The scripture readings for today's reflection can be found at https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082820.cfm
Our readings today are giving us some challenges as to
how to live out our vocations as followers of Jesus Christ. In the first
reading, Paul focuses on the power of the cross. I’m sure those first century
Christians had a challenge accepting Paul’s teachings on the cross since it was
an instrument of torture and execution used by the Romans. But Paul used the
cross as an effective means of addressing the disunity among the early Church,
demonstrating how God chose the cross to encounter humanity and bring about
salvation.
Paul’s strong statements call them and us into
relationship with God, asking us to put aside our own agenda and expectations
of what relationships should be. The lessen that we can learn is how the cross
can be an instrument of faith. We need to pray to God for an openness to
recognize how He is calling us to encounter Him in our daily lives.
In our gospel for today we hear the familiar parable
of the Ten Virgins: five wise, and five foolish. Our Lord is giving us another
opportunity in this parable to consider how we are living out our lives while
at the same time being ready for what eventually will come. Our Lord is
challenging us to be vigilant and to live our lives ready for the return of
Christ. But being ready certainly doesn’t mean to be obsessed about it every
moment of our days.
For us, being vigilant, or ready, for the Lord’s
return means approaching our daily tasks and ministry with faith: doing what we
have been “appointed” to do in preparation for Christ’s coming, be it welcoming
a stranger, feeding the hungry, or even showing up to work on time and treating
those at work with respect. Being vigilant also means being able to carry out
our family duties with our spouses and children with the love and patience that
Christ wants us to have towards them. It’s not easy, but it is the wise thing
to do as followers of Christ. God doesn’t want us to be perfect, but He wants
us to do the best we can in service to Him and to those in our lives.
Lord Jesus, help us to live lives worthy of our
calling as your followers. Amen.
I was always bothered by the Parable of the Ten Virgins, because based on my experience & the way I was raised & educated, the five wise virgins seem very selfish in being unwilling to share some of their oil with the five foolish virgins who didn't think to bring some extra oil. As Christians we are supposed to share!
ReplyDeleteBut from what I have been told the oil could represent salvation or the Holy Spirit. We can pray for others to be saved & to be open to the Holy Spirit but we cannot do for others what they need to do themselves. Our prayers can help others open their hearts to the LORD & to be open to the Holy Spirit, but there is an assent that others can only give for themselves. Parents can pray for their children (as St. Monica prayed 30 years for her son, St. Augustine), raise them by teaching them about God & his laws & ways & especially by setting a good example by the way they live their lives, send them to Catholic school or CCD/faith formation, but there comes a time when children have to decide for themselves whether or not to follow the LORD & the Church.
Yes, as St. Paul pointed out especially to the Thessalonians, we can't just sit up on some hill to await the LORD's coming but we don't know the day or the hour--or even the month or the year--of the LORD's return. We just need to pray, trust God, be open & obedient to the LORD's leading & do our best to follow His commandments within our station in our everyday lives & make good use of the opportunities He gives us through the sacraments & the way He touches our lives. Then we will be prepared & ready & confident that we have been pleasing to the LORD when He comes again, whether to take us home to heaven through death or at the end of the age.