Readings & Reflections: Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time & St. Jeanne Jugan, August 30,2019

The foolish virgins are turned away from the wedding feast because they ask for something from the wise virgins that is impossible for them to provide. Saint Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to conduct themselves so as to please God, that is, to use their freedom to remain conformed to the Bridegroom. If we disregard this, we disregard the chance to remain united with God.

AMDG+ 

Opening Prayer

“Lord, make me vigilant and attentive to your voice that I may heed your call at all times. May I find joy in your presence and delight in doing your will.” Amen.

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.

The word of the Lord.

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.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Reflection 1 – Parable of the ten virgins

The wise are those who know how to prepare for the coming of the Lord.

Some of us maybe vigilant and quite attentive to the essentials of our soul while there are those who are very pre-occupied with the world and what it has to offer. They think about everything except what is important and what matters in life. Quite a number are so focused on outside appearance: jewels, perfume, clothes while they forget the more essential need for repentance, transformation and prayer. They lose their heads over money and what glitters. They are so focused on power and influence. They totally miss the essence of their existence. They never realize and forget the very reason God created them.

Sad to say, there are those who have been touched by God and have a deep understanding what we need to do in life. But they are just not ready to accept God and His call. They believe that some good show of faith will be enough. They subscribe to the idea that a good thought at the end of life will settle things for the best. They fail to realize that a life lived in dreadful sin cannot be remedied on the last day and that we will judged based on our own merits and no can ever come to help us. Although God’s desire is save us and bring us to His kingdom, in the end we will find ourselves holding what we have done, what we have built up or burnt down.

Preparation for our Lord’s return is serious business. Every moment on earth should be considered precious and should be used only for what in the end will add value to our existence, merits for us to enter the Father’s kingdom.

Good and evil stand side by side amidst the free will that we all have. What should be our choice? Christ and Christ alone! Vigilance should be the direction. “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

As Christians, we should be proactively looking out for signs of God in our neighbor: the cry of the poor, the desperate voice of the marginalized, the supplication of those who plead for justice, love, respect!

Let us re-visit the poor of the poorest in our home country. Let us seek ways on how to alleviate poverty among God’s people so that we may be able to bring justice on the oppressed and restore their long lost dignity as God’s very own creation.

Prepare for God’s return by deciding to embark on mission that will transform the façade of society! Be part of a peaceful social revolution that will transform not only the receiver but also the giver!

Direction

Focus on works that are aligned to God and His ways.

Prayer

Heavenly Father bring us your word in all our works so that we may be made trustworthy, be able to love justice and what is right and fill the earth with your kindness as we prepare for our Lord’s return. In Him, we pray. Amen.

Reflection 2 – Be alert, keep your eyes open for you know not the day of the hour

In the parable of the ten virgins (Mt 25:1-13), Jesus told of five who had prepared for the coming of the bridegroom. When he came, they “went in with him to the wedding” (Mt. 25:10). Later, however, when the five foolish virgins tried to go in, the door was locked! In response to their pleas, they heard him answer, “I do not know you” (v.12). This parable is about the end of the world when Christ will come again in glory. That day no one knows. From the time of St. Paul who wrote to the Thessalonians (4:13-18) to the present has waited for Jesus’ return with patience. In every Mass, we profess after the “Our Father” that “we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” And we hear the priest before communion the declaration: “Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” This does not refer to the Last Supper in the past but to the heavenly supper in the future (Revelation 19:9). St. John had a vision of a great wedding supper in heaven. An angel said to him, “Write this down: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb” (Rev 19:9). We are called to be wise waiting patiently for the coming of the Lord. The end of the world seems far but the Lord will come in the moment of our death. We naturally fear death and cling to life. Like the foolish virgins, we say, “Heaven can wait.” But we must be alert and ready to meet the Lord whenever he comes. The Catechism (CCC:1014) urges us to prepare for death every night before we fall asleep. As we are about to go to sleep the church suggests that we have the sentiment which Jesus had as he was about to die: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

Holy Communion is a preparation for death. A Catholic who is about to die is entitled to, and directed to receive, communion as “viaticum,” the food for the journey from this life to the next (CCC:1517). Even when we receive communion at Mass we should be mindful of death, but always with faith in our resurrection from the dead. The moral is “Keep your eyes open, for you know not the day of the hour.” For more reflection on “At the very moment of your death, Christ will judge your soul” click this link: http://www.pagadiandiocese.org/2016/12/04/at-the-very-moment-of-your-death-christ-will-judge-your-soul/

Reflection 3 – Wasting Time

Imagine this scenario. When you wake up each morning, your account in the bank receives $86,400 for that day. But at the end of the day, when you sleep, the amount is gone. So, during the day, you have to spend the whole amount. Furthermore, the bank can close your account at any time without warning. Hence, it is all the more necessary for you to spend that money on that day. But $86,400 is a big amount to use up for one day. So you may need to spend it for your loved ones and other people as well, even those you do not know.

