32nd Week in Ordinary Time
12th November 2023 (Sunday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 4
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Wisdom 6:12-16
Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her and is found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her. He who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for he will find her sitting at his gates. To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding, and he who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care, because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths and meets them in every thought.
Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 (R. see 2b)
R/. For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord, my God.
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. Stay awake, and be ready; the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Matthew 25:1-13
At that time: Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterwards the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Highlight: Seek wisdom and be wise!
Guidlines: We are called to be wise and the loss of wisdom is a sure path for destruction and loss of eternal celebration{alertSuccess}
1. The Word of God invites us to seek Wisdom, and to be wise and to live wisely, because it is wisdom that determines the quality of one's life and the fate of one's destiny. This is what comes straight and clear in the gospel through the parable of the ten virgins.
2. The parable of the ten virgins, five wise and five others foolish, is not a matter of worldly intelligence. It is a matter of wisdom of God, to be prepared in full measures with not only the lamps but also oil; to wait on the Lord always and at every moment; to be alert to His voice and coming; to walk in his company, and to celebrate the feast of grace with him.
3. On the contrary, the foolishness of the unwise virgins is: they were too sure of their timing of the Lord’s arrival; they could not see beyond their expectation, and failed to anticipate the possibility of a delay. Consequently, they fail to procure extra oil for the extended time of waiting.
4. Their lack of wisdom shows itself in at least 3 aspects: being conditioned by their own expectations; being satisfied with the minimum; and not being prepared. Consequently, they miss the bridegroom and the banquet as well.
5. In our life too,, like the five unwise virgins, we too miss the Lord and miss the joy of his presence and the joy of celebrating life with him. It is because we lack wisdom. Many times, we are too caught up and conditioned by our own expectations both in regard to God and others as well.
6.We expect God to come the way we like, when we like and do what we like. We expect others to do according to our likes and preferences, our considerations and calculations.
7. Often, like the five foolish virgins, we too are satisfied with just the minimum. They were satisfied to carry the oil just the bare minimum, what is enough till just the right expected time of the bridegroom' s arrival. They did not want to carry a little more, an extra oil beyond the expected and enough for the present. Many are accustomed to just the duty and nothing more.
8. Thus, they are totally unprepared. They run here and there in haste and tension in the last minutes. Their lamps are dwindling and run the danger of getting extinguished. They realise that lamp without oil will be no good. Without the oil, the lamp cannot keep burning.
9. We need to be wise to be ever prompt and ready to meet the Lord. What counts the most is not our expectations or calculations or likes, but what pleases God. Lamp of faith and a minimum oil of casual practice, will not suffice. We need extra oil of fervour, of holiness and purity. In our Christian living, there is no room for tepidity and impurity.
Practice: “To stay awake" alone is not enough, because many do so, but to stay awake for the Lord, in holiness, is what matters.{alertSuccess}