Posted on 08/31/2007 7:31:31 AM PDT by Salvation
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Friday of the Twenty-first Week
in Ordinary Time
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Reading 1
1 Thes 4:1-8
Brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God–
and as you are conducting yourselves–
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
This is the will of God, your holiness:
that you refrain from immorality,
that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself
in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion
as do the Gentiles who do not know God;
not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister in this matter,
for the Lord is an avenger in all these things,
as we told you before and solemnly affirmed.
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.
Therefore, whoever disregards this,
disregards not a human being but God,
who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 97:1 and 2b, 5-6, 10, 11-12
R. (12a) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD loves those who hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful ones;
from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Gospel
Mt 25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
‘Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.’
But the wise ones replied,
‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you.
Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’
While they went off to buy it,
the bridegroom came
and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.
Then the door was locked.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’
But he said in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
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The Immaculate Heart [of Mary]
This devotion has received new emphasis in this century from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offenses given to her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart.
On October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly through the month of August.
INVOCATIONS
O heart most pure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for me from Jesus a pure and humble heart.
Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation.
ACT OF CONSECRATION
Queen of the most holy Rosary, help of Christians, refuge of the human race, victorious in all the battles of God, we prostrate ourselves in supplication before thy throne, in the sure hope of obtaining mercy and of receiving grace and timely aid in our present calamities, not through any merits of our own, on which we do not rely, but only through the immense goodness of thy mother's heart. In thee and in thy Immaculate Heart, at this grave hour of human history, do we put our trust; to thee we consecrate ourselves, not only with all of Holy Church, which is the mystical body of thy Son Jesus, and which is suffering in so many of her members, being subjected to manifold tribulations and persecutions, but also with the whole world, torn by discords, agitated with hatred, the victim of its own iniquities. Be thou moved by the sight of such material and moral degradation, such sorrows, such anguish, so many tormented souls in danger of eternal loss! Do thou, O Mother of mercy, obtain for us from God a Christ-like reconciliation of the nations, as well as those graces which can convert the souls of men in an instant, those graces which prepare the way and make certain the long desired coming of peace on earth. O Queen of peace, pray for us, and grant peace unto the world in the truth, the justice, and the charity of Christ.
Above all, give us peace in our hearts, so that the kingdom of God may spread its borders in the tranquillity of order. Accord thy protection to unbelievers and to all those who lie within the shadow of death; cause the Sun of Truth to rise upon them; may they be enabled to join with us in repeating before the Savior of the world: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."
Give peace to the nations that are separated from us by error or discord, and in a special manner to those peoples who profess a singular devotion toward thee; bring them back to Christ's one fold, under the one true Shepherd. Obtain full freedom for the holy Church of God; defend her from her enemies; check the ever-increasing torrent of immorality; arouse in the faithful a love of purity, a practical Christian life, and an apostolic zeal, so that the multitude of those who serve God may increase in merit and in number.
Finally, even as the Church and all mankind were once consecrated to the Heart of thy Son Jesus, because He was for all those who put their hope in Him an inexhaustible source of victory and salvation, so in like manner do we consecrate ourselves forever to thee also and to thy Immaculate Heart, O Mother of us and Queen of the world; may thy love and patronage hasten the day when the kingdom of God shall be victorious and all the nations, at peace with God .and with one another, shall call thee blessed and intone with thee, from the rising of the sun to its going down, the everlasting "Magnificat" of glory, of love, of gratitude to the Heart of Jesus, in which alone we can find truth, life, and peace. — Pope Pius XII
IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE HEART
O heart of Mary, mother of God, and our mother; heart most worthy of love, in which the adorable Trinity is ever well-pleased, worthy of the veneration and love of all the angels and of all men; heart most like to the Heart of Jesus, of which thou art the perfect image; heart, full of goodness, ever compassionate toward our miseries; deign to melt our icy hearts and grant that they may be wholly changed into the likeness of the Heart of Jesus, our divine Savior. Pour into them the love of thy virtues, enkindle in them that divine fire with which thou thyself dost ever burn. In thee let Holy Church find a safe shelter; protect her and be her dearest refuge, her tower of strength, impregnable against every assault of her enemies. Be thou the way which leads to Jesus, and the channel, through which we receive all the graces needful for our salvation. Be our refuge in time of trouble, our solace in the midst of trial, our strength against temptation, our haven in persecution, our present help in every danger, and especially) at the hour of death, when all hell shall let loose against u its legions to snatch away our souls, at that dread moment; that hour so full of fear, whereon our eternity depends. An,; then most tender virgin, make us to feel the sweetness of thy motherly heart, and the might of thine intercession with Jesus, and open to us a safe refuge in that very fountain of mercy, whence we may come to praise Him with thee in paradise, world without end. Amen.
