Mother Church invites us to celebrate Sunday, November 12, 2023, as the thirty Second Sunday of Ordinary Time – Year A. In the Entrance Antiphon we pray: “Let my prayer come before you, Lord; listen, and answer me. Amen.”
We are gradually moving to the end of the liturgical year and the last three Sundays are all inviting us to look forward to the coming of Christ, each one from a different angle. We see in today’s Gospel that Christ is always prepared to meet us. This means that we, in turn, must be prepared, like the five wise virgins in the Gospel, to meet him at anytime for he will come unannounced. In the first reading, we hear from the Book of Wisdom that true wisdom is God’s word that comes to those who look for it. He or she who has eyes to see discovers the wonders of God’s wisdom deep down in everyday things and events. In the second reading, Saint Paul assures his converts of Thessalonica that those of their loved ones, who had died long ago, and who had lived worthy lives while on earth, will find their reward in the Second Coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
First Reading: Wisdom, 6: 12-16.
Resplendent and unfading is wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire; Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence, and whoever for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care; because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude.
Comment
It is always good to recall from history under what circumstances some of the books of the Bible were written. Church historians tell us that the Book of Wisdom was probably the last book of the Old Testament and it is thought that it was written in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in the first century before Christ. Why was it written?
The Jewish world in the diaspora was being subjected to the intense influence of Greek thought and culture. The attraction of Greek literature, science, culture, and especially philosophy, