Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection August 30, 2024

30th August 2024 (Friday)

Psalter: Week 1

Reading of the Day

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25

Brethren: Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11 (R. 5b)

R/. The Lord’s merciful love fills the earth

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. Stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to stand before the Son of Man

R/. Alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 25:1-13

At that time: Jesus told his disciples this parable: “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For 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, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterwards the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Friday – Twenty-First Week of Ordinary Time

Guidelines: Life is like a lamp. It has to be burning always. There will be times when its fire may be dwindling due to a lack of sufficient oil. But we need to be ready with the supply of extra oil

1. Wisdom is one dominant theme of today’s word of God. In the first reading from I Corinthians, Paul reminds us emphatically that the Cross is the wisdom and power of God, though, in the sight of the world, it is foolishness and weakness.

2. This is the contrasting logic and calculus of God: the wisdom and power of the world are foolishness and weakness for God, but the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of the world and the weakness of God is stronger than the human power.

3. Cross which is a sign of folly and powerlessness for the world becomes the life-saving and life-giving means. It is no more a stumbling block as for the Jews but a conductor and facilitator toward salvation. It is no more a folly as for the Gentiles but the power against the evil and Satan.

4. This same wisdom is illustrated through a very practical parable in the gospel, the parable of ten virgins. All the ten go for a wedding on invitation. All of them carry lamps. But five of them are wise to carry extra oil with them, while the other five are foolish not carrying any extra oil.

5. The bridegroom’s arrival gets delayed. The foolish virgins’ lamps get extinguished because of lack of oil. But the lamps of the wise virgins can burn because of the procured extra oil. The foolish miss the bridegroom as they go out to buy the oil and thus they miss the celebration as well. But the wise virgins celebrate together.

6. Thereby, we are taught that we need to go by the wisdom and logic of God and not of the world. We need not only the lamp of allegiance to a religion or the minimum oil of faith and some religious practices. We need much more of the surplus oil of fervour and enthusiasm. We should never become tepid and lethargic. We should never allow our lamps to go off. We should keep burning.

Practice: Beautiful lamps will not suffice to keep the fire burning. We need the fire of passion to follow the wisdom and power of God in contrast to the worldly pressures and standards