FRIDAY- 21^st WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME -B

Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13: The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.

I Reading: 1Corinthians 1:17-25: We are preaching a crucified Christ, an obstacle to men, but to those who have been called, the wisdom of God.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins: The Warning to Watch, Mt.25:1-13

The believer must watch for the Lord’s return, and he must be wise and not foolish in watching (see Mt 24:42). This is the point of Jesus’ parable in this passage (v.13): the parable of the ten virgins, five foolish and five wise. The parable teaches what will happen to all the professing believers, both the wise and the foolish, when the Lord returns.

·       The bridegroom is=Christ

·       The ten virgins are =believers

·       The five wise virgins are=genuine believers

·       The five foolish virgins are=false believers or who have false profession

·       The lamps represents=the lives, that is, the testimony, the witness, the heart and the profession of the virgins (professing believers)

·       The oil is the provision of righteousness, the supply of the Holy Spirit that is to fill the lamps (lives) of the professing believers.

1. Describes the kingdom of heaven (v.1)

2. There are wise and foolish virgins (believers) who attend a wedding (v.1-4)

a. five are wise: five are foolish

b. the foolish take no oil for their lamps: provision and supply

c. the wise take oil for their lamps: provision and supply

3. There is long delay waiting for the bridegroom: all are drowsy and sleep (v.5)

4. There is a great summons when he comes (v.6-9)

a. a sunrise: midnight

b. a cry: “Come-meet him”

c. the awakening: prepare their lamps

d. the foolish discover their lamps are out: frantic and beg for oil

e. the wise scarcely have enough for themselves

5. there is the bridegroom’s return and the gathering of the wise (v.10)

6. there is a shut door to the foolish (v.10-12)

a. the door was shut

b. the foolish cry for entry

c. the foolish will be rejected

7. the point: we must watch and expect the Lord’s return at any moment.

Thought: How foolish! To defend only one the oil in one’s lamp or life. A person must participate in the divine nature by faith (2Pet 1:4).

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THURSDAY- 21^st WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME -B

I Reading: 1Corinthians 1:1-9: You have been enriched in so many ways in Christ.

Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51: Stand ready.

The Lord’s Return and the Believer’s Duty:

Watch and Be Ready-Be Faithful and Wise: Mt 24:42-51

This is important to remember that this was Jesus’ last week on earth. He teaches "how was the believer to live and what was the believer's duty?" He explains through the parables what he meant by the strong exhortation, “keep watch!”

1. The believer’s duty: keep watch (v.42)

a. The Lord does return

b. exact time unknown

2. Parable 1: The owner of the house (a professing believer) (v.43-44)

a. He had a house to look after

b. He lived without watchfulness

c. He suffered disaster

d. the point: readiness is essential, for Christ comes unexpectedly

3. Parable 2: A faithful and wise servant (a genuine believer) (v.45-47)

a. His responsibility: to oversee and feed

b. His accountability: is faithful

c. His reward: put in charge

4. Parable 3: A wicked servant (v.48-51)

a. His attitude: plenty of time

b. His behaviour: acts unjustly and worldly

c. His judgement: he is doomed

1) The Lord catches him unexpectedly

2) The Lord condemns him to death-with the hypocrites

Thought: The Lord’s return is imminent. We must stay alert and  be diligent in looking for His return-today!

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WEDNESDAY- 21^st WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME -B

I Reading: 2Thessalonians 3:6-10. 16-18: Let no one have any food if he refuses to do any work.

Gospel: Matthew 23:27-32: You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

The Eight Accusations against False Religionists, Mt 23:27-32

1. False religionists disguise inner decay (v.27-28)

a. Illustration: They are like white tombs

1) outward: appear clean and beautiful

2) inward: full death and uncleanness

b. their wrong

1) outward: appear righteous

2) inward: full of hypocrisy and wickedness

2. False religionists pride themselves in a godly heritage (v.29-33)

a. honour the relics of the past

b. denounce the former abuses

c. pride themselves in being better: would not have committed such sins

d. testify against themselves (by rejecting Christ)

1) show themselves to be descendants of murderers

2) fill up the father’s cup of murder

e. result: have become snakes, vipers-doomed to hell

Thought: False religion is the most beautiful and deadly tomb among people. It leads to the eternal death of people’s spirit.

