Lectionary 154: God Reaches Out To Us & We Need To Reach Back

Key:

What these passages tell us about God

What these passages tell us to do

What these passages tell us not to do

Commentary/observations

Reading 1 WIS 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 PS 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 THES 4:13-18                                                                   

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.

Alleluia MT 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 MT 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."

1.    God wants relationship with each of us and actively seeks us out. That is powerfully described in the first and second readings. It is also shown in the gospel Although some are not ready to receive Him, He comes to the bride maids, He comes to them and offers them a wonderful feast. More scriptures describing God’s desire for relationship and what He does to seek us out are collected here.

2.   This is not a one-sided relationship. Although God seeks us out, and has made tremendous efforts to make relationship with Him possible and to nurture those relationships, we must reciprocate. God gives us tremendous helps, but we must take advantage of them for the relationship be all that God wants and we need. That is the central point of the gospel reading. More scripture addressing this dynamic are collected here.

3.   So how do we do that? The first reading, the psalm, and the second reading give us some very specific ways:

a.    Look for God, seek Him out.

b.   Give Him thanks and praise for the good things He does and has done, for us and others, now and in the past.

c.    Pray for deeper awareness of/relationship with Him.

d.   Do these things throughout the day; “at dawn,” as well as “in the night watches,” and as you go about your day to day activities.

e.    Also build dedicated, regular, times of prayer, Bible study, meditation/contemplation into your schedule. That is one way to “keep[] vigil” per the first reading

f.     “[G]aze[] toward [Him] in the sanctuary.” This sounds a lot like adoration, or contemplative prayer wherever/whenever it occurs.
g.    Spend time considering/discussing God with other believers (“consol[ing] one another" per the second reading).  See also Sirach 6:34; Sirach 6:36; Sirach 9:15; Sirach 9:16; Sirach 37:12.