Actually, this is not an imaginary scenario. It is the reality! Each of us possesses such a magical bank, which we oftentimes take for granted. This magical bank is TIME!

Each morning when we wake up, we receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life. And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is not credited to us. What we have not lived up that day is forever lost. Yesterday is forever gone. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve our account at any time, without warning! Death comes suddenly. So, what shall we do with our 86,400 seconds? Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. (Anon)

The parable of the ten virgins is about the wise use of time. Five of the virgins were wise – they certainly took their time in bringing along with them flasks of oil for their lamps. The other five virgins were foolish because they did not bring provisions for their lamps. They must not be serious in the task entrusted to them. And worse, while idly waiting for the bridegroom, they did not use their time to fill up their lamps with oil. So, when he arrived, they had to scamper in the night, looking for oil. But they were too late. When they returned, the door was closed, and they were not anymore allowed to enter the wedding feast.

Christ is the Bridegroom who is coming. The virgins represent mankind. The time of waiting is a symbol of our life on earth. We are an advent people, eagerly and patiently waiting for the coming of the Lord. In this period of waiting, we are reminded to make use of our time to prepare well for the coming of Christ. Our preparation is not in terms of material provisions, but spiritual and Christian virtues necessary to make ourselves worthy to join Jesus in His wedding banquet in heaven. This is what the oil symbolizes. It is an internal character – a personal virtue, a personal condition of readiness and preparedness. That is the reason why the wise virgins could not share their oil with the other five.

In the meantime, while we still have the time in the world, we have to make the necessary preparations to meet the Lord. Unfortunately, many people are like the foolish virgins. They have all the time in their hands, but they are not using it for their spiritual preparation.

What are the ways of preparation that we need to spend our time on? First, study. Most of us have spent many years in school, studying science, mathematics, communication arts, history and many others. But all these fields of study are aimed at preparing ourselves only for our life in this world, and nothing beyond. On the other hand, how much time have we spent studying catechism, the sacraments, and the Bible? These are matters that are necessary for our entry into eternal life, but we unfortunately take for granted and neglect.

Second, prayer. Many people go about their daily affairs without even finding time to pray. Their usual excuse is because they are too busy. What they fail to realize is that, “If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do the builders labor; If the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil.” Prayer is our way of staying connected with God. The Lord Jesus himself said it: “I am the vine, you are the branches; apart from me you can do nothing.” As St. Alphonsus Liguori said, “Those who pray are surely saved. Those who do not pray are surely lost.” Needless to say, the Mass is the most perfect form of prayer. Regularly receiving the Body of Christ in Holy Communion helps us establish an intimate relationship and union with the coming Bridegroom.

Third, good works. Jesus said, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” Acts of charity and generosity towards others, especially the poor and underprivileged, are the heavenly treasures that we ought to accumulate while we still have time and opportunities. In fact, Jesus identified himself with the poor: “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.” Being close to the Lord through our loving service to the poor will surely prepare us for his imminent coming.

These are the three things we must seriously and generously invest our time on, the three feet (tripod) on which every Christian stands: prayer (worship), study (education) and good works (service). These are the oil that will keep our lamp of faith continually burning until we meet the Bridegroom, ready to enter his eternal Wedding Feast. – (Source: Fr. Mike Lagrimas, Sta. Lucia Church, JP Rizal Street, Bgy. Sta. Lucia, Novaliches, Quezon City 1117)

Reflection 4 – Doors: Open And Shut

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved. –John 10:9

George Morrison, one of Scotland’s most popular preachers in the early 20th century, was known for a sermon titled, “The Ever-Open Door.” And on his deathbed he exclaimed, “It’s open for me now, and I’m going through.” As a believer, he surely did go through the door into glory.

That door won’t always be open, however. Someday the door of grace will close and unbelievers will be shut out of God’s presence forever.

The eloquent English evangelist George Whitefield (1714-1770) once preached on the text, “. . . and the door was shut” (Mt. 25:10). One man in the audience was overheard saying to another, “So what? Another door will open.” But as Whitefield continued preaching, he said, “There may be someone here who is careless and self-satisfied, and who thinks, ‘What does it matter if the door is shut? Another will open.’ Yes, it will–the door to the bottomless pit, the door to hell!”

When time runs out, and God shuts the door of salvation, the door to doom, darkness, and despair will open. But today, if you trust in Jesus Christ, you enter the still wide-open door into eternal life.

Have you walked through that door?  — Vernon C. Grounds

The time has come for me to choose–
It’s Jesus Christ or heaven lose;
But if what heaven loves, I hate,
Then closed to me is heaven’s gate. –Anon.

