Saturday, January 21, 2023
Liturgical Season: 
II The Season of Yaldo-Denho
Special Significance: 
St. Agnes

2 Cor 11:21-29

21To my shame I say that we were too weak!*

But what anyone dares to boast of (I am speaking in foolishness) I also dare. 22* Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.k 23* Are they ministers of Christ? (I am talking like an insane person.)l I am still more,* with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. 24Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one.m 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep;n 26on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; 27in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure.o 28And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led to sin, and I am not indignant?p

Mt 25:1-13

The Parable of the Ten Virgins.* 1“Then* the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2* Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, 4but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. 5Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But 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.’ 10While 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. 11* a Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ 12But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13b Therefore, stay awake,* for you know neither the day nor the hour.