2022년 8월 26일 연중 제21주간 금요일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
코린토 1서. 1,17-25
형제 여러분,
17 그리스도께서는 세례를 주라고 나를 보내신 것이 아니라
복음을 전하라고 보내셨습니다.
그리고 이 일을 말재주로 하라는 것이 아니었으니,
그리스도의 십자가가 헛되지 않게 하려는 것입니다.
18 멸망할 자들에게는 십자가에 관한 말씀이 어리석은 것이지만,
구원을 받을 우리에게는 하느님의 힘입니다.
19 사실 성경에도 이렇게 기록되어 있습니다.
“나는 지혜롭다는 자들의 지혜를 부수어 버리고
슬기롭다는 자들의 슬기를 치워 버리리라.”
20 지혜로운 자가 어디에 있습니까? 율법 학자가 어디에 있습니까?
이 세상의 논객이 어디에 있습니까?
하느님께서 세상의 지혜를 어리석은 것으로 만들어 버리지 않으셨습니까?
21 사실 세상은 하느님의 지혜를 보면서도
자기의 지혜로는 하느님을 알아보지 못하였습니다.
그래서 그분께서는 복음 선포의 어리석음을 통하여
믿는 이들을 구원하기로 작정하셨습니다.
22 유다인들은 표징을 요구하고 그리스인들은 지혜를 찾습니다.
23 그러나 우리는 십자가에 못 박히신 그리스도를 선포합니다.
그리스도는 유다인들에게는 걸림돌이고
다른 민족에게는 어리석음입니다.
24 그렇지만 유다인이든 그리스인이든 부르심을 받은 이들에게
그리스도는 하느님의 힘이시며 하느님의 지혜이십니다.
25 하느님의 어리석음이 사람보다 더 지혜롭고
하느님의 약함이 사람보다 더 강하기 때문입니다.
복음
마태오 25,1-13
그때에 예수님께서 제자들에게 이런 비유를 들어 말씀하셨다.
1 “하늘 나라는 저마다 등을 들고 신랑을 맞으러 나간
열 처녀에 비길 수 있을 것이다.
2 그 가운데 다섯은 어리석고 다섯은 슬기로웠다.
3 어리석은 처녀들은 등은 가지고 있었지만 기름은 가지고 있지 않았다.
4 그러나 슬기로운 처녀들은 등과 함께
기름도 그릇에 담아 가지고 있었다.
5 신랑이 늦어지자 처녀들은 모두 졸다가 잠이 들었다.
6 그런데 한밤중에 외치는 소리가 났다.
‘신랑이 온다. 신랑을 맞으러 나가라.’
7 그러자 처녀들이 모두 일어나 저마다 등을 챙기는데,
8 어리석은 처녀들이 슬기로운 처녀들에게
‘우리 등이 꺼져 가니 너희 기름을 나누어 다오.’ 하고 청하였다.
9 그러나 슬기로운 처녀들은
‘안 된다. 우리도 너희도 모자랄 터이니
차라리 상인들에게 가서 사라.’ 하고 대답하였다.
10 그들이 기름을 사러 간 사이에 신랑이 왔다.
준비하고 있던 처녀들은 신랑과 함께 혼인 잔치에 들어가고,
문은 닫혔다.
11 나중에 나머지 처녀들이 와서
‘주인님, 주인님, 문을 열어 주십시오.’ 하고 청하였지만,
12 그는 ‘내가 진실로 너희에게 말한다.
나는 너희를 알지 못한다.’ 하고 대답하였다.
13 그러니 깨어 있어라. 너희가 그 날과 그 시간을 모르기 때문이다.”
August 26, 2022
Friday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Brothers and sisters:
Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel,
and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.
The message of the cross is foolishness 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 learning of the learned I will set aside.
Where is the wise one?
Where is the scribe?
Where is the debater of this age?
Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
For since in the wisdom of God
the world did not come to know God through wisdom,
it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation
to save those who have faith.
For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we proclaim Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (5) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations;
he foils the designs of peoples.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Gospel
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.”
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
As I often do when I prepare to write a reflection, I look online for the commentary of others on the specific passages for the daily readings. I was very surprised by the many diverse interpretations of the Matthew passage from today’s Gospel.
I have most often heard this passage preached as a caveat to be prepared spiritually for death because we never know when it will arrive. Clearly the joyous arrival of the bridegroom is not directly parallel to death, but entry to the feast, heaven, certainly is. So that approach colors my thoughts for today.
I was first struck by the suddenness of death when I was 6 ½ years old. Our neighbors had a granddaughter who visited frequently and over the years she and I became close playmates. One evening in May, I was awakened by a screeching sound, followed by a thud and then sirens. A while later my mother came to my room in tears and told me my friend, Barbara Ann, had been killed crossing the busy street at the end of our block with her aunt. I didn’t understand what this meant, but when I never saw her again, I realized this was a permanent thing.
Over the following years deaths came suddenly to many people I knew or felt I knew through public exposure – car accidents of people my age, JFK, classmates in Viet Nam, relatives, family members, and so on. In most of these cases I couldn’t help but wonder, at some point, if the deceased was “prepared” for the suddenness of their death, and challenged myself to see if I in fact was prepared.
Clearly spiritual preparation for death is essential, regardless of one’s faith tradition (or lack thereof). We all know our death will happen someday, but our attitudes seem to naturally evolve over time – the 20-year old us is somewhat oblivious to the eventual happening, but the 70-year old us knows it is coming sooner rather than later.
