Daily Gospel Reflection for June 13, 2026

Explore the importance of keeping our promises to God and loved ones, inspired by Mary's faith and the grace found in the sacrament of marriage.

Today's Gospel: Matthew 5:33-37

If you’d been Mary (or Joseph, for that matter), would you have ever despaired at your inability to let your yes mean yes?

Surely they worried, even if they didn’t despair. Did they ever fear they were in over their head?

In the alternate Gospel reading for the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we read about their fear when they lost Jesus in Jerusalem. Still, Mary’s immaculate heart, full of grace, helped her keep the faith. Her fiat (“Let it be done unto me”) was not the false oath that Jesus warns us about in today’s Gospel reading from Matthew. It was a pure promise, made by a woman who may not have known everything in store for her but who trusted her Father anyway.

I’m not full of grace, like Mary. Neither are you. (Sorry!) But thanks to the sacraments, we do have a lot of it. Never has that reality been more clear to me than in the almost-six years I’ve been married. I am not generally a forgiving person. I hold a grudge like nobody else. I spend too long dwelling in what I always think is righteous anger. And I hate saying I’m sorry.

I’m working on it. But in the meantime, I’m continuously amazed at how easily I can apologize to my husband. We live together, and it’s not fun to live with someone you’re mad at (or in need of forgiveness from). But I also can feel the grace of the sacrament of marriage at work, removing my heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). Ultimately, that grace (and my wonderful husband) is what enables me to continue to make the yes of my marriage vows mean yes, now and for the rest of my life.

Ponder:

Does my yes—especially to God and my spouse—always mean yes?

Pray:

God, please help me to keep the faith. Help me to know that I cannot stay true to You or my family without Your help, and help me always to seek it.

Pray Together:

Go to Confession and bring even your young children. Explain to them the graces that come from the sacrament, no matter how long it's been since your last Confession or how many sins you have to confess.

Copyright 2026 Taryn DeLong