THE DAILY GOSPEL
October 20, 2015 (Tuesday)
Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17 Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
29th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 1/(Green/White)
St. Paul of the Cross, priests 1st Reading: Rom5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b21
Therefore, sin entered the world through one man and through sin, death, and later on death spread to all humankind, because all sinned. All died because of the fault of one man, but how much more does the grace of God spread when the gift he granted reaches all, from this unique man Jesus Christ. If death reigned through the disobedience of one and only one person, how much more will there be a reign of life for those who receive the grace and the gift of true righteousness through the one person, Jesus Christ.
Just as one transgression brought sentence of death to all, so, too, one man’s good act has brought justification and light to all; and as the disobedience of only one made all sinners, so the obedience of one person allowed all to be made just and holy.
Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, and, as sin caused death to reign, so grace will reign, in its own time, and, after making us just, and friends of God, will bring us to eternal life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Gospel: Lk 12:35-38
Be ready, dressed for service, and keep your lamps lit, like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding. As soon as he comes and knocks, they will open the door to him. Happy are those servants whom the master finds wide-awake when he comes. Truly, I tell you, he will put on an apron and have them sit at table and he will wait on them. Happy are those servants if he finds them awake when he comes at midnight or daybreak! Reflection:
Do we realize that the metaphor of a wedding is often the horizon of the parables of Jesus?
This is the time to celebrate the wedding of the Lamb (Rev 19:7). Yes, since the Ascension of Christ, the banquet has been prepared, and the guests continuously arrive.
However, we are still in our earthly time of waiting, and the wait can be long. The Lord tells us to be ready always. The image of the lamp is suggestive. It reminds us of the parable of the 10 bridesmaids. We can link it with the symbolic candle that was lighted during our Baptism. Its great significance is that of living in the grace of God, avoiding all mortal sins. This should be our attire for the banquet as well as our joy when we open the door of our life for eternity. We cannot imagine what the “table” of the Lord will be, but we can long for it. What will be the “worship” of the Holy Trinity in the Kingdom? St Paul of the Cross in his transit through Jesus’ Passion had a foretaste of it.