WHERE ARE THE PHILOSOPHERS

Friday Week 21 in Ordinary Time : Saint Augustine, Bishop, Doctor of the Church

'So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour'

First Reading 1 Corithians 1:17-25 We preach a crucified Christ, the power and wisdom of God

Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the Good News, and not to preach that in the terms of philosophy in which the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed. The language of the cross may be illogical to those who are not on the way to salvation, but those of us who are on the way see it as God’s power to save. As scripture says: I shall destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing all the learning of the learned. Where are the philosophers now? Where are the scribes? Where are any of our thinkers today? Do you see now how God has shown up the foolishness of human wisdom? If it was God’s wisdom that human wisdom should not know God, it was because God wanted to save those who have faith through the foolishness of the message that we preach. And so, while the Jews demand miracles and the Greeks look for wisdom, here are we preaching a crucified Christ; to the Jews an obstacle that they cannot get over, to the pagans madness, but to those who have been called, whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is the power and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

Responsorial Psalm:The Lord fills the earth with his love.

Gospel Matthew 25:1-13  The wise and foolish virgins

Jesus told this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, “The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.” At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, “Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.” But they replied, “There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.” They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later. “Lord, Lord,” they said “open the door for us.” But he replied, “I tell you solemnly, I do not know you.” So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour'.

My Father, my God, you will never forsake those who seek you. Father, do not hide your face from me. May your will be done in my life. May your wisdom be my guide. Jesus, I trust in you. Lord I believe in you. Lord increase my faith.  Virgin Mary, pray for me. Saint Joseph, pray for me. Saint Augustine, pray for me. My Angel guardian, pray for me. 

Let us pray the Holy Rosary: Hail Mary full of grace.

AELF : OÙ EST-IL, LE RAISONNEUR D’ICI-BASS - 

St. Augustin, évêque et docteur de l'Eglise

«Veillez donc, car vous ne savez ni le jour ni l'heure»

Évangile Matthieu 25,1-13 « Les filles prévoyantes et les filles insensées »

«Alors, le Royaume des cieux sera comparable à dix jeunes filles invitées à des noces, qui prirent leur lampe et s'en allèrent à la rencontre de l'époux. Cinq d'entre elles étaient insensées, et cinq étaient prévoyantes: les insensées avaient pris leur lampe sans emporter d'huile, tandis que les prévoyantes avaient pris, avec leur lampe, de l'huile en réserve. Comme l'époux tardait, elles s'assoupirent toutes et s'endormirent. Au milieu de la nuit, un cri se fit entendre: ‘Voici l'époux! Sortez à sa rencontre’. Alors toutes ces jeunes filles se réveillèrent et préparèrent leur lampe. Les insensées demandèrent aux prévoyantes: ‘Donnez-nous de votre huile, car nos lampes s'éteignent’. Les prévoyantes leur répondirent: ‘Jamais cela ne suffira pour nous et pour vous; allez plutôt vous en procurer chez les marchands’. Pendant qu'elles allaient en acheter, l'époux arriva. Celles qui étaient prêtes entrèrent avec lui dans la salle des noces et l'on ferma la porte. Plus tard, les autres jeunes filles arrivent à leur tour et disent: ‘Seigneur, Seigneur, ouvre-nous!’. Il leur répondit: ‘Amen, je vous le dis: je ne vous connais pas’. Veillez donc, car vous ne savez ni le jour ni l'heure».

Mon Père, mon Dieu, vous n'abandonnerez jamais ceux qui vous cherchent. Père, ne me cache pas ta face. Que ta volonté soit faite dans ma vie. Donne-moi la sagesse. Jésus, j'ai confiance en toi. Seigneur, je t’en crois. Seigneur, augmentez ma foi. Donne-moi la sagesse. Vierge Marie, priez pour moi. Saint Joseph, priez pour moi. Saint Augustin, priez pour moi. Mon ange gardien, priez pour moi.

Prions le saint rosaire : Je vous salue, Marie, pleine de grâce.