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TUESDAY- 21^st WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME -B

I Reading: 2Thessalonians 2:1-3. 14-17: Keep the traditions that we taught you.

Gospel: Matthew 23:23-26: You should have practised these matters of the Law, without neglecting the others.

The Eight Accusations against False Religionists, Mt 23:23-26

1. False religionists stress the lighter commandments and neglect the more important ones (v.23-24)

a. They stress the lighter duties and neglect the more important duties

b. They avoid the lesser sins and commit the greater sins

2. False religionists are blind to real cleanness (v.25-25)

a. Their outside appearance clean

b. Their insides are full of greed and self-indulgence

c. Their need: Then the outside will be clean

Thought: The false religionist fails at both points of sin. He/She sins both by omission and commission. He/she neglects the more important duties, and commits the greater duties.

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MONDAY- 21^st WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 23:13-22: Alas for you, blind guides!

I Reading: 2Thessalonians 1:1-5.11-12: The name of the Lord will be glorified in you and you in Him.

The Eight Accusations against False Religionists, Mt 23:13-36

This is probably the most stern and sustained denunciation in all history. Christ was attacking and denouncing the religionists, but he was also warning them. Their sin was a great and terrible sin. They were shutting the door of heaven against themselves and others, and they were close to never being able to enter themselves. If they repent and turn back to God with believing heart, then they will experience God’s forgiveness and blessings. Jesus exposed the truth of their human hearts: they were full of hypocrisy. They had to look at themselves and see the corruption of their hearts; and they had to repent, believe and follow Christ or else be doomed to hell (v.33).

1.     False religionists shut the door to heaven against seekers (v.13)

a.     They do not enter themselves

b.    They do not allow seekers to enter

2.     False religions are missionaries who double the corruption of new followers (v.15)

3.     False religionists mislead others: they are blind guides in oaths and commitments (v.16-22)

a.     Their blindness: they tress the secondary over the primary (two examples)

1)    They tress the temple gold over the temple

2)    They tress the gift over the altar

b.    Their folly: they try to evade commitments and responsibility, v.17, 19

c.      The raw facts

1)    All commitments and oaths are heard by God-there is no evasion

2)    All commitments and oaths are binding and are accountable to God

Thought: Many religionists mislead people. They prefer their own ideas of religion rather than God’s idea. They prefer their own ideas that exalt self and honour their own abilities. A person must guard against his/her own ideas and prejudices that must not replace God’s revealed truth in Jesus Christ.

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SUNDAY- 21^st WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: John 6:60-69: Who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life.

I Reading: Joshua 24:1-2. 15-18: We will serve the Lord, for He is our God.

II Reading: Ephesians 5:21-32: This mystery has many implications for Christ and his Church.

The Reason Some People are Offended by Christ, the Bread of Life, Jn 6:59-71

People are often offended by Jesus Christ. Four things in particular offend them.

1.     Jesus’ message was to the synagogue crowd in Capernaum (v.59-60)

a.     Many disciples were present

b.    They had difficulty accepting His message

2.     There is the idea of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood v.51-56 (v.61)

3.     There is the ascension and exaltation of Christ (v.62)

4.     There is the teaching that the Spirit quickens, gives life and the flesh counts for nothing (v.63-64)

5.     There is the fact that God saves man, man does not save himself (v.65)

6.     The conclusion: there were three responses (v.66-71)

a.     The disciples who turned back or forsook and deserted him because following Jesus involved the cross, which meant complete denial of oneself.

b.    The disciple who believed Jesus was the Christ (Peter and other disciples followed and believed in Christ’s message)

c.      The disciple who betrayed Jesus Christ (Iscariot Judas)

Thought: Judas was a “chosen” man, chosen not only to be saved, but to be a minister of Christ. Judas was called “a devil,” “slanderous, a false accuser (2Tim 3:3), an adversary, an enemy of Christ. Judas was a betrayer, a professed follower, but a hypocrite.

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SATURDAY- 20^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12: They do not practise what they preach.

I Reading: Ezekiel 43:1-7: The glory of the Lord arrived at the Temple.