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
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Sacred Heart Of Jesus |
Immaculate Heart of Mary |
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Blessed be the Most Loving Heart and Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the most glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother, in eternity and forever. Amen. ....Only the Heart of Christ who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way ----From the Catechism. P:1439 From the depth of my nothingness, I prostrate myself before Thee, O Most Sacred, Divine and Adorable Heart of Jesus, to pay Thee all the homage of love, praise and adoration in my power. The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior's steps.-- >From the Catechism. P: 2669 |
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The first is that we ought to love and honor whatever God loves and honors, and that by which He is loved and glorified. Now, after the adorable Heart of Jesus there has never been either in heaven or on earth, nor ever will be, a heart which has been so loved and honored by God, or which has given Him so much glory as that of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Never has there been, nor will there ever be a more exalted throne of divine love. In that Heart divine love possesses its fullest empire, for it ever reigns without hindrance or interruption, and with it reign likewise all the laws of God, all the Gospel maxims and every Christian virtue.
This incomparable Heart of the Mother of our Redeemer is a glorious heaven, a Paradise of delights for the Most Holy Trinity. According to St. Paul, the hearts of the faithful are the dwelling place of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself assures us that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost take up Their abode in the hearts of those who love God. Who, therefore, can doubt that the Most Holy Trinity has always made His home and established the reign of His glory in an admirable and ineffable manner in the virginal Heart of her who is the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, who herself loves God more than all other creatures together?
How much then are we not obliged to love this exalted and most lovable Heart?
— St. John Eudes
The History of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Catholic Caucus)
Homilies preached by Father Robert Altier on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Marian Associations Unite to Celebrate Immaculate Heart
Solemnity Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary
| First reading | 1 Thessalonians 4:1 - 8 © |
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| Finally, brothers, we urge you and appeal to you in the Lord Jesus to make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: the life that God wants, as you learnt from us, and as you are already living it. You have not forgotten the instructions we gave you on the authority of the Lord Jesus. What God wants is for you all to be holy. He wants you to keep away from fornication, and each one of you to know how to use the body that belongs to him in a way that is holy and honourable, not giving way to selfish lust like the pagans who do not know God. He wants nobody at all ever to sin by taking advantage of a brother in these matters; the Lord always punishes sins of that sort, as we told you before and assured you. We have been called by God to be holy, not to be immoral; in other words, anyone who objects is not objecting to a human authority, but to God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. |
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| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 96 |
| Gospel | Matthew 25:1 - 13 © |
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| Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, “The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.” At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, “Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out”. But they replied, “There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves”. They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later. “Lord, Lord,” they said “open the door for us.” But he replied, “I tell you solemnly, I do not know you”. So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.’ | |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 34 (35) |
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| The Lord, a saviour in time of persecution |
| Judge, Lord, those who are judging me: attack those who are attacking me. Take up your shield and come out to defend me. Brandish your spear and hold back my pursuers. Say to my soul, “I am your deliverance”. Let them be thrown into confusion, those who are after my life. Let them be weakened and put to flight, those who plan harm to me. Let them be like chaff blowing in the wind, when the angel of the Lord scatters them. Let their paths be dark and slippery, when the angel of the Lord harries them. For it was without cause that they spread out their nets to ensnare me, without cause that they dug a pit to take my life. Let death come upon them suddenly, may they be entangled in their own nets. But my soul will exult in the Lord and rejoice in his aid. My bones themselves will say “Lord, who is your equal?” You snatch the poor man from the hand of the strong, the needy and weak from those who would destroy them. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 34 (35) |
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| Lying witnesses rose up against me; they asked me questions I could not answer. They paid me back evil for the good I did, my soul is desolation. Yet I – when they were ill, I put on sackcloth, I mortified my soul with fasting, I prayed for them from the depths of my heart. I walked in sadness as for a close friend, for a brother; I was bowed down with grief as if mourning my own mother. But they – when I was unsteady, they rejoiced and gathered together. They gathered and beat me: I did not know why. They were tearing me to pieces, there was no end to it: they teased me, heaped derision on me, they ground their teeth at me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 34 (35) |
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| Lord, how long will you wait? Rescue my life from their attacks, my only life from the lions. I will proclaim you in the great assembly, in the throng of people I will praise you. Let not my lying enemies triumph over me, those who hate me for no reason, who conspire against me by secret signs, who do not speak of peace, who plan crimes against the innocent, who cry out slanders against me, saying “Yes! Yes! We saw it ourselves!” You see them, Lord, do not stay silent: Lord, do not leave me. Rise up and keep watch at my trial: my God and my Lord, watch over my case. Judge me according to your justice, Lord: my God, let them not rejoice over me! Let them not think to themselves, “Yes! We have what we wanted!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up”. But let those who support my cause rejoice, let them say always “How great is the Lord, who takes care of his servant’s welfare”. And my tongue too will ponder your justice, and praise you all day long. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Reading | Jeremiah 4:5 - 28 © |
