32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

a tunnel made of money

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Wisdom 6:12-16
Responsorial: Psalm 63:2-8
Reading 2: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110820.cfm
https://deaconrudysnotes.org/

In our responsorial, we cry out, “My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.” Isn’t that true for so many of us. We thirst for God. How many people do we know who do not believe in God or do not accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior go around wandering in search of some higher power or trying to tap into or somehow be in touch with the universe. Our in-person and online bookstores are filled with books about spirituality. There is a thirst for the transcendent. Especially in these crazy times! People seem anxious and a bit on edge, and I’m not just talking about the US presidential election.

My brothers and sisters, I have Good News! Today we are reminded that God is looking for us! We don’t need to go off and try to find God. God seeks us! Just like Wisdom, who in anticipation of our quest is waiting for us, so too does St. Paul reminds us that we shouldn’t grieve like nonbelievers because Jesus is coming back. We have hope! Isn’t that awesome? So many people spend their lives trying to find God, but it’s God who is looking for us. It’s like the story of the prodigal son; it is the father who runs into the field to hug his son.

Or consider the story about the shepherd and the lost sheep. The shepherd leaves the 99 to find the one who is missing. Awesome! And today, from our first reading, Wisdom “is readily perceived by those who love her” (Wis 6:12). “She hastens to make herself know in anticipation” (Wis 6:13), meaning before you can imagine her, she’s there. “Whoever watches for her at dawn…shall find her sitting by his gate” (Wis 6:14). God’s Wisdom is waiting for us!

St. Paul tells us we shouldn’t be grieving like nonbelievers. They grieve over what they lost. But our faith in Jesus that he is coming means that we are all united in the Kingdom – those believers who have passed away, those believers here today, and those believers yet to be born.

It’s an awesome message! But wait! There’s more!

Jesus tells us the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Five of the virgins have extra oil for their lamps. They are prepared. The other five are not ready, and they leave, and while they are distracted, they miss out on the wedding feast.

This really gives us some great insight into Scripture.

God is constantly looking for us. God has given us a grace-soaked world. This world and everything we have is a blessing! But so many of us are unsatisfied. We are constantly looking for something – maybe it’s more money, or more stuff, or pleasure. Let’s call these our attachments. In fact, we fill our lives with so much of the stuff – both physically and emotionally – that we accumulate in our quest to fill what’s missing in our lives that our view of the world around us is obscured.

We might miss out on God’s presence or God’s grace because we’re constantly looking somewhere out there for that one thing to give meaning or purpose to our lives. We might miss out – we miss out in God’s grace in our children’s laughter or our spouse’s love or our pet, who just wants to cuddle with us.

While we’re out like the five virgins searching in the marketplace, we miss seeing the bridegroom who was already here with us the whole time, and the door is sealed. If we are not careful, we will find ourselves on the outside! Only then will we realize what’s happened. We knock and what will Jesus tell us? “I do not know you” (Matthew 25:12).

Whoa! Okay, what do I need to do then? Well, there are a few points of order we need to know. First, God will never force himself on us. We need to accept God. Second, we don’t need to go on some great quest to find God. We need to be open to God present in the world. Third, we need to be prepared and ready for Jesus. How do we do that? All we need is to be disciples of Christ Jesus. That means we need to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, grow in our faith, and go out into the world sharing the Good News.

I know, it sounds too simple, right? Well, perhaps, but we need to make some preparations, which leads us to homework!

First, we need to become aware of our attachments. What things might distract us?
Second, we need to work on being grateful for the gifts we already have.
Third, the next time we go to pray, maybe we try to be still and quiet, then invite Jesus who is knocking on my door to come into my heart.

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Artist unknown. Tunnel of Money. JPG file.

Notes: Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotes are taken from The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

References:
1. Eubank, Nathan. First and Second Thessalonians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2019. Kindle.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. A time of watching and waiting, 671-72
2. The Church as bride, 796
3. Resurrection of the body, 988-1019
4. Vigilant waiting for the Lord’s return, 1036, 2612
5. Virginity for the kingdom, 1618-20

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110820.cfm
Lectionary: 154

Reading 1
Wisdom 6:12-16
Resplendent and unfading is wisdom,
and she is readily perceived by those who love her,
and found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire;
Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed,
for he shall find her sitting by his gate.
For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence,
and whoever for her sake keeps vigil
shall quickly be free from care;
because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her,
and graciously appears to them in the ways,
and meets them with all solicitude.

