Daily Reflection – Nov 12, 2017

Sunday 12 November 2017

First Reading: WIS 6:12-16
Responsorial Psalm:
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
PS 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Second Reading: 1 THES 4:13-18
Gospel Reading: MT 25:1-13

Today’s Note: Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Reading:

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.”

Reflection:

Those who were ready went into the wedding feast. (Matthew 25:10)

Today’s parable of the ten virgins urges us to be alert and awake, ready for the time when Jesus will come again. Jesus wants to make it clear that a time will come when each person is either welcomed into heaven or finds the door barred before them. He wants to warn us so that no one gets left out.

But what’s all this fuss about the virgins’ supply of oil? It seems that it’s the oil that determines whether we are ready to meet Jesus. We could call it our faith or the Holy Spirit or the grace of God. Whatever it is, it’s something that we can’t borrow from a friend. We have to be prepared with our own supply.

As frightening as this parable can seem, it can also fill us with hope. This parable tells us that anyone can be welcomed by Jesus, the Bridegroom, as long as they are alert, awake, and well supplied with the oil of salvation.

Staying alert and awake. Keeping our lamps aflame. Maintaining a good supply of oil. These are all ways of saying the same thing: Jesus wants us to keep our faith alive every single day. How can we do this? We can take our cue from St. Paul, who promised, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

We have a prime opportunity to check our faith when we proclaim the Creed every Sunday at Mass. Actually, we can do this every day in our personal prayer. We can be sure that whenever we confess and believe, we bring a smile to God’s face. Even if our faith is imperfect or incomplete, the Lord still smiles, and we can hear the angels announce, “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” (Matthew 25:6).

So let’s proclaim our faith today. Let’s fill up our oil flasks by announcing our belief in Jesus, our Savior.

“Jesus, I believe in you.”