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| Announce it in Judah, proclaim it in Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in the countryside, shout the message aloud: Mobilise! Take to the fortified towns! Signpost the way to Zion; Run! Do not delay! I am bringing you disaster from the North, an immense calamity. The lion is up from his thicket, the destroyer of nations is on his way, he has come from his home to reduce your land to a desert; your towns will be in ruins, deserted. So wrap yourselves in sackcloth, lament and wail, since the burning anger of the Lord has not turned away from us. “Look, he is advancing like the clouds, his chariots like a hurricane, his horses swifter than eagles. Trouble is coming! We are lost!” Wash your heart clean of wickedness, Jerusalem, and so be saved. How long will you harbour in your breast your pernicious thoughts? For a voice from Dan shouts the news, proclaims disaster from the highlands of Ephraim. Give warning of it, announce it in Judah, proclaim it to Jerusalem: “Enemies are coming from a distant country, shouting their war cry against the towns of Judah; they surround Jerusalem like watchmen round a field because she has apostatised from me – it is the Lord who speaks. Your own behaviour and actions have brought this on you. This is your fate! How bitter! How it pierces your heart!” I am in anguish! I writhe with pain! Walls of my heart! My heart is throbbing! I cannot keep quiet, for I have heard the trumpet call and the cry of war. Ruin on ruin is the news: the whole land is laid waste, my tents are suddenly destroyed, in one moment all that sheltered me is gone. How long must I see the standard and hear the trumpet call? “This is because my people are stupid, they do not know me, they are slow-witted children, they have no understanding: they are clever enough at doing wrong, but do not know how to do right.” I looked to the earth, to see a formless waste; to the heavens, and their light had gone. I looked to the mountains, to see them quaking and all the heights astir. I looked, to see no man at all, the very birds of heaven had fled. I looked, to see the wooded country a wilderness, all its towns in ruins, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of his burning anger. Yes, thus speaks the Lord, “The whole land shall be laid waste, I will make an end of it once for all; at which the earth will go into mourning, and the heavens above grow dark. For I have spoken and will not change my mind, I have decided and will not go back on it.” |
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| Reading | From a commentary on Joel by St. Jerome, priest |
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| Return to me | |
| Return to me with all your heart and show a spirit of repentance with fasting, weeping and mourning; so that while you fast now, later you may be satisfied, while you weep now, later you may laugh, while you mourn now, you may some day enjoy consolation. It is customary for those in sorrow or adversity to tear their garments. The gospel records that the high priest did this to exaggerate the charge against our Lord and Saviour; and we read that Paul and Barnabas did so when they heard words of blasphemy. I bid you not to tear your garments but rather to rend your hearts which are laden with sin. Like wine skins, unless they have been cut open, they will burst of their own accord. After you have done this, return to the Lord your God, from whom you had been alienated by your sins. Do not despair of his mercy, no matter how great your sins, for great mercy will take away great sins. For the Lord is gracious and merciful and prefers the conversion of a sinner rather than his death. Patient and generous in his mercy, he does not give in to human impatience but is willing to wait a long time for our repentance. So extraordinary is the Lord’s mercy in the face of evil, that if we do penance for our sins, he regrets his own threat and does not carry out against us the sanctions he had threatened. So by the changing of our attitude, he himself is changed. But in this passage we should interpret “evil” to mean, not the opposite of virtue, but affliction, as we read in another place: Sufficient for the day are its own evils. And, again: If there is evil in the city, God did not create it. In like manner, given all that we have said above – that God is kind and merciful, patient, generous with his forgiveness, and extraordinary in his mercy toward evil – lest the magnitude of his clemency make us lax and negligent, he adds this word through his prophet: Who knows whether he will not turn and repent and leave behind him a blessing? In other words, he says: “I exhort you to repentance, because it is my duty, and I know that God is inexhaustibly merciful, as David says: Have mercy on me, God, according to your great mercy, and in the depths of your compassion, blot out all my iniquities. But since we cannot know the depth of the riches and of the wisdom and knowledge of God, I will temper my statement, expressing a wish rather than taking anything for granted, and I will say: Who knows whether he will not turn and repent? “ Since he says, Who, it must be understood that it is impossible or difficult to know for sure. To these words the prophet adds: Offerings and tribulations for the Lord our God. What he is saying to us in other words is that, God having blessed us and forgiven us our sins, we will then be able to offer sacrifice to God. |
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| Concluding Prayer |
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| O God, through you your faithful are united and of one will. Grant to your people that they may love what you have taught and desire what you have promised: in this changeable world may our hearts be fixed on where true joy comes from. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| Friday, August 31, 2007 Feria |
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Collect: Father, help us to seek the values that will bring us lasting joy in this changing world. In our desire for what you promise make us one in mind and heart. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Friday of the Twenty-First Week of Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: St. Raymund Nonnatus, confessor
Peter Nolasco, a native of Languedoc, founded in the early thirteenth century a society known as the Mercedarians, devoted to ransoming Christians captured by the Moors. Amongst those he received into the society was a Catalonian named Raymond. This Raymond's mother had died giving birth to her son, and he was delivered by a caesarian section — hence his nickname Nonnatus, which is Latin for 'not born'. So determined was Saint Raymond Nonnatus that when Peter Nolasco retired as chief ransomer, the saint succeeded him in this office. He set off for Algiers with a great sum of money, and there ransomed many.
