Daily Bible Readings Friday August 26 2011 21st Week in Ordinary Time Cycle I
Friday 21st Week in Ordinary Time Cycle I
Official Readings available at http://www.usccb.org/bible/
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Haydock New Testament
For the rest therefore, brethren, we pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more.[1] For you know what commandments I have given to you by the Lord Jesus.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel[2] in sanctification and honour: Not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles, who know not God: And that no man overreach, nor deceive his brother in business:[3] because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, as we have told you before, and have testified.
For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness. He, therefore, that despiseth these things, despiseth not man, but God: who also hath given his holy spirit in us.
Psalm 96:1-2b, 5-6, 10-12 (Ps 97 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only
The Lord hath reigned, let the earth rejoice:
let many islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him:
justice and judgment are the establishment of his throne.
The mountains melted like wax, at the presence of the Lord:
at the presence of the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens declared his justice: and all people saw his glory.
You that love the Lord, hate evil:
the Lord preserveth the souls of his saints,
he will deliver them out of the hand of the sinner.
Light is risen to the just, and joy to the right of heart.
Rejoice, ye just, in the Lord:
and give praise to the remembrance of his holiness.
The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Matthew 25:1-13
Haydock New Testament
Jesus delivered this parable to his disciples:
The Wise Virgins
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins,[4] who, taking their lamps, went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. Now five of them were foolish, and five were wise. But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, took no oil with them:[5] But the wise took oil in their vessels, with the lamps.[6] And while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.[7] And at midnight there was a cry made:[8]
Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him.
Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise:
Give us of your oil: for our lamps are gone out.[9]
The wise answered, saying:
The Foolish Virgins
Lest there be not enough for us and for you, go you rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.[10]
Now while they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they who were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.[11] But at last came also the other virgins, saying:
Lord, Lord, open to us.
But he answering said:
Amen, I say to you, I know you not.
Watch ye, therefore, because ye know not the day nor the hour.[12]
- In this chapter the apostle begins to remind them of their obligation of always striving to increase in virtue. Though he praises them through the whole epistle, he still thinks it necessary to warn them not to be surprised in uncleanness. He repeats what he had taught them before; first, that there is vengeance awaiting the workers of evil; and secondly, that the favour of God is the reward of those who deal with the brethren in simplicity, and preserve themselves from the defilements of the Gentiles. S. Ambrose, Comment. hic.↵
- His vessel. That is, his own body. See 1 K. xxi. 5. Wi.↵
- That no man overreach, nor deceive his brother in business.[1] The Prot. and Mr. N. even in their translations, add, in any matter, because some expound it of frauds and circumventions in any kind of business. But this addition of any, should be left out, seeing the best interpreters expound it of a prohibition of adultery, and the injury thereby done to another, and of sins of that kind only, which is confirmed by what follows and what goes before. See S. Jerom in c. iv. ad Ephes. tom. 4. p. 369. S. Chrys. serm. 3 on this place. Here, says he, he speaks of adultery, as before of fornication, &c. See Theodoret, Theophylact. Estius, Menochius, A. Lapide, &c. Wi.↵
- Ten virgins. By these are signified all mankind. By the bridegroom, Christ; by the bride, the Church; by oil, grace and charity. Wi. — The kingdom of heaven is not unfrequently compared to the Church militant; which, as it is composed of both just and wicked, reprobate and elect, is deservedly compared to five wise and five foolish virgins: the wise constantly aspiring after their blessed country; the foolish, with all their fasts and austerities, wishing to procure nothing more than the empty esteem of men. S. Gregory. — Went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride; in the Greek, it is simply, before the bridegroom. The custom among the Jews was, that the bridegroom should go to fetch his spouse, and conduct her with solemnity to his house. V. — This was the conclusive ceremony, and done in the night-time. The young women of the vicinity, in order to do her honour, went to meet her with lighted lamps. Modern travellers inform us, that this custom still obtains with the eastern nations, particularly the Persians. Hence the Latin phrase, ducere uxorem, to marry.↵