Responsorial
Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
I will remember you upon my couch,
and through the night-watches I will meditate on you:
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Reading 2
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 OR 4:13-14
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep,
so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,
so too will God, through Jesus,
bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive,
who are left until the coming of the Lord,
will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself, with a word of command,
with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God,
will come down from heaven,
and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left,
will be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
Thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore, console one another with these words.

or

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep,
so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,
so too will God, through Jesus,
bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

Alleluia
Matthew 24:42A, 44
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake and be ready!
For you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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.”

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

picture of many roads going in different directions and many confusing street signs

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Mass readings

First Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10A
Responsorial: Psalm 23:1-6
Second Reading: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20
Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14 OR 22:1-10

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101120.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

What an interestingly odd Gospel reading today. Don’t you think? Those who are invited turn their backs and are destroyed. Those who are invited and come are not guaranteed to remain. How is that fair?

Ok, maybe this reading isn’t as odd as it is disturbing. Why would those invited not come? Well, it’s all about distraction. In the Gospel, they are so caught up in their own lives – their businesses and their busyness – that they ignore the invitation.

Now maybe we can all relate to this in some way. We get caught up in work or in our activities, binge-watching a show or glued to social media. Have you ever looked up and thought to yourself, “Where did all the time go?” These little distractions can amount to sins if they keep us from our true purpose.

In The Screwtape Letters, “Letter 12”, C.S. Lewis writes, “You can keep him up late at night, not roistering, but staring at a dead fire in a cold room. All the healthy and outgoing activities which we want him to avoid can be inhibited and nothing given in return, so that at last he may say, as one of my own patients said on his arrival down here, ‘I now see that I spent most of my life doing neither what I ought nor what I liked.”

Sound familiar? These distractions that keep us from doing what we ought or what we like can seem so important in the moment. Believe me – I’ve been there and done that – and sometimes I think I keep falling into the same trap! Technology makes it all too easy to get lost on three-hour tour of nothing!

God invites us. We are invited! The first reading gives us a wonderful description: rich foods, choice wines, where death is destroyed and every tear is wiped away (Isaiah 25:6, 8). We are invited, but God will not make us come to him. We must freely choose. So, in the Gospel account those who chose to ignore eventually experienced the reality of their poor choices. They were wiped out!

What about the person who was invited and came to the party without a proper wedding garment? I think this person is like the bench warmer. You know the type – the person who comes to mass for any reason except out of commitment to Jesus Christ. This person might come out of obligation. Worse still, this person participates in the Eucharist – a taste of the heavenly banquet – but is not converted. They are so filled with their own sense of right and wrong that the words of Scripture can’t penetrate the heart. But really, this person comes without a wedding garment. In other words, the person does not come predisposed to the saving grace offered by God through his church.

C.S. Lewis closes this letter this way, “You will say that these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy [meaning God]. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”

Whoa! Listen, I wouldn’t recommend listen to the dramatized version of the Screwtape Letters, like the Radio Theatre version, on a cold, rainy night! But is this accurate? Look, most of us will never encounter the physical manifestation of evil, thank God! Lucifer’s greatest power is to plant seeds of fear and doubt. Lucifer can’t make us do anything, but by sowing doubt, discord, disunity, we put distance between ourselves and God.

Scripture says, “…let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, because the Lamb’s wedding feast has come…” (Revelation 19:6-9). Where will you be on that day?

Homework! Nourished at the table of the Word and Sacrament, let’s reflect on the following two questions.
1. What distractions occupy too much of my time?
2. Are there things I could be doing right now to help build the kingdom of God – to help my pastor and my parish community reach out to those on the margins?

I think our homework might help us refocus our attention. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Ament!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPG file.

Notes: Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotes are taken from The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

References:
1. Hamm, Dennis, SJ. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2013. Kindle.
2. Lewis, C.S. The Screwtape Letters and Screwtape Proposes a Toast. Annotated Edition. New York: HarperOne, 2013. Kindle.
3. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Jesus invites sinners, but demands conversion, 543-46
2. The Eucharist is the foretaste of the Messianic Banquet, 1402-05, 2837

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101120.cfm
Lectionary: 142

Reading 1
Isaiah 25:6-10A
On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
the web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from every face;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
On that day it will be said:
“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

Responsorial
Psalm 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6
R. (6cd) I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Reading 2
Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20
Brothers and sisters:
I know how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need.
I can do all things in him who strengthens me.
Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia
Ephesians 1:17-18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
so that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to our call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel

Matthew 22:1-14 OR 22:1-10
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people
in parables, saying,
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The king said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

or

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people
in parables, saying,
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.”