When his money ran out, Saint Raymond Nonnatus could have made his own escape. But this would have involved leaving several slaves behind. He gave himself up in exchange for their liberty.
His own life was now in great danger. The Moors of Algiers were enraged that he had managed to convert some of their number. The governor would have put him to death by impaling the saint on a stake. What saved him were others who realized that a rich ransom would be paid for this particular Christian. Even so, he was still whipped publicly in the streets — partly to discourage those who might be tempted to learn from him the Christian faith. Reports of his tortures probably exaggerated the cruelty of his Moorish captors but after eight months of torture, Peter Nolasco arrived with Raymond Nonnatus's ransom. Even then he wanted to stay behind, hoping to convert still more men and women to Christianity; but Peter Nolasco forbade it.
On his return, Pope Gregory IX made him a cardinal. The pope wished to see Raymond Nonnatus in Rome, but on his way there in the year 1240 he reached only Cardona near Barcelona, where he died at the age of thirty-six.
Excerpted from A Calendar of Saints by James Bentley
Patron: childbirth; children; expectant mothers; falsely accused people; fever; infants; midwives; newborn babies; obstetricians; pregnant women.
Symbols: Padlock; crown of thorns; three or four crowns.
Things to Do:
Dear Lord, give us more priests like St. Raymund Nonnatus today!
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 50 (51) |
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| God, have mercy on me |
| Take pity on me, Lord, in your mercy; in your abundance of mercy wipe out my guilt. Wash me ever more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. For I know how guilty I am: my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone have I sinned, and I have done evil in your sight. Know this, so that you may give just sentence and an unbiased judgement. See, I was conceived in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me; but you love truth in the heart, and deep within me you have shown me your wisdom. You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be made clean; you will wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. You will make me hear the sound of joy and gladness; the bones you have crushed will rejoice. Turn your face away from my sins and wipe out all my transgressions; create a pure heart in me, God, put a steadfast spirit into me. Do not send me away from your presence, or withdraw your holy spirit from me; give me again the joy of your salvation, and be ready to strengthen me with your spirit. I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will return to you. Free me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, God my saviour, and my voice will glory in your justice. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will proclaim your praise; for you do not delight in sacrifices: if I offered you a burnt offering, it would not please you. The true sacrifice is a broken spirit: a contrite and humble heart, O God, you will not refuse. Be pleased, Lord, to look kindly on Sion, so that the walls of Jerusalem can be rebuilt, Then indeed you will accept the proper sacrifices, gifts and burnt offerings; then indeed will bullocks be laid upon your altar. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Isaiah 45 |
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| All peoples, turn to the Lord | |
| In truth you are a hidden God, the God and Saviour of Israel. They were dismayed and ashamed, all the makers of idols, all of them fled in dismay. Israel has been saved by the Lord, saved for ever; you will not be dismayed or ashamed, to the end of time. For thus says the Lord, the God who made the heavens, who made the earth, shaped it, set it firm – he did not make it to be empty, but to be full of life – “I am the Lord, there is no other. “I have not spoken secretly, in some dark corner of the earth. I have not said to the children of Jacob, ‘seek me in vain’. I am the Lord who speaks justice, who proclaims uprightness. “Gather together, come, approach me all of you who have been rescued from the Gentiles. They were ignorant, who raised up wooden idols and begged favours of a god without power. Announce it – come, ponder it together – who was saying this from the beginning, who foretold this from the start? Am I not the Lord? Is there any other God but me? Do you seek a just God who will save you? There is no other. “Turn to me and you will be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, there is no other. “I have sworn by my own being, I have decreed a judgement that will not be revoked; for every knee will bend to me, every tongue swear by my name.” “Only in the Lord,” they will say, “are there justice and strength!” All who resisted him will come to him, and be dismayed; but in the Lord all descendants of Israel will receive justice and glory. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Psalm 94 (95) |
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| A call to worship |
| Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us acclaim God our salvation. Let us come before him proclaiming our thanks, let us acclaim him with songs. For the Lord is a great God, a king above all gods. For he holds the depths of the earth in his hands, and the peaks of the mountains are his. For the sea is his: he made it; and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down, bend the knee before the Lord who made us; for he himself is our God and we are his flock, the sheep that follow his hand. If only, today, you would listen to his voice: “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, on the day of Massah in the desert, when your fathers tested me – they put me to the test, although they had seen my works”. “For forty years they wearied me, that generation. I said: their hearts are wandering, they do not know my paths. I swore in my anger: they will never enter my place of rest”. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Short reading | Ephesians 4:29 - 32 © |
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| Guard against foul talk; let your words be for the improvement of others, as occasion offers, and do good to your listeners, otherwise you will only be grieving the Holy Spirit of God who has marked you with his seal for you to be set free when the day comes. Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or allow any sort of spitefulness. Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ. | |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
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| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| O God, your light dispels the darkness of ignorance of your word, morning, noon and night: Increase in our hearts the faith that you have given us: may no trials extinguish the fire lit by your grace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
