Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

“The Ten Virgins”
by John Melhuish Strudwick, c.1884

 
Readings for Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 Thessalonians 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.
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Commentary on 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 efforts to reject sexual immorality.  This would be a change for many since sexual promiscuity was acceptable in the pagan norms from which many of the community had come. 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.
 
CCC: 1 Thes 4:7 2518, 2813
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 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!
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Commentary on Ps 97:1 and 2b, 5-6, 10, 11-12
 
This song of thanksgiving rejoices in the casting down of the idol worshipers. The hedonistic practices of the pagans, with whom the tribes of Israel were in constant contact, were a source of constant temptation of the faithful.  The tone of the song upholds those who adhere to God’s law.
 
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Gospel: Matthew 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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Commentary on Mt 25:1-13
 
St. Matthew’s Gospel gives us the parable of the Ten Virgins, continuing the Gospel theme of preparedness and vigilance (although strictly speaking this parable is about foresight). In this story the idea of vigilance is expanded to include being prepared. The Jewish wedding customs of the time would have dictated a procession [at night] from the house of the bride to the house of the groom. The whole act is symbolic of the coming of the messianic era also portrayed as a wedding in Matthew 9:15, Matthew 22:1-14 and John 3:29. The wise virgins brought oil for their lamps while the foolish ones did not. The oil is interpreted by some scholars as referring to good works.
 
The overarching symbolism is the lamp of faith (light of the indwelling Holy Spirit) being kept burning with oil (good works). Hence, without good works (oil), the lamp will not continue to burn (James 2:17) and the virgins, so deprived of light, are excluded from the heavenly kingdom.
 
CCC: Mt 25:1-13 672, 796; Mt 25:1 672; Mt 25:6 1618; Mt 25:13 672
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Reflection:
 
The vigilance theme from St. Matthew’s Gospel, and the action which suggests itself in response to that call is to love one another.  That call also comes from St. Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians. The apostle makes clear the kind of love about which he was speaking.
 
Today we are again told in the Gospel to remain vigilant and prepared.  This time, however, St. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians deals with sexual morality among the members of the community of faith.  He differentiates nicely between love and lust, calling the community to look for sacramental love when 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 our secular society, that seems to find sexual promiscuity acceptable and is something rejoiced over and encouraged by the media, we are called to a higher standard.  The modern-day pagans worship the gods 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 is in serving others and loving our neighbor.  Success does not mean driving a big car but bringing others to Christ.
 
If one reads the Confessions of St. Augustine who was born in the fourth century (354-430), it is clear that these temptations of the flesh have always been with us.  The good news is that the invitation to holiness is always being extended.  The journey may be interrupted but there is always a way forward, a way toward the light.  True Christian hope has its roots in that invitation and promise.  St. Matthew’s parable is a reminder for those of us who procrastinate.  While the invitation is always open, we don’t know the day or the hour when we will be called to explain our response to it.
 
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

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[1] The picture is “The Ten Virgins” by John Melhuish Strudwick, c.1884.
[2] S.S Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.