Gospel for November 8 2020 – Matthew 25:1-13
Gospel Reflections for November 8 2020
I am ready!
We have just experienced a dramatic election. Do you feel ready for the result?
I am sure you might wonder now what the future holds for you and your family. Maybe you are already making decisions to be ready and prepared. I hope so. That kind of planning is always wise whether you are happy with the election results or not.
Today’s Gospel presents 10 people who had made a decision to be ready for an important future event.
Five are ready …and five are not. Some were wise and some were foolish. When the moment of truth arrives, the five foolish and unprepared people ask to borrow what they need from the five who are wise and prepared. However, that “borrowing” cannot happen and so the five foolish people suffer. Why is that?
Well, there are some things you can borrow …and some things you cannot.
You can easily borrow a dollar from a friend, or other things like a book, or a jacket, but you cannot borrow any of the virtues that make up your character. You cannot borrow faith, or honesty, or integrity from someone else or even any government. These are personal goals that only you can develop by learning and practicing those personal virtues yourself, and over many years as well.
The foolish ones in the Gospel did not take the time to form their own character, and when faced with a crisis, they did not have the virtues they needed to face those challenges. You can still learn valuable lessons from their negligence today. Your own character building is a personal task that you should develop every day, and that rules out your ever blaming others for any lack of your preparation or readiness now.
But the Gospel has a happy ending for those who do prepare. When we shape our life in the image of Christ we naturally feel more fulfilled and at peace. The Gospels provide everything we need to face the future. You will then feel ready for anything! That is why Our Lord is worth studying each week for a deeper understanding. After all, most worthwhile things are worth that personal effort.
“I am ready” is a beautiful thing to say. With an even deeper understanding of our faith you will be ready to face life’s challenges in a new and better way, no matter what the election result.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Dear Father Dave,
Thanks once again for your summary of today’s gospel and your well-honed message of faith, honesty, and integrity. I pray we see these things lift into the hearts, minds, and souls of our society and leadership….
God bless you.
Kathleen A.
You are welcome!
This Reading of the Gospel is a favorite of mine in telling us the importance of planning ahead and sticking to that plan. We are constantly distracted from what is truly important to our temporal and Spiritual Lives. Plotting our course to accommodate the Joys and Sorrows encountered is very important.
Be Prepared is a motto that makes planning a priority especially in Spiritual Matters.
Yes, “Be Prepared” is a great personal motto. I am a former Boy Scout and they also made that motto famous. Timeless advice!
” I am Ready!” Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it!!Presently Dick and I are praying for the run off in Georgia in Jan. between the two senators that the conservative Republican wins for the Senate will have more Conservatives and with a 5 to 4 Consevative Supreme Court, they will make decsions hopefully to protect life since the personhood now can be proven by ultrasound and pictures ,heartbeat and also decisions to protect our religious freedom and Christian values must be secured!!! Dick’s brother was a Congressman for 18 years and promoted with Henry Hyde pro life and Christian values!! We are so proud of him!!! We must work with dignity with the new administration but be strong in our Pro life Christian values and we so believe our Loving God, our precious Jesus, our beautiful Blessed Mother will help us to promote Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness and become the person our loving God created us to be!!! if we BEAUTIFULLY PRAY!!! With love for one nation under God and we live and promote, each one of us, our God’s LOVE and Values!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, franca and Dick
Well said!
Your reflection in mind provoking. We must be prepared for every situation. Walking with Our Lord can be a challenge. However we must be prepared to practice our faith and walk in His ways. Not always easy these days. I can only hope to keep practicing and trying to get there. Not always easy but as long as we keep plugging in there and not giving up.
Yes, it is the daily practice that makes virtues easier. Each and every day.
As a boy scout about 60 years ago we had the moto, “Be Prepared” and I thought I fully understood it. Actually, I didn’t until I read Fr. Daves’s explanation of today’s gosspel. Thanks again Fr. Dave!
I am also a former Boy Scout. How great that this great organization adopted that motto. It is timeless advice!
This gospel poignantly parallels the present situation with the election results. Clearly there are two different realities at odds with each other today. We all believe we prepared ourselves for a victory. However, some mourn a loss that was not anticipated. Last night, my family and I watched the movie “Fatima,” which we highly recommend. During a time of extreme secularism in the World War One era, three young children in Portugal were able to deliver the message of faith and hope despite defeating odds of religious persecution and the rise of nihilism in an era of death and destruction. In these times of malaise, let us invoke the Holy Spirit to guide us through uncertainty and may our faith prevail and light the pathway toward solidarity.
Thank you for your very beautiful remarks. I saw the movie “Fatima” as well and highly recommend it too. Their time was far worse than ours and yet they remained true to their faith. A great lesson for us today.