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Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 : 1 Corinthians 1:17-25

Brothers and sisters:
Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel,
and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written:
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the learning of the learned I will set aside.
Where is the wise one?
Where is the scribe?
Where is the debater of this age?
Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
For since in the wisdom of God
the world did not come to know God through wisdom,
it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation
to save those who have faith.
For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we proclaim Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11

R. (5) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations;
he foils the designs of peoples.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Alleluia : Luke 21:36

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times and pray,
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : 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 came
and 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.”

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a profound truth:
The wisdom of God often appears foolish to the world, and readiness for Christ requires daily faithfulness—not last‑minute scrambling.
• Paul reminds us that the Cross overturns human expectations.
• The psalm celebrates God’s steadfastness and justice.
• Jesus calls us to spiritual vigilance and preparation.
The message is clear: True wisdom is found in the Cross, and true readiness is found in daily faithfulness.

 Reflection for the Day

Saint Augustine—whose feast we celebrate today—knew deeply the tension between worldly wisdom and divine wisdom.
For years he sought truth in philosophy, rhetoric, and intellectual brilliance. Yet none of it satisfied the longing of his heart.
Only when he encountered Christ did he discover the wisdom that surpasses all human understanding.
Paul’s words echo Augustine’s journey:
“We preach Christ crucified… the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
The Cross does not flatter human pride. It does not appeal to worldly logic. It confronts us with a love so radical, so self‑giving, so transformative that it appears foolish to those who rely only on human reasoning.
But to the believer, the Cross is everything— strength, hope, salvation, identity.
The Gospel continues this theme of divine wisdom.
The wise virgins are not wise because they are clever; they are wise because they are prepared.
They live with readiness. They anticipate the bridegroom. They keep their lamps filled with oil—symbolizing faith, prayer, obedience, and perseverance.
The foolish virgins are not evil; they are simply careless, distracted, unprepared.
Jesus’ message is gentle but urgent:
Stay awake. Stay ready. Stay faithful.
Saint Augustine’s conversion teaches us the same. He discovered that true wisdom is not found in brilliance but in surrender. Not in argument but in grace. Not in self‑reliance but in readiness for God.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Embrace the wisdom of the Cross.
   Let God’s truth reshape your priorities and decisions.
2. Keep your lamp filled.
   Daily prayer, Scripture, sacraments, and charity keep faith burning brightly.
3. Live with holy readiness.
   Christ comes in moments we do not expect—be found faithful.
   Let today be a day of renewed vigilance, deeper surrender, and joyful preparation.

Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, grant me the wisdom of the Cross and free me from the illusions of worldly thinking.
Fill my lamp with the oil of faith, prayer, and perseverance.
Help me stay awake, alert, and ready for Your coming— in every moment, in every encounter, in every call to love.
Saint Augustine, pray that I may seek truth with humility and cling to Christ with my whole heart.
Amen.