Christ is the only way to heaven; all other ways lead to doom (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 5 – Locked Out!

Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. –Matthew 25:10

I can still remember the night I locked myself out of my house. My wife and son had just left for the evening, and I had gone outside to close up the garage. When I went back to the house, I discovered that the door had blown shut. Everything was tightly secured. I had no choice but to remain out in the chilly air until my family returned.

As I sat there for several hours, I thought about how dreadful it will be for all who are “locked out” of heaven for eternity. Having waited too long and having never received Christ, they will suddenly face the terrifying reality that the door of salvation is closed to them forever!

In the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus told of five who had prepared for the coming of the bridegroom. When he came, they “went in with him to the wedding” (Mt. 25:10). Later, however, when the five foolish virgins tried to go in, the door was shut! In response to their pleas, they heard him answer, “I do not know you” (v.12).

If Christ should return right now, millions would share a similar fate. What about you? Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (Jn. 10:9). Have you accepted forgiveness through faith in the Savior? Don’t risk being “locked out”!  — Richard De Haan

The day of life is passing by,
Soon night your soul will hide;
And then “too late” will be your cry
If you are just outside! –Rowe

It’s never too early to receive Christ, but at any moment it could be too late! (Source: Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries).

Reflection 6 – The foolish will miss heaven’s wedding feast

Are you missing out on what’s most important in life? Being unprepared can lead to unnecessary trouble and even disaster! What good is a life-jacket left on the shore when the boat is sinking? Jesus’ story of ten single ladies waiting for a wedding procession in the middle of the night seems strange to most westerners today. But Jesus’ audience knew all too well how easily this could happen to them.

Don’t miss the most important engagement of all
Wedding customs in ancient Palestine required extra vigilance and preparation for everyone involved. (Some near eastern villages still follow this custom.) The bride and groom did not go away for their honeymoon, but celebrated for a whole week with their family and friends. It was the custom for the groom, in company with his friends, to come at his discretion and get his bride and bring her to their new home. They would take the longest route possible so that many villagers along the way could join in the wedding procession. Once they arrived and closed the doors, no one else could be admitted. If the groom decided to come and bring his bride at night, then lights were required by necessity to guide the travelers through the dark and narrow streets. No one was allowed on the village streets at night without a lamp!

To show up for a wedding party without proper attire and travel arrangements is like trying to get into a special event today that requires a prearranged permit or reservation. You just don’t get in without the proper pass. Can you imagine the frustration travelers might experience when going abroad and finding out that they can’t get into some country because they don’t have the right visa or a valid passport.

The consequences of being unprepared to meet the Lord
Jesus warns us that there are consequences for being unprepared. There are certain things you cannot obtain at the last moment. For example, students cannot prepare for their exams when the day of testing is already upon them. A person cannot get the right kind of character, strength, and skill required for a task at hand unless they already possess it, such as a captain with courage and nautical skills who must steer a ship through a dangerous storm at sea.

When the Lord Jesus comes to lead you to his heavenly banquet will you be ready to hear his voice and follow? Our eternal welfare depends on our hearing, and many have trained themselves to not hear. We will not be prepared to meet the Lord, face to face, when he calls us on the day of judgment, unless we listen to him today. The Lord invites us to feast at his heavenly banquet table. Are you ready?

“Lord Jesus, make me vigilant and attentive to your voice that I may heed your call at all times. May I find joy in your presence and delight in doing your will.” – Read the source: https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/2019/aug30.htm

Reflection 7 – Let us lead good lives

“Let us lead good lives, and while we lead good lives let us on no account take it for granted that we are without sin. Living a life that is praiseworthy includes begging pardon for things that are blameworthy. But people who are beyond hope pay all the less attention to their own sins, the more interested they are in those of others. They are looking for a chance to tear others to bits, not to put them right. Unable to excuse themselves, they are only too ready to accuse others.

“Sin cannot possibly go unpunished. If a sin remains unpunished it is unjust, and so undoubtedly it must be punished. This is what your God says to you: “Your sin must be punished, either by you or by me.” So sin is punished either by man repenting or by God judging. So either it, without you, is punished by you or else together with you it is punished by God. What is repentance, after all, but being angry with oneself? What’s the idea of beating your breast if you aren’t just pretending? Why beat it if you aren’t angry with it? So you beat your breast you are being angry with your heart in order to make amends to your Lord. This is also how we can understand the text Be angry and do not sin. Be angry because you have sinned, and by punishing yourself stop sinning. Give your heart a shaking by repentance, and this will be a sacrifice to God.” – St. Augustine of Hippo (+430 A.D.)

Reflection 8 – Who’s the fool?