St. Monica 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Thessalonians 4:1-8

 For the rest, brothers,

We ask you in the name of Jesus, the Lord, and we urge you to live in a way that pleases God, just as you have learned from us. This you do, but try to do still more. You know the instructions we gave you on behalf of the Lord Jesus: the will of God for you is to become holy and not to have unlawful sex.

Let each of you behave towards his wife as a holy and respectful husband, rather than being led by lust, as are pagans who do not know God. In this matter, let no one offend or wrong a brother.

The Lord will do justice in all these things, as we have warned and shown you. God has called us to live, not in impurity but in holiness, and those who do not heed this instruction disobey, not a human, but God himself who gives you his Holy Spirit.

 

Ps 97:1 & 2b, 5-6, 10, 11-12

Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊   

Matthew 25:1-13

 

 This story throws light on what will happen in the king­dom of heaven. Ten bridesmaids went out with their lamps to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were careless while the others were sensible.

 The careless bridesmaids took their lamps as they were and did not bring extra oil.   But those who were sensible, brought with their lamps flasks of oil.  As the bridegroom delayed, they all grew drowsy and fell asleep.

 But at midnight, a cry rang out: ‘The bridegroom is here, come out and meet him!’ All the maidens woke up at once and trimmed their lamps.   Then the careless ones said to the sensible ones: ‘Give us some oil, for our lamps are going out.’   The sensible ones answered: ‘There may not be enough for both you and us. You had better go to those who sell and buy for yourselves.’

 They were out buying oil when the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him to the wed­ding feast, and the doors were shut.  Later the rest of the bridesmaids arrived and called out: ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’   But he answered: ‘Truly, I do not know you.’ So, stay awake, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

 

Gospel Reflection：

　

In following the Lord, we need to keep our head and not lose our common sense. For sometimes, people are so immersed in their feelings that they tend to forget that God is a God of reason. Take for example the gospel today.

The foolish virgins are caught up in the excitement of the event. Who would not be? After all, it is a feast. It is a celebration of love. It does not occur to them to bring extra oil. Perhaps in the course of waiting, they might have observed that the other five have extra flasks of oil. But they did not move a finger to acquire any.

They are so happy with things going on around them they perhaps felt that they would manage somehow. With or without oil, they are determined to soak up the festival atmosphere. They might miss something if they were to leave this happy place to look for extra oil. And so they pay a heavy price afterwards.

They are not able to enter the festive banquet because they acted too late. In focusing on the happy occasion and the excitement of preparation, they missed the chance to enjoy the happiness of the actual wedding.