like a shark eyeing its prey, we must be vigilant. We must guard our hearts, our thoughts, our words, and our actions.

How can we resist temptation? We cannot rely solely on our own strength. We need God’s grace. We need to firmly resist the tempter, the devil, while constantly remembering the vows and covenant we made before God. We need to pray for our marriage, pray with our spouse, seek God’s wisdom, and humbly ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen us whenever our love is tested.

There may be moments when temptation appears attractive and our struggles seem overwhelming. But let us remember that every time we choose fidelity over unfaithfulness, forgiveness over resentment, patience over anger, and love over selfishness, we are renewing our commitment to the covenant we made before God.

Let us therefore treasure our marriage. Let us not allow temporary problems, passing emotions, outside temptations, or the whispers of the evil one to destroy something sacred. Let us continually invite God into our marriage, because when God remains at the center of our relationship, we are reminded that we do not walk this journey alone.

Our marriages may not always be perfect, but with God’s grace, they can become beautiful testimonies of love, faithfulness, forgiveness, and perseverance.

So, how is our marriage today? Are we still choosing our spouse, nurturing our covenant, and inviting God into the struggles we face—or have we slowly allowed the world, temptation, resentment, or indifference to take God’s place in our hearts?

Today, let us choose love again. Let us choose faithfulness again. Let us choose our spouse again. And above all, let us choose God again.— Marino J. Dasmarinas