Daily Readings - Fri Aug 30 2019
1 Thessalonians
1Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.2For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.3It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;4that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable,5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.8Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
Matthew
1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.2Five of them were foolish and five were wise.3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.8The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'9"'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the importance of living a virtuous and prepared life. The first reading from 1 Thessalonians encourages us to live in sanctification, avoiding impurity and treating others justly. This letter, written by Paul, emphasizes that our actions should reflect God’s will, focusing on holiness and respect for one another. The Gospel from Matthew presents the parable of the ten virgins, where five were prepared with extra oil for their lamps, while the other five were not. This parable highlights the necessity of spiritual preparedness, as the unprepared virgins were unable to join the bridegroom upon his unexpected return.
Both readings stress the importance of readiness and righteous living. In Thessalonians, Paul urges believers to live in a way that honors God, avoiding sinful desires and treating others with fairness. Similarly, the parable of the virgins teaches us that spiritual preparedness is essential, as we do not know when we will be called to meet the Lord. The prudent virgins, with their extra oil, symbolize those who are spiritually vigilant and prepared for God’s timing.
Applying this to our daily lives, we are called to maintain a state of spiritual readiness. Just as the wise virgins kept extra oil, we must nurture our faith through prayer, reflection, and good works. This preparedness allows us to face life’s challenges with grace and to be ready for the unexpected. The moral lesson here is one of vigilance and holiness—living each day in a way that pleases God, avoiding sin, and treating others with love and respect. By doing so, we ensure that when the Lord comes, whether at the end of our lives or His second coming, we will be ready to enter into His presence with joy.