GOSPEL

“Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
From the Gospel according to Matthew
25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable:”The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.Five of them were foolish and five were wise.The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,brought no oil with them,but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.Since the bridegroom was long delayed,they all became drowsy and fell asleep.At midnight, there was a cry,’Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.The foolish ones said to the wise,’Give us some of your oil,for our lamps are going out.’But the wise ones replied,’No, for there may not be enough for us and you.Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’While they went off to buy it,the bridegroom cameand those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.Then the door was locked.Afterwards the other virgins came and said,’Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’But he said in reply,’Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’Therefore, stay awake,for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
They Gospel of the Lord.

 
We still have a long way to go

Sometimes it may seem to us that “we are already converted,” so it’s others, the pagans, who need to convert. We might even criticize them in our hearts because they don’t do what we do. This is the worst thing we can do because we stop being vigilant, and the devil manipulates us as he wishes. Let’s stay alert to be attentive to the Bridegroom before it’s too late.

Applied to Married Life:

Monica: The other day, when I was criticizing you for your attitudes, I thought of myself as God’s advocate, on the team of the good, those destined for heaven. But when I did my examination of conscience at night, it occurred to me to examine myself in Love, which is what determines whether we are in the Heart of Christ or not.
Roger: And how do you examine yourself in love?
Monica: By confronting oneself with the Gospel. I took the Letter on Love from Saint Paul and started reading that whoever loves always excuses the spouse, believes in God for the spouse without limits, hopes for the spouse without limits… And that’s not what I do.
Roger: So, who then can be saved?
Monica: For men, it’s impossible, but not for God.
Roger: I see we’re in no position to criticize anyone. We still have a long way to go.

Mother,

Only God is holy. May we not become complacent. Praise be to the Lord.