- The foolish virgins had a little oil in their lamps at first, sufficient to shine before men, by some little external shew of piety, or certain works done through fear, profit, or human respects; but had made no provision of oil in their vessels, i.e. in their hearts and conscience, no provision of solid piety and charity, by means of which they might, like the prudent virgins, produce good works to salvation. Jans.↵
- But the wise took oil. Under this parable, we have the state of all Christians in their mortal pilgrimage justly delineated. The wise took oil in their lamps, the necessary qualifications of grace and charity, joined with divine faith, and an additional supply of oil in their vessels; i.e. they laid up in store for themselves a solid foundation of good works. S. Gregory teaches, that by the lamps, faith is meant; and by the light, good works. Hence he concludes that the bad, although they have lamps, i.e. faith, no less than the good, shall be excluded; because their lamps are out, i.e. their faith is dead, without charity and good works to enlighten them. hom. xii. — S. Augustine also declares, that these lighted lamps are good works, viz. works of mercy and good conversation, which shine forth before men. ep. 120. c. xxxiii. — And, that this oil is a right inward intention, directing all our works to the greater glory of God, and not to the praise of ourselves in the sight of men. Idem. ibid.↵
- And while the bridegroom (Jesus Christ) tarried, i.e. delayed his coming, and thus protracted the time of repentance, they all slumbered and slept; viz. they all died. Hence S. Paul, nolo vos ignorare de dormientibus. But the reason why Jesus Christ says they slumbered is, because they were to rise again: and by the expression, whilst the bridegroom tarried, Christ wishes to shew us that a very short time will elapse between his first and second coming. S. Jerom.↵
- There was a cry. So shall we all have to rise again at the sound of the last trumpet, to meet our judge, either like the wise virgins, who having their oil ready, and their lamps trimmed and burning, soon prepare themselves to give in their accounts to their Lord; or, like the foolish, who having made no provision of the oil of good works, are compelled to seek it at the time they are to be judged. S. Augustine. — It is said he will come at midnight; i.e. when least expected.↵
- For our lamps are gone out. Thus too many trusting to their faith alone, and leading a tepid indifference life, are negligent in preparing themselves by good works for the coming of the bridegroom. But when they perceived themselves called away from this life, to go and meet their judge, they then begin to find their lamps extinguished, and to think of procuring for themselves the oil of good works, by bequeathing their effects to the poor. Though we ought not to despair of the salvation of these, still there is great room to fear; for, a death-bed repentance is seldom sincere, more seldom, or never perfect, and always uncertain. Jansenius.↵
- Go ye rather to them that sell. The wise virgins do not there advise the foolish to go and buy, but upbraid them for the poor store of good works they have laid up. They had before only sought the praises of men in their good actions, and therefore are answered by the wise: “go now to those to whom you have given all your actions; go and see what their praises will avail, what peace of conscience they can give you: and, if they have praised you, and made you esteemed in the eyes of men, see if they can do the same before God.” S. Aug.↵
- And the door was shut. After the final day of judgment, there will be no room for prayers and good works. S. Jerom. — For, after having received those within its walls, who have put on in some degree the nature of the angels, the gate to the city of bliss is closed for ever. S. Aug.↵
- Watch ye. S. Austin asks, how can we be always watching, it being necessary for each one to give himself sufficient time to sleep and rest from his many labours? He answers the question in these words: We may always keep watching to our hearts by faith, hope, charity, and all other good works. But when we awake, like the five wise virgins, we must arise and trim our lamps, by supplying them with the oil of good works. Then they will not go out, nor will the soothing oil of a good conscience be wanting to us. Then will the bridegroom come and introduce us to his house, where we shall never need sleep or rest; nor will our lamps ever be in danger of going out. Whilst we are in this life, we labour; and our lamps, blown about by the winds of innumerable temptations, are always in danger of being extinguished; but soon their flame shall become more brilliant, and the temptations we have suffered here shall not diminish, but increase its lustre. S. Aug. serm. xxiv.↵
