Readings for Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 1 Thes 4:1-8
In this passage from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians the Apostle exhorts the community of faith to increase their attention to sexual morality. He reminds them that they are called to a higher standard of behavior than the pagans who are, by his inference, hedonistic and promiscuous in this regard. He also tells them that if they ignore this standard they are not just ignoring him (Paul) but God who sent him.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1 and 2b, 5-6, 10, 11-12
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
This song of thanksgiving rejoices in the casting down of the idol worshipers linking itself to the first reading as St. Paul chastises the practices of the pagans. The tone of the song upholds those who adhere to God’s Law.
Gospel Mt 25:1-13
St. Matthew’s Gospel gives us the parable of the Ten Virgins continuing the Gospel theme of preparedness and vigilance. In this story the idea of vigilance is expanded to include being prepared. The wise virgins brought oil for their lamps while the foolish ones did not. The oil is interpreted by some scholars to refer to good works.
Reflection:
Holy Scripture today is like a "part two" of yesterday. Remember yesterday’s scripture started the vigilance theme from St. Matthew’s Gospel and the action which suggested itself in response to that call was to love one another – that came from St. Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians where the Apostle actually paraphrased the Lord.
Today we are again told in the Gospel to remain vigilant and prepared. This time, however, the St. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians deals with sexual morality among the members of the community of faith. He nicely differentiates between love and lust, calling the community to look for sacramental love in entering into the married state, not simply physical infatuation.
His instruction, while clearly something to which couples who are contemplating marriage should listen carefully, contains a broader message as well. In a secular society that seems to find sexual promiscuity acceptable and something rejoiced over and encouraged by the media, we are called to a higher standard. The modern day pagans worship the God’s of hedonism, lust, self indulgence, and greed, we are called to worship the one true God who tells us that victory does not mean beating another person or winning some monetary prize but in serving others and loving our neighbor. Success does not mean driving a big car but bringing others to Christ.
And when the bridegroom does return in the dead of night and looks to us to see if we are prepared, will our good deeds be sufficient to give light to the lamps of our souls? When the Lord comes will he see the love of one another or the lust of the pagans? We pray for the former in a special mention of the Lord’s Prayer today that emphasizes the plea to be freed from temptation and delivered from evil.
Pax
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 1 Thes 4:1-8
In this passage from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians the Apostle exhorts the community of faith to increase their attention to sexual morality. He reminds them that they are called to a higher standard of behavior than the pagans who are, by his inference, hedonistic and promiscuous in this regard. He also tells them that if they ignore this standard they are not just ignoring him (Paul) but God who sent him.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1 and 2b, 5-6, 10, 11-12
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
This song of thanksgiving rejoices in the casting down of the idol worshipers linking itself to the first reading as St. Paul chastises the practices of the pagans. The tone of the song upholds those who adhere to God’s Law.
Gospel Mt 25:1-13
St. Matthew’s Gospel gives us the parable of the Ten Virgins continuing the Gospel theme of preparedness and vigilance. In this story the idea of vigilance is expanded to include being prepared. The wise virgins brought oil for their lamps while the foolish ones did not. The oil is interpreted by some scholars to refer to good works.
Reflection:
Holy Scripture today is like a "part two" of yesterday. Remember yesterday’s scripture started the vigilance theme from St. Matthew’s Gospel and the action which suggested itself in response to that call was to love one another – that came from St. Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians where the Apostle actually paraphrased the Lord.
Today we are again told in the Gospel to remain vigilant and prepared. This time, however, the St. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians deals with sexual morality among the members of the community of faith. He nicely differentiates between love and lust, calling the community to look for sacramental love in entering into the married state, not simply physical infatuation.
His instruction, while clearly something to which couples who are contemplating marriage should listen carefully, contains a broader message as well. In a secular society that seems to find sexual promiscuity acceptable and something rejoiced over and encouraged by the media, we are called to a higher standard. The modern day pagans worship the God’s of hedonism, lust, self indulgence, and greed, we are called to worship the one true God who tells us that victory does not mean beating another person or winning some monetary prize but in serving others and loving our neighbor. Success does not mean driving a big car but bringing others to Christ.
And when the bridegroom does return in the dead of night and looks to us to see if we are prepared, will our good deeds be sufficient to give light to the lamps of our souls? When the Lord comes will he see the love of one another or the lust of the pagans? We pray for the former in a special mention of the Lord’s Prayer today that emphasizes the plea to be freed from temptation and delivered from evil.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is Last Judgment and the Wise and Foolish Virgins, UNKNOWN Flemish Master, 1450s.
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