| Mt 25:1-13 | ||
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| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 1 | Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. | tunc simile erit regnum caelorum decem virginibus quae accipientes lampadas suas exierunt obviam sponso et sponsae |
| 2 | And five of them were foolish and five wise. | quinque autem ex eis erant fatuae et quinque prudentes |
| 3 | But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them. | sed quinque fatuae acceptis lampadibus non sumpserunt oleum secum |
| 4 | But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps. | prudentes vero acceperunt oleum in vasis suis cum lampadibus |
| 5 | And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept. | moram autem faciente sponso dormitaverunt omnes et dormierunt |
| 6 | And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh. Go ye forth to meet him. | media autem nocte clamor factus est ecce sponsus venit exite obviam ei |
| 7 | Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. | tunc surrexerunt omnes virgines illae et ornaverunt lampades suas |
| 8 | And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. | fatuae autem sapientibus dixerunt date nobis de oleo vestro quia lampades nostrae extinguntur |
| 9 | The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves. | responderunt prudentes dicentes ne forte non sufficiat nobis et vobis ite potius ad vendentes et emite vobis |
| 10 | Now whilst they went to buy the bridegroom came: and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut. | dum autem irent emere venit sponsus et quae paratae erant intraverunt cum eo ad nuptias et clausa est ianua |
| 11 | But at last came also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. | novissime veniunt et reliquae virgines dicentes domine domine aperi nobis |
| 12 | But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not. | at ille respondens ait amen dico vobis nescio vos |
| 13 | Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour. | vigilate itaque quia nescitis diem neque horam |
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| Other Articles by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D. Printer Friendly Version |
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| The Only Way to Get a Life Is to Give It Away! | ||
1 Thes 4:1-8 / Mt 25:1-13
Most of our children have become as comfortable on their computers as they are on their bikes. And watching them skimming along in search of information for a report or simply scanning the horizon for what might tickle their fancy can be a jarring experience for many of their parents and grandparents. There is no doubt that many of the brightest people in the generations just behind our school children are utterly baffled by e-mail, internet, and this whole new world of communication.
If we take that bafflement as a model, we can capture the state of mind of the majority of Jesus’ contemporaries and indeed of our own when they examine Jesus’ life. With no promise of payback, He voluntarily gave His life on behalf of the people He loved. Insanity is the only label that these folks can apply to such a choice. But we know better.
As we’ve walked through our own lives with Jesus at our side, we’ve come to understand that we find life and truly make it our own only as we give it away. Good mothers, spouses, teachers, pastors, and many more, all know that and live it. It seems to be an utter lapse in logic: Two and two does not equal four. But on an entirely different level it works. Indeed, it’s the only thing that works.
If that is true, then each of us is left with some hard questions. Are you giving your life wholeheartedly where it needs to be given? If not, what are you holding back, and what’s holding you back? There’s no better time than now to begin to change that!
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Ready or Not!
Matthew 25:1-13 Introductory Prayer: Lord God, open my mind to hear your word and receive it in my heart. Let it be for me the word that gives life and the sure guide for my steps this day and every day of my life. Let my contemplation of your word put me on the safe and sure path to eternal life with you. Petition: Lord, make me long to enter the kingdom of heaven so that I can be with you forever. 1. A Severe Oil Shortage. The Gospel invites us to have oil for our lamps, that is, to be always ready for the coming of the Lord. He appears at moments and in ways we do not expect and all throughout our day. The foolish virgins failed to anticipate when and how the Lord would come to them and were not prepared. So often we get caught up in a thousand affairs and worries and we miss what is essential. We can miss the presence of Christ in the people around us, in the circumstances in which we are living. Sometimes Christ comes to us in the form of some sacrifice or suffering, but we do not recognize it as coming from the Lord and we reject it. We need to strengthen our faith and see how the Lord may appear in our lives. 2. The Door Closes. Over and over in the New Testament, Jesus makes clear that there is a real possibility some people, due to their own choices, may not be saved. The most terrible thing that could happen to any person would be to hear those words from the Lord who created us and died to save us: “I do not know you.” The Lord takes our freedom to choose very seriously. He never forces our will. He never imposes himself on us. Rather he invites us to make a free response of love and obedience to him and the way of life he taught us. We must choose and remain steadfast in the way of the Christian life. God cannot save us without our cooperation. 3. Stay Awake. Saint Augustine said, “Beware of the grace of God that passes and does not return.” We need to perceive God’s presence in the little things of each day and never let the opportunity to love and serve him pass us by. Our faith must be ready and watching for him. If we take him for granted, or presume that we are already saved, we can miss our chance to be with him. Conversation with Christ: Jesus, make me always watching and waiting, ready to see you in all things and do your will. Resolution: I will actively look for signs of Christ in others today. |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 40 (41) |
|---|
| Prayer in time of sickness |
