Thirty-Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, November 12, 2023 (EPISODE: 447)

Thirty-Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, November 12, 2023  (EPISODE: 447)

Readings for Sunday, 12 November 2023
FIRST READING: Wis 6:12-16
Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8. "My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God"
SECOND READING: 1 Thess 4:13-18 or 4:13-14
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 24:42a+44). Alleluia, alleluia! Be watchful and ready. You know not when the Son of Man is coming.
GOSPEL: Matt 25:1-13

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 445598635 - WASSERALFINGEN, GERMANY - MAY 07: Stained glass window in the parish church of St. Stephen in Wasseralfingen, Germany on May 07, 2014. Important information- Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Zvonimir Atletic
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily) for Thirty-Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, November 12, 2023, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-thirty-second-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a-episode-447/s-6xhbJE7JHS8  
(EPISODE:447 )
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GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND
 * PROLOGUE: (Fr Paul) - [Gospel values included in the readings: humility, preparation, alertness, wisdom, and trusting in God's promises whilst not taking them for granted]
 
The only thing that seems excessive Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids, (five who are wise and five who are foolish), is, okay, so they were not prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom!!... They messed up!! So?........... Surely it is a happy occasion when everyone is celebrating and in a good mood. The bridegroom is also surely a nice guy. Why lock out the bridesmaids because they were a bit disorganised and unprepared????
 
But this parable is designed to shock and surprise people out of their complacency.
 
And also…. On a broader level….. the parable has at least two universal warnings. (i) It warns us that certain things cannot be obtained at the last minute. It is far too late for a student to start preparing for a major exam when the examination day has arrived. It is much too late for a person to acquire a skill, or a personal quality or character if they do not already possess it when the need arises for that quality to be implemented.
 
It is like a medical expert telling a patient suffering a major medical episode, "Come back later. I haven't become good enough at treating THAT particular illness yet. I will go on a training course to perfect this next week. Come back then! Or, couldn't you have come to me with something else that I WAS prepared for!" No such chance!
 
Similarly, it is easy to leave things so late that we can no longer prepare ourselves to respond. And likewise, one can leave things too late to prepare to meet with God.
 
In 1660, Mary, the Princess Royal, lay dying from smallpox. She had a visit from her chaplain who, seeing her on her deathbed, sought to speak to her urgently about the ways of salvation. Her answer was delightful:
"I have not left such a matter to this hour."
 
Well said! To be too late is always a tragedy. And if it is too late, it does not reflect on the goodness of the one who has already closed the door and turned the key with finality. (ii)
 
This parable warns us that there are certain things which cannot be borrowed.
The foolish bridesmaids found it impossible to borrow oil when they discovered they needed it.
Neither can a person borrow a relationship with God; They must possess it for themselves.
 
A person cannot borrow a character; they must be clothed with it, wear it like a second skin through their life.
 
We cannot always rely on the spiritual "capital" which others have been nurturing. There are certain things we must gain or acquire for ourselves, for we cannot borrow everything from others.
 
Two words that are the saddest of words: - "too late!"
 
We know that God is patient and compassionate and gives us so many opportunities and new starts…. But this parable is warning us not to take this for granted, because eventually, the time will come for the door to close and so we must be ever-humble, diligent and prepared.
 
 It takes most people a lifetime for God to enrich us and develop our character into those qualities consistent with the Gospel of Jesus. It requires, on our part, a sincere openness of heart, a humility and a willingness to change and be transformed by God - And also a true state of readiness, that simply cannot be left to the eleventh hour!.
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References:

THE DAILY STUDY BIBLE. GOSPEL OF Matthew (REVISED EDITION). BY WILLIAM BARCLAY.

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 445598635 - WASSERALFINGEN, GERMANY - MAY 07: Stained glass window in the parish church of St. Stephen in Wasseralfingen, Germany on May 07, 2014. Important information- Editorial Use Only.Photo Contributor: Zvonimir Atletic


Thirty-Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year A  (Sunday, November 12, 2023)  (EPISODE: 447 )
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{May Our Lord's gift of hope encourage you.}} welcome everyone, we gather -  Praise and Worship of our God. On this Thirty-Second Sunday Ordinary Time. Year A

Brothers and sisters, the Lord is full of love and mercy. And so, as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us acknowledge our sins.
Lord Jesus, you are mighty God and Prince of peace. Lord have mercy// You are Son of God and the Son of Mary. Christ have mercy// You are Word made flesh, the splendour of the Father. Lord have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
3. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
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Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8. "My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God"

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 24:42a+44). Alleluia, alleluia! Be watchful and ready. You know not when the Son of Man is coming.
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PREFACE: Sundays Ordinary III
Eucharistic Prayer One
Communion side.  pwk: 
(theme variation: 3 )

(post version: v1-short)

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{heartfelt thanks to you all for uniting in prayer and reflecting upon God's goodness and care.}

Go in peace. (glorifying the Lord by your life)

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:

"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass in Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria,  Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

"Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - In memory of William John Kelly (1942-2017) - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

"Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.

Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.

Editing equipment:    -- MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software v10.49 (NCH Software).

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 17.63 (NCH Software)

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor (Izotope Inc.)

[ Production -  KER -  2023]

May God bless and keep you.
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