Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time
Year II
30th August 2024 (Friday)
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
| First Reading | 1 Corinthians 1:17-25 |
| Response | The Lord’s merciful love fills the earth. |
| Gospel | Matthew 25:1-13 |
First Reading
1 Corinthians 1:17-25
Brethren: Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly 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 discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11 (R. 5b)
R/. The Lord’s merciful love fills the earth.
Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;
for praise is fitting for the upright.
Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp;
with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs. R/.
For the word of the Lord is faithful,
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right,
and his merciful love fills the earth. R/.
The Lord frustrates the designs of the nations;
he defeats the plans of the peoples.
The designs of the Lord stand forever,
the plans of his heart from age to age. R/.
Gospel Acclamation
See Luke 21:36
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 25:1-13
At that time: Jesus told his disciples this parable: “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterwards the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