| Blessed is he who takes thought for the helpless, for the Lord will keep him safe in time of trouble. The Lord will guard him and give him life. He will give him good fortune on the earth, and not betray him into the power of his enemies. The Lord will lend him strength on his bed of pain; you will transform all his sickness into health. I said, “Lord, have mercy, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you”. My enemies spoke against me, saying: “When will he die? When will his name perish?” When one of them came to visit me, he talked of nothing, but stored up wickedness in his heart. He went out, and told tales against me. All my enemies whispered together against me, imagined the worst: “A plague has taken hold of him: he has lain down and will not rise”. Even my dearest friend, in whom I put my trust, who had eaten my bread – even he trampled me down. But you, Lord – have mercy on me, revive me, and I will pay them back. This is how I know that I have your favour, when my enemy cannot triumph over me, when you raise me up because of my innocence, and put me in your presence for all eternity. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from the beginning to the end of time. Amen! Amen! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 45 (46) |
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| God, our refuge and our strength |
| The Lord is our refuge and our strength, a true help in our troubles. Therefore we do not fear, even when the earth is shaken and mountains fall into the depths of the sea, the waves roar and foam and rise up to shake the mountains. The streams of the river give joy to the city of God, the holy dwelling-place of the Most High. God is within it, it will not be shaken; God will give help as the day dawns. The nations are in turmoil and kingdoms totter: at the sound of his voice, the earth flows like water. The Lord of strength is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Come and see the works of the Lord, who has done wonders on the earth. He puts an end to wars over all the world: he tramples the bow, shatters weapons, and burns the shields with fire. Stop and see that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth. The Lord of strength is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Apocalypse 15 |
|---|---|
| A hymn of adoration | |
| Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, King of all nations! Who, Lord, will not revere and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship in your presence, for your judgements have been seen by all. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Short reading | Romans 15:1 - 3 © |
|---|---|
| We who are strong have a duty to put up with the qualms of the weak without thinking of ourselves. Each of us should think of his neighbours and help them to become stronger Christians. Christ did not think of himself: the words of scripture apply to him – the insults of those who insult you fall on me. | |
| Canticle | Magnificat |
|---|---|
| My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
| My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| To your servants, O Lord, grant this: that we may learn from the example of your Son’s passion to be ready always to bear his gentle burden. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
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Friday, August 31, 2007 Meditation 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 Moved by his affection for them, Paul urged the Thessalonians to hold fast to all that he had told them not only about faith in Jesus Christ but also about how to live in a way pleasing to God (1 Thessalonians 4:1). However, since he had been forced to leave Thessalonica hastily while still in the early stages of establishing the community there (Acts 17:1-13), Paul knew that the new believers—most of whom came from a pagan background—lacked much basic teaching. Though strong in their faith and love (1 Thessalonians 3:6), some of these new converts had not fully understood that the message of salvation carried with it practical implications for everyday life, including such matters as sexual conduct. So Paul reminded them of God’s design for human sexuality and exhorted them to avoid immoral behavior. God is holy, and he wants his people to be holy, too! This wasn’t always easy. The believers in Thessalonika lived in the most cosmopolitan city in Macedonia. Every day they faced temptations against the purity and holiness God called them to (1 Thessalonians 4:7). Today we find ourselves in a similar situation. Sex outside of marriage is widely accepted. Pornography and adultery have become commonplace. Abortion as a means of contraception is gaining wider acceptance. In such an environment, we are surrounded by temptations and may find it difficult to restrain inclinations toward lustful thoughts, provocative speech, and impure behavior. All is not lost. Almighty God has given us his Spirit to empower us against sin and safeguard our purity. And through this Spirit, our Father offers us his mercy and healing if we should fall. As we grow in our faith and love for God, we become increasingly sensitive to the movements of his Spirit within us. We learn to recognize more quickly when we have offended him and we are more eager to confess our sins and be set free. Let‘s remain close to the Lord so that his will for us, our sanctification, will be fully accomplished (1 Thessalonians 4:6). “Holy Spirit, purify my heart and mind so that I can live a life pleasing to God in every way. Help me to turn aside from sin and strengthen all that is good in me. Give me grace to live in your purity now, so that I may live forever with you.” Psalm 97:1-2,5-6,10-12; Matthew 25:1-13 |
Paul insisted the Thessalonians make still greater progress in sexual purity (1 Thes 4:1). They were to live "in sanctity and honor, not in passionate desire as do the Gentiles who know not God" (1 Thes 4:4-5). "For the Lord is an Avenger of all such things" (1 Thes 4:6). "God has not called us to immorality but to holiness" (1 Thes 4:7). Christ's standards for sexual purity are much higher than most Christians' standards. Jesus says: "Anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his thoughts" (Mt 5:28). The Lord commands: "As for lewd conduct or promiscuousness or lust of any sort, let them not even be mentioned among you; your holiness forbids this. Nor should there be any obscene, silly, or suggestive talk; all that is out of place" (Eph 5:3-4). In a world that talks about "safe sex," considers sex recreation, and thinks watching adultery and fornication on TV is entertainment, Jesus is a "sign of contradiction" (Lk 2:34, our transl.). He will avenge sexual sin (1 Thes 4:6), which He considers a rejection not of man-made laws but of Him (1 Thes 4:8). Be pure as Jesus is pure (1 Jn 3:3).One Bread, One Body
<< Friday, August 31, 2007 >>
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Psalm 97
Matthew 25:1-13
View Readings
THE PURE, UNADULTERATED GOSPEL
"It is God's will that you grow in holiness: that you abstain from immorality, each of you guarding his member in sanctity and honor." —1 Thessalonians 4:3-4
Prayer: Father, may our world repent of sexual fantasies, masturbation, artificial birth control, oral sex, "dirty jokes," immodest dress, watching filth on TV, fornication, adultery, homosexual acts, and abortion.
