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Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 : Wisdom 6:12-16

Resplendent and unfading is wisdom,
and she is readily perceived by those who love her,
and found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire;
Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed,
for he shall find her sitting by his gate.
For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence,
and whoever for her sake keeps vigil
shall quickly be free from care;
because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her,
and graciously appears to them in the ways,
and meets them with all solicitude.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
I will remember you upon my couch,
and through the night-watches I will meditate on you:
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Reading 2 : 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep,
so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,
so too will God, through Jesus,
bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive,
who are left until the coming of the Lord,
will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself, with a word of command,
with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God,
will come down from heaven,
and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left,
will be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
Thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore, console one another with these words.

or : 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep,
so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,
so too will God, through Jesus,
bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

Alleluia : Matthew 24:42a, 44

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake and be ready!
For you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
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 deeply consoling and challenging truth:
Seek wisdom, thirst for God, live with hope, and stay spiritually awake — for Christ is coming.
• Wisdom rewards those who seek her with diligence.
• The psalm reveals the soul’s deepest longing for God.
• Paul assures us that death is not the end for believers.
• Jesus calls us to readiness, vigilance, and spiritual preparation.
The message is clear: Stay awake. Seek God. Live with hope. Be ready for Christ’s arrival.

Reflection for the Day

1. “Wisdom… is readily perceived by those who love her.” (Wisdom 6)
   Wisdom is not hidden. She is not distant. She is not reserved for the elite.
   She comes to those who:
   • desire truth,
   • seek God’s ways,
   • watch with expectation,
   • rise early to listen.
   Wisdom meets us where we are — in prayer, in Scripture, in silence, in longing.
   To seek wisdom is to seek God’s heart.
2. “My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.” (Psalm 63)
   The psalm captures the ache of every human heart.
   We thirst for:
   • meaning,
   • peace,
   • love,
   • purpose.
   But ultimately, we thirst for God Himself.
   His presence satisfies like a banquet. His kindness is better than life. His wings shelter us in the night watches.
   This thirst is not weakness — it is worship.
3. “Do not grieve like those who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4)
   Paul speaks directly to the pain of loss.
   Grief is real. Tears are real. Absence is real.
   But for believers, grief is never hopeless.
   Christ died and rose — and so will all who belong to Him.
   We will meet the Lord together. We will be reunited. We will be with Him forever.
   This is not wishful thinking — it is the promise of God.
4. “The wise brought flasks of oil.” (Matthew 25)
   The parable of the ten virgins is a wake‑up call.
   All ten had lamps. All ten waited. All ten fell asleep.
   But only five were ready.
   The difference was the oil — the symbol of spiritual preparedness, daily faithfulness, ongoing relationship with Christ.
   The foolish wanted to borrow oil, but readiness cannot be borrowed. It must be cultivated.
   Jesus’ final words echo through the Gospel:
   “Stay awake.”
   Not in fear, but in love. Not in anxiety, but in readiness. Not in panic, but in joyful expectation.

 Living This Word Today

Today’s readings invite us to four movements:

1. Seek wisdom intentionally.
   Make space for prayer, Scripture, and silence.
2. Thirst for God deeply.
   Let your longing lead you into His presence.
3. Grieve with hope.
   Remember that Christ’s resurrection transforms every sorrow.
4. Keep your lamp burning.
   Live with readiness, faithfulness, and spiritual vigilance.
   Let today be a day of desire, hope, and joyful preparation for Christ.

Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, awaken my heart to seek Your wisdom and thirst for Your presence.
Fill me with hope that conquers fear and faith that keeps my lamp burning.
Teach me to live ready for Your coming, steadfast in love, joyful in expectation, and anchored in Your promise that we will be with You forever.
Amen.