Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Wisdom 6:12-16 (JB)

A reading from the book of Wisdom

Wisdom is found by those who look for it.

Wisdom is bright, and does not grow dim.

By those who love her she is readily seen,

and found by those who look for her.

Quick to anticipate those who desire her, she makes herself known to them.

Watch for her early and you will have no trouble;

you will find her sitting at your gates.

Even to think about her is understanding fully grown;

be on the alert for her and anxiety will quickly leave you.

She herself walks about looking for those who are worthy of her

and graciously shows herself to them as they go,

in every thought of theirs coming to meet them.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Wisdom 6:12-16 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Wisdom

Wisdom is radiant and unfading,

and she is easily discerned by those who love her,

and is found by those who seek her.

She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.

One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,

for she will be found sitting at the gate.

To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,

and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,

because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,

and she graciously appears to them in their paths,

and meets them in every thought.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 62:2-8 (JB)

R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

O God, you are my God, for you I long;

for you my soul is thirsting.

My body pines for you

like a dry, weary land without water. R.

So I gaze on you in the sanctuary

to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life,

my lips will speak your praise. R.

So I will bless you all my life,

in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,

my mouth shall praise you with joy. R.

On my bed I remember you.

On you I muse through the night

for you have been my help;

in the shadow of your wings I rejoice. R.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians

Those who died as Christians, God will bring to life with Jesus.

We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians

Those who died as Christians, God will bring to life with Jesus.

We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him. We can tell you this from the Lord’s own teaching, that any of us who are left alive until the Lord’s coming will not have any advantage over those who have died. At the trumpet of God, the voice of the archangel will call out the command and the Lord himself will come down from heaven; those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise, and then those of us who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds, together with them, to meet the Lord in the air. So we shall stay with the Lord for ever. With such thoughts as these you should comfort one another.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,

about those who have died,

so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again,

even so, through Jesus,

God will bring with him those who have died.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,

about those who have died,

so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again,

even so, through Jesus,

God will bring with him those who have died.

For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord,

that we who are alive,

who are left until the coming of the Lord,

will by no means precede those who have died.

For the Lord himself, with a cry of command,

with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet,

will descend from heaven,

and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive, who are left,

will be caught up in the clouds

together with them to meet the Lord in the air;

and so we will be with the Lord forever.

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Matthew 24:42, 44 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Be watchful and ready:

you know not when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

Matthew 24:42, 44 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Be watchful and ready:

you do not know when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

Matthew 25:1-13 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Look, the bridegroom comes. Go out to meet him.

Jesus told this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, “The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.” At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, “Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.” But they replied, “There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.” They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later. “Lord, Lord,” they said, “open the door for us.” But he replied, “I tell you solemnly, I do not know you.” So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 25:1-13 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

When talking about his coming in glory,

Jesus spoke this parable to the disciples:

“The kingdom of heaven will be like this.

Ten bridesmaids took their lamps

and went to meet the bridegroom.

Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

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,

all of them became drowsy and slept.

“But at midnight there was a shout,

‘Look! Here is the bridegroom!

Come out to meet him.’

Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps.

The foolish said to the wise,

‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

But the wise replied,

‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us;

you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’

And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came,

and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet;

and the door was shut.

“Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying,

‘Lord, lord, open to us.’

But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’

Keep awake therefore,

for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.