Today's Gospel reading at Mass is one that has always given me a lot to chew on when it comes to reflecting on scripture.
| Matthew 25: 1 - 13 | |
| 1 | "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. |
| 2 | Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. |
| 3 | For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; |
| 4 | but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. |
| 5 | As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. |
| 6 | But at midnight there was a cry, `Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' |
| 7 | Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. |
| 8 | And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' |
| 9 | But the wise replied, `Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' |
| 10 | And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. |
| 11 | Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, `Lord, lord, open to us.' |
| 12 | But he replied, `Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' |
| 13 | Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. To use a modern day phrase "Keep your eyes on the Prize." Unable to find where this orginated. Maybe from an old African American hymn. The decision to take the extra oil along to be prepared is a wise decision. It indicates we have a choice. We do indeed have a choice to follow the life of Christ and to prepare to enter the kingdom of Heaven. For we do not know when that will be. Would we be turned away for not being ready? Would we be turned away at the gates of heaven? I do not choose to take that chance. I choose to live my life as Jesus taught us. Hell is the absence of being in eternity with God. That is not a chance I am willing to take. Now I am not perfect by any means, but I think if I am sincerely trying and that in itself is pleasing to God. That is from Thomas Merton's writings and I think he got it right. Today I am grateful for models in my life that help me understand and live the Christian life. Thanks be to God. Giving thanks challenge day number 6.  |
1 comment:
I'm grateful for the people who are examples to me - my parents, friends, people whose writing I read and who I may never meet - hope and inspiration come from many sources.
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