God's Word for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The Bridegroom is here. Go out to meet him.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time A

Gospel Mt 25:1-13

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
'Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.'
But 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.'
While 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.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!'
But he said in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.'
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour."

Wisdom 6:12-16, Psalm 62: 2-8. Rv.2. 1 Thess 4 13-17,

Watch for wisdom early and you will have no trouble; you will find her at your gate.

O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting.

We shall with the Lord forever.

The Bridegroom is here. Go out to meet him.

First Priority

So this is how it is going to be. There will be foolish people who haven’t bothered. They will be badly caught, but then it will be too late. On the other hand there will be those who take care now and it will stand them in good stead. The parable is all about the bridegroom. The bridegroom is Jesus. One thing is certain; the bridegroom, Jesus, is going to come. He may be early or he may be late. We have to be waiting for him when he comes. There is only one way to prepare. We should accept his invitation to become his friends (John 15:15)

When the Bridegroom arrives we must go out to meet him. If we haven’t bothered during our lifetime, if we have filled our life with trivialities such as making money, trying to have a good time, becoming a celebrity, gaining selfish political power etc. we may find that our lamps are going out and we have no oil with us. We won’t know Jesus, much less be his intimate friend. There will be no time to become his friend.  I can’t give my love for him to you, nor you yours to me. Each of us must ‘buy our own oil’.

However, if during our life we have had our priorities right, if we had seen that the most important, in fact the only,  thing in life is to get to know Jesus and to become his intimate friend then when he does at last come we will go out to meet a friend and it will be a joyful occasion. Our lamps will be burning brightly.

            Where is the bride in the story? Jesus is the bridegroom as announced in the book of Revelation 19:3 and his community is the bride. Those who long for the Bridegroom and prepare for his coming through persevering prayer and service will go out to welcome him and he will take them into the wedding feast. They will then discover that they are the bride.

            Religion is not a matter of traditions, rituals, hierarchies, prayers and practices. Our perfection in the externals has no value unless it is a sign of the love for Jesus in our hearts. True love shows itself externally in keeping his commandment of love.

            Now is the time to respond to the invitation of Jesus. I do not call you servants but friends because I have told you everything I have learned from my Father. (Jn. 15:15). I stand at the door and knock (Rev 3:20). Are you ready to seek for Jesus now and become his friend? Do you realize that you should make searching for Jesus your life work?

Father, give me the wisdom to get to know Jesus now that when he does come I may meet him as my friend.