Promise: "Keep your eyes open, for you know not the day or the hour." —Mt 25:13
Praise: James owns a television, but watches only shows that edify or educate.
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
| This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited. |
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 87 (88) |
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| The prayer of one gravely ill |
| I cry out to you, Lord, by day and by night. |
| Lord God, my saviour, I have cried out to you by day and by night. Let my prayer come before you: turn your ear to my request. For my soul is full of evils, my life has come close to its end. I am counted with those who go down to the pit: I am left without help. I am one of the dead, like the murdered who sleep in their tombs, who lie there forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrust me down into the pit, to the gloom and the shadow of death. Your anger weighs heavy upon me; you have drowned me under your waves. You have taken my friends away from me: you have made me hateful in their sight, I am shut in, I may not go out. My eyes are weak from my sufferings. I have called to you, Lord, all the day; I have stretched out my hands to you. Is it for the dead that you perform your wonders? Will the ghosts rise up and proclaim you? In the tomb, will they tell of your kindness? Will they tell of your faithfulness in the place of the lost? Will your wonders be known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of oblivion? And so I have called out to you, Lord, and in the morning my prayer will come before you. With what purpose, Lord, do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me? I am poor; from my youth I have been dying; I have borne the terrors you sent, I am lost in confusion. Your anger has overrun me, your terrors have broken me: they have flowed round me like water, they have besieged me all the day long. You have taken my friends and those close to me: all I have left is shadows. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| I cry out to you, Lord, by day and by night. |
| Reading | (Jeremiah 14:9) |
|---|---|
| You, Lord, are in our midst, and we are called by your name; therefore do not abandon us, Lord, our God. | |
| Short Responsory | ? |
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| Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. |
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| Canticle | Nunc Dimittis |
|---|---|
| Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. | |
| Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. | |
| Prayer | |
|---|---|
| Let us pray. Lord, let us be so united with your only Son that we become worthy to rise with him into new life, who lives and reigns for ever and ever, Amen. |
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| May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. |
| A M E N |
From: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
He Calls for Holiness and Purity
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Commentary:
1. St Paul encourages the Thessalonians “in the Lord Jesus” to follow
his advice: he does not make this plea in his own name or using his
personal influence but in the name of the Lord Jesus. Those who have
positions of authority in the Church should be obeyed, above all, for
supernatural reasons (that is what God desires) and not for any
personal qualities they happen to have or simply because they are
“superiors”. It is this outlook which causes St Ignatius Loyola to say
that “laying aside all private judgment, we ought to keep our minds
prepared and ready to obey in all things the true Spouse of Christ our
Lord, which is our Holy Mother, the hierarchical Church” (”Spiritual
Exercises”, 353).
The Thessalonians already knew the commandments, but knowing them
is not enough; they must be put into practice. St John Chrysostom
comments: “Good land does something more than give back the grain
put into it; and therefore the soul should not limit itself to doing what
is laid down, but should go further [...]. Two things make for virtue—
avoiding evil and doing good. Fleeing from evil is not the be-all of virtue;
it is the beginning of the path that leads to virtue. One needs, in addition,
to have an ardent desire to be good and to do good” (”Hom. on 1 Thess,
ad loc.”).
3. What the Apostle says here reflects our Lord’s teaching in the
Sermon on the Mount: “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your
eavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). The call to holiness is a universal
one: it is not addressed only to a few, but to everyone: “Christ, the Son
of God, who with the Father and the Spirit is hailed as ‘alone holy’,
loved the Church as his Bride, giving himself up for her so as to
sanctify her (cf. Eph 5:25-26); he joined her to himself as his body
and endowed her with the gift of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God.