The Warning against False Religion, Mt 23:1-12

The most severe attack Christ ever spoke against a people. The true nature of these religionists, the scribes and Pharisees, is clearly seen as Christ opened up the hypocrisy of their lives and religion point by point. In this particular passage, Christ warned against their religion-a religion which stands as a symbol of the false religions of the world.

1.     Jesus spoke to the crowds and to the disciples (v.1)

2.     False religion is a religion that claims to “sit” in the truth, Moses’ seat (v.2)

3.     False religion is a religion of hypocrisy (v.3)

a.     It is good to obey their preaching

b.    It is not good to follow their practice

4.     False religion is a religion of heavy burdens (v.4)

a.     Leaders imposed heavy burdens upon others

b.    Leaders did not impose the burdens upon themselves

5.     False religion is religion of show, of display (v.5-7)

a.     A religion of appearance: dress, clothing

b.    A religion of position: positions that honor and exalt people

c.      A religion of titles: titles that honor and exalt people

6.     False religion is a religion to be guarded against (v.8-12)

a.     Because position and relationships are already established

1)    God is your Father

2)    Christ is your Teacher

3)    You are brothers

b.    Because greatness is measured by service

c.      Because judgement is coming

Thought: God has no favourites among people. Why should we seek to appear as a favourite? Why should we seek appearance, position and honor that would point toward us a being special?

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FRIDAY- 20^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40: You must love the Lord your God, and your neighbour as yourself.

I Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14: Dry bones; hear the word of the Lord. I mean to raise you from your graves, House of Israel.

The Question about the Great Commandment: A Study of Love, Mt 22:34-40

Christ used the occasion to teach people the greatest provision and duty to human life: love. Love will provide for every need a person has; therefore, love is the greatest duty of people.

1.     Pharisees plotted (v.34-36)

a.     They gathered together

b.    They appointed a brilliant lawyer, an expert in the law, to challenge Christ

c.      The question: which is the greatest commandment

2.     First: Love God (v.37-38)

a.     Love as your own God

b.    Love with all your being: your heart, soul and mind

c.      Love is human’s chief duty

3.     Second: love your neighbour (v.39)

a.     Love self

b.    Love neighbour as self

4.     The conclusion: love includes and embraces all the commandments (v.40)

Thought: A person loves God when he/she loves his neighbour. In fact, a man loves God only if he truly loves his neighbour (1Jn 4:20-21; Jn 13:34-35).

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THURSDAY- 20^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14: Invite everyone you can find to the wedding.

I Reading: Ezekiel 36:23-28: I shall give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you.

The Parable of the Marriage Feast: Israel’s Rejection of God’s Great Invitation, Mt 22:1-14

This parable deals with the kingdom of heaven. The parable has both an historical and personal meaning. Its points cab be applied to any of us.

1.     Jesus again shared a parable (v.1-2)

a.     Of the kingdom of heaven

b.    Of a marriage prepared by God for His Son

2.     God’s invitation to Israel (v.3-7)

a.     God invited Israel, but they rejected

b.    God showed great mercy

1)    Extended a second invitation

2)    Prepared an abundance

c.      God saw His second invitation rejected

1)    By a busy farmer

2)    By a busy businessman

3)    By the religious and worldly: who denied, scoffed, abused and persecuted

d.    God judged Israel for rejecting His invitation: destroyed the abusers and murderers; rejected the rejecters

3.     God’s invitation to any and all (v.8-10)

a.     God then invited all

1)    Those who were out on the street corners

2)    Those who were both good and bad

3)    God’s invitation was accepted

4.     God’s confrontation with the guests (v.11-14)

a.     God entered to see the guests

1)    He saw a man without wedding clothes (righteousness=dikaios=one who totally depends on God, trusts in Him, does the will of God always and walks in the way of the Lord and also repentance and change of life)

2)    He asked only one question

3)    The man was speechless

b.    God judged the man who was not clothed properly

1)    Was bound

2)    Was taken away

3)    Was cast into the darkness

c.      God calls and invites many, but few are chosen

Thought: Most people are always rejecting God’s invitation (Jn 5:20). God calls and reveals and longs for us to be present and prepared for His Son’s Great Marriage (the feast of the glorious days of redemption).

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