Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
(I Thessalonians 4:1-8;
Matthew 25:1-13)
Should not the five
virgins who brought extra oil have shared their excess with the ones who didn’t? Perhaps, but that is not what Jesus was
getting at in this parable. A parable is
not just a moral lesson; it is a comparison that engages the listener to make a
point. In this case the point is not the
need to be generous but something deeper.
In the Sermon on the
Mount Jesus tells his disciples that they are the “light of the world.” In other words, they are to shine like the lantern
in a lighthouse to give testimony to him.
They thus shine when they perform works of charity. The lamp oil of today’s parable is the goodness
that is transformed into charitable works for the world to see Jesus.
We too are Jesus’ disciples
with the mandate to give light to the world.
In doing this we not only assist the poor but also show kindness to
those around us. People will take note
and give glory to God. They will
recognize us as Jesus’ disciples fulfilling his mandate to enlighten the world.
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