Daily Readings - Sun Nov 12 2017

First Reading - Wisdom 6.12-16

¹²Therefore, desire my words, love them, and you will have instruction¹³Wisdom is pure and never fades away, and is easily seen by those who love her and found by those who seek her¹⁴She anticipates those who desire her, so that she first reveals herself to them¹⁵Whoever awakens early to seek her, will not labor, for he will find her sitting at his door¹⁶Therefore, by thinking about her, understanding is perfected, and whoever remains watchful for her, will quickly be secure

Second Reading - 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18

1 Thessalonians

Chapter 4

¹³And we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are sleeping, so as not to be sorrowful, like these others who do not have hope¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus has died and risen again, so also will God bring back with Jesus those who sleep in him¹⁵For we say this to you, in the Word of the Lord: that we who are alive, who remain until the return of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep¹⁶For the Lord himself, with a command and with the voice of an Archangel and with a trumpet of God, shall descend from heaven. And the dead, who are in Christ, shall rise up first¹⁷Next, we who are alive, who are remaining, shall be taken up quickly together with them into the clouds to meet Christ in the air. And in this way, we shall be with the Lord always¹⁸Therefore, console one another with these words

Gospel - Matthew 25.1-13

Matthew

Chapter 25

¹"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be like ten virgins, who, taking their lamps, went out to meet the groom and the bride²But five of them were foolish, and five were prudent³For the five foolish, having brought their lamps, did not take oil with them⁴Yet truly, the prudent ones brought the oil, in their containers, with the lamps⁵Since the bridegroom was delayed, they all fell asleep, and they were sleeping⁶But in the middle of the night, a cry went out: ‘Behold, the groom is arriving. Go out to meet him.⁷Then all those virgins rose up and trimmed their lamps⁸But the foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give to us from your oil, for our lamps are being extinguished.⁹The prudent responded by saying, ‘Lest perhaps there may not be enough for us and for you, it would be better for you to go to the vendors and buy some for yourselves.¹⁰But while they were going to buy it, the groom arrived. And those who were prepared entered with him to the wedding, and the door was closed¹¹Yet truly, at the very end, the remaining virgins also arrived, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.¹²But he responded by saying, ‘Amen I say to you, I do not know you.¹³And so you must be vigilant, because you do not know the day or the hour

Sermon

In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the themes of preparation, wisdom, and hope. The first reading from Wisdom encourages us to seek wisdom diligently, emphasizing that it is readily available to those who pursue it with love and dedication. This pursuit is not merely intellectual but a way of life that anticipates and reveals itself to the sincere seeker. The second reading from 1 Thessalonians offers comfort and hope, reminding us that our grief over those who have passed is tempered by the promise of resurrection. It assures us that whether we are alive or have fallen asleep in Christ, we will all meet the Lord, highlighting the unity and hope that bind us together in faith. The Gospel parable of the ten virgins underscores the importance of preparedness and vigilance. The wise virgins, with their extra oil, symbolize those who are spiritually prepared for the Lord's return. This parable encourages us to live with the wisdom and foresight that comes from seeking a deeper relationship with God, ensuring we are ready to meet Him whenever He comes. In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace wisdom, remain hopeful, and stay vigilant. Just as the wise virgins were prepared, we too should cultivate a life of spiritual readiness through prayer, reflection, and service. Let us find comfort in the hope of eternal life and strive to live each day with the wisdom that guides us toward Christ. May we remain steadfast, knowing that our ultimate union with the Lord is both certain and transformative.