What spiritual preparation can we undertake to be “ready” for death? The nuns and priests and parents taught us that we must be free from serious sin and should receive the sacraments frequently, especially penance. Other faith traditions take different approaches consistent with their core beliefs. It seems to me, though, that all these traditions focus on how we live our lives as we inexorably journey toward death. Do we treat others with kindness and respect? Do we share our good fortune with those who have less? Do we act with honesty and integrity in our business dealings? Do we tell the truth? Do we appropriately respect secular law and are we good citizens of our society? Most importantly, do we act with love for those closest to us and others with whom we interact?
Clearly, the “be ready, you know not the day nor the hour” admonition that closes this passage is a reminder, but it also is an opportunity for awareness. As I look back on my day, am I aware of how I may have treated someone unfairly or hurt them? Can I take steps to ease the pain I caused or fix the inequity?
But I think we also need to be in the moment. If I accept that my next moment might be my last, how can I leave a person that I care about with a sense of disappointment or anger at my actions? How can I hurt someone’s feelings and then leave without trying to ease the hurt? Did I do what was feasible when I encountered another human who was hurting in the moment? How have I acted in the most mundane everyday situations – driving in traffic, interacting with a salesperson, ordering and receiving a meal in a restaurant, waiting in a long line for my turn to be served – have I been nurturing or selfish?
Since my next moment might be my last, I think I need to be more aware of how my words and actions are perceived by the other with whom I am dealing. I need to ask if I want the last person with whom I interact to be enriched or disappointed by our transaction. I need to unshackle myself from natural self-centeredness and act as I believe Christ would have in the same circumstances.
And so, my prayer today is for the grace to be aware of each moment as if it were my last breathing time in this corporal life, and to treat whoever I may be with at that instant with the dignity and love that Jesus would have shared.
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
CROSS-WORD
“For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world, by wisdom, knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of our preaching, to save them that believe.” —1 Corinthians 1:21, Douay-Rheims
Jesus has saved us through the foolishness of the message of the cross. This salvation applies to every aspect of our lives. Through the supposed foolishness of the cross, we can be saved from marital breakdown, financial insecurity, manipulation by fears, loss of purpose in life, anxieties, despair, self-hatred, enslaving addictions, bitterness, unforgiveness, and all other evils. We are saved always by the “foolishness” of the cross.
Thus, we can pray with St. Francis of Assisi: “We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.” When we are redeemed from addictions, it is by the cross. When a marriage is a glorious sign of Christ’s love for the Church (see Eph 5:32), we should boast of nothing but the cross (Gal 6:14). When we forgive and love our enemies and ourselves, we should “speak of nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2).
The cross is the only tree of life. It is a scandal to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles, but to those called by God, the cross is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24). Take up the cross daily (Lk 9:23).
Prayer: Father, when I make the Sign of the Cross, may it express the meaning of my life.
Promise: “The ones who were ready went in to the wedding with him.” —Mt 25:10
Praise: Not having received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for twenty years, Jose made a decision to do so monthly.
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
Are you missing out on what's most important in life? Being unprepared can lead to unnecessary trouble and even disaster! What good is a life-jacket left on the shore when the boat is sinking? Jesus' story of ten single ladies waiting for a wedding procession in the middle of the night seems strange to most westerners today. But Jesus' audience knew all too well how easily this could happen to them.
Don't miss the most important engagement of all
Wedding customs in ancient Palestine required extra vigilance and preparation for everyone involved. (Some near eastern villages still follow this custom.) The bride and groom did not go away for their honeymoon, but celebrated for a whole week with their family and friends. It was the custom for the groom, in company with his friends, to come at his discretion and get his bride and bring her to their new home. They would take the longest route possible so that many villagers along the way could join in the wedding procession. Once they arrived and closed the doors, no one else could be admitted. If the groom decided to come and bring his bride at night, then lights were required by necessity to guide the travelers through the dark and narrow streets. No one was allowed on the village streets at night without a lamp!
To show up for a wedding party without proper attire and travel arrangements is like trying to get into a special event today that requires a prearranged permit or reservation. You just don't get in without the proper pass. Can you imagine the frustration travelers might experience when going abroad and finding out that they can't get into some country because they don't have the right visa or a valid passport.
The consequences of being unprepared to meet the Lord
Jesus warns us that there are consequences for being unprepared. There are certain things you cannot obtain at the last moment. For example, students cannot prepare for their exams when the day of testing is already upon them. A person cannot get the right kind of character, strength, and skill required for a task at hand unless they already possess it, such as a captain with courage and nautical skills who must steer a ship through a dangerous storm at sea.
When the Lord Jesus comes to lead you to his heavenly banquet will you be ready to hear his voice and follow? Our eternal welfare depends on our hearing, and many have trained themselves to not hear. We will not be prepared to meet the Lord, face to face, when he calls us on the day of judgment, unless we listen to him today. The Lord invites us to feast at his heavenly banquet table. Are you ready?
Lord Jesus, make me vigilant and attentive to your voice that I may heed your call at all times. May I find joy in your presence and delight in doing your will.
Psalm 78:1-7
1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders which he has wrought.
5 He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children;
6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,
7 so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The Kingdom of God compared with ten maidens, by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD)
"The whole story is about the great day of the Lord, when those things concealed from the human mind will be revealed through our understanding of divine judgment. Then the faith true to the Lord's coming will win the just reward for unwavering hope. For in the five wise and five foolish virgins (Matthew 25:2), a complete separation between the faithful and unfaithful is established... The wise virgins are those who, embracing the time available to them, were prepared at the first onset of the coming of the Lord. But the foolish were those who were lax and unmindful. They troubled themselves only over present matters and, forgetting what God said, did not direct their efforts toward hope for resurrection." (excerpt from the commentary ON MATTHEW 27.3,5)
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