21st Friday in Ordinary time, yr 2, August 30, 2024
1 Cor 1:17-25; Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11; Mt 25:1-13
As Catholic Christians during the year of an election, we are lambasted with information that may or may not be truthful. At the very least, there may be a truth somewhere in the message. But it is all a ruse to get us to believe their truth is actually the truth. The idea is to twist the truth so that somehow we believe it to be true, but they do that to use it for political means. Don’t let yourself get sucked into the political nature of the world and believe the truth they are spouting. We need to be careful of what we hear and believe. We also need to make sure we’re not being overly pious and hide behind our Christianity. Jesus warned us multiple times about that. Instead, pick up your cross, carry it, and speak the truth, the truth that Jesus talks about.
St. Paul reminds us in the first reading about how to speak and not use our faith for nefarious gains. Jesus did not come for political reasons; He came to rescue us from those who would attempt to use our faith for personal or political gain. “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside.” A strong warning, to make sure we are focused on the right goal. The goal of the salvation of our souls. That is the message Jesus brought to us, He came for the sinners, for those who are lost and need to be found. Not to take down some political regime, but to save us, to save all humankind from eternal damnation.
Jesus reminds us of this again in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Are we prepared? Are we vigilant? Have we brought the oil for our lamps? Or are we like the fools who came unprepared and now want some of our oil? We do not know the hour or day Jesus will return but we must remain prepared. Sit at the foot of the cross in prayer and ask God for the strength and courage for all we need. Pray the rosary as often as you can. Use all the prayer tools you have in the spiritual battle we are fighting. Just remember, it is not the world we are fighting, it’s the Evil One. Anything else is just foolishness. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
Saint James Catholic Church 