GOSPEL POWER | AUGUST 27, 2021 - Friday - 21st Week in Ordinary Time

1st Reading: 1 Thes 4:1-8 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 97 – Rejoice in the Lord, you just! 

Gospel: Mt 25:1-13 

Jesus said to his disciples,  “Then 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 wise.  When  the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;  but the wise  took flasks of oil with their lamps.  As the bridegroom was delayed,  all of them became drowsy and slept.  But at midnight there was a  shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’  Then  all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish  said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going  out.’  But the wise replied, ‘No! There will not be enough for you and  for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’  And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who  were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door  was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord,  open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour

Reflection:

Today’s parable seems to imply that the Kingdom of heaven  involves both inclusion and exclusion. Some are allowed  inside, while others are not. If you find that disturbing, you’re  not alone. But a parable is not only a pious story with a definitive  and unalterable conclusion. In fact, a parable deliberately provokes  a reaction from its hearers. It is more of a puzzle, a challenge, an  impulse to do something. And the time to act is now! The moment of  waiting for the arrival of the Bridegroom is not a time for sleeping, as  yesterday’s parable made quite clear. It is a time for vigilance… a time  for the wise virgins to instruct the foolish ones, to remind them to  provide themselves with oil before the Bridegroom arrives, so that all  of them may be admitted into the wedding feast. Just as the Shepherd  in another parable does not want even a single sheep to be lost, the  Bridegroom in today’s parable does not wish five virgins to be denied  access into the wedding feast. But he looks to us to use his gift of  wisdom to do something.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, may we never forget that we are our brothers’ and sisters’  keepers. Amen