Therefore all in the Church, whether they belong to the hierarchy or
are cared for by it, are called to holiness, according to the Apostle’s
saying: ‘For this is the will of God, your sanctification’ (1 Thess
4:3; cf. Eph 1:4)” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”, 39).
In the Old Testament holiness is the highest attribute of God. He is holy,
and he asks men to be holy, pointing out that the model and cause of
man’s holiness is the holiness of God: “You shall be holy; for I the Lord
your God am holy” (Lev 19:3).
The universal call to holiness was the core of the teaching of the
founder of Opus Dei; it was a message he preached constantly from
l928 up to his death in 1975: “We are deeply moved, and our hearts
profoundly shaken, when we listen attentively to that cry of St Paul:
‘This is the will of God, your sanctification’ [...]. He calls each and
every one to holiness; he asks each and every one to love him—young
and old, single and married, healthy and sick, learned and unlearned,
no matter where they work, or where they are” (”Friends of God”, 294).
“Christ’s invitation to holiness, which he addresses to all men without
exception, puts each one of us under an obligation to cultivate our
interior life and to struggle daily to practise the Christian virtues;
and not just in any old way, nor in a way which is above average or
even excellent. No; we must strive to the point of heroism in the
strictest and most exacting sense of the word” (”ibid.”, 3).
4-8. Man “is obliged to regard his body as good and to hold it in honor
since God has created it and will raise it up on the last day [...].
His very dignity therefore requires that he should glorify God in his
body (cf. 1 Cor 6:13-20) and not allow it to serve the evil
inclinations of his heart” (Vatican II, (”Gaudium Et Spes”, 14).
“Immorality” (v. 3): the word used would be translated as
“fornication”, were the style classical Greek; however, by St Paul’s
time the word had come to refer to any kind of sexual practice outside
marriage or not in accordance with the aims of marriage. The word
translated as “body” literally means “vessel” and it can refer either
to one’s body or to one’s own wife. If “wife” is meant, then the
passage should be taken as an exhortation to married fidelity and to
proper use of marriage. Whichever meaning is correct, the sacred text
is saying that God calls us to exercise self-control in holiness and
honor; that means that one’s body and its functions should be used in
the way God means them to be used. The Lord of life has entrusted to
men and women the mission to preserve life and to transmit it in a
manner in keeping with human dignity. “Man’s sexuality and the faculty
of reproduction wondrously surpass the endowments of lower forms of
life; therefore the acts proper to married life are to be ordered
according to authentic human dignity and must be honored with the
greatest reverence” (”Gaudium Et Spes”, 51).
“Therefore,” Monsignor Escriva comments, “when I remind you now
that Christians must keep perfect chastity, I am referring to everyone—to
the unmarried, who must practise complete continence; and to those
who are married who practise chastity by fulfilling the duties of their
state in life. If one has the spirit of God, chastity is not a troublesome
and humiliating burden, but a joyful affirmation. Will-power, dominion,
self-mastery do not come from the flesh or from instinct. They come
from the will, especially if it is united to the Will of God. In order to be
chaste (and not merely continent or decent) we must subject our
passions to reason, but for a noble motive, namely, the promptings
of Love” (”Friends of God”, 177).
In addition to giving reasons for practising the virtue of chastity, the
Apostle warns that God will punish those who commit sins against
this virtue. “These crimes we are commenting on”, says St John
Chrysostom, “will in no way be overlooked. The enjoyment they give us
is quite outweighed by the pain and suffering their punishment earns”
(”Hom. on 1 Thess, ad loc.”).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Matthew 25:1-13
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Maidens
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
1-46. The whole of chapter 25 is a practical application of the teaching contained
in chapter 24. With these parables of the wise and foolish virgins and of the
talents, and His teaching on the Last Judgment, our Lord is again emphasizing
the need for vigilance (cf. note on Matthew 24:42). In this sense, chapter 25
makes chapter 24 more intelligible.
1-13. The main lesson of this parable has to do with the need to be on the alert:
in practice, this means having the light of faith, which is kept alive with the oil of
charity. Jewish weddings were held in the house of the bride’s father. The virgins
are young unmarried girls, bridesmaids who are in the bride’s house waiting for
the bridegroom to arrive. The parable centers on the attitude one should adopt
up to the time when the bridegroom comes. In other words, it is not enough to
know that one is “inside” the Kingdom, the Church: one has to be on the watch
and be preparing for Christ’s coming by doing good works.
This vigilance should be continuous and unflagging, because the devil is forever
after us, prowling around “like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1
Peter 5:8). “Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with love, watch with
charity, watch with good works [...]; make ready the lamps, make sure they do
not go out [...], renew them with the inner oil of an upright conscience; then shall
the Bridegroom enfold you in the embrace of His love and bring you into His
banquet room, where your lamp can never be extinguished” (St. Augustine,
Sermon”, 93).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
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