Are You Ready for the Lord?

Friday, 30 August 2024. Readings: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, Ps. 33:1-2,4-5,10-11, Matthew 25:1-13

“Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)

The theme of watchfulness is central to today’s liturgy. Jesus emphasises an aspect of being prepared: wisdom. To be wise means to prepare ahead for any eventuality. There were ten maidens: five were foolish, and five were wise.

- The foolish ones are called foolish not because of their lack of reasoning but because of their lack of preparation for the future. They carried lamps without some extra oil. They did not think the oil in their lamps could run out, so they assumed that what they had would sustain them.

- The wise ones prepared for the future; they trusted little in the oil in their flask and decided to go along with extra oil.

- To be wise spiritually is to trust little in your wealth, current status, education, connections, and devotional practices. To be wise is to have a backup, something extra, to hold on to should everything else fail. To be wise, you have to have some extra oil.

- What is that extra oil? In the words of St. Paul in today’s first reading, it is the message of the cross. In the eyes of the world, carrying the cross is nothing short of foolishness since one can afford to be a Christian without necessarily carrying any cross.

- A Christian who rejects the cross fails to carry the extra oil. For instance, as a youth, you may have the experience of your peers laughing at you and calling you a fool for not joining them to partake in the pleasures of the world.

- As St. Paul puts it, “The word of the cross is folly 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 cleverness of the clever; I will thwart.” (1st Corinthians 1:18-19).

Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, always make us ready. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Friday of week 21 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, Ps. 33:1-2,4-5,10-11, Matthew 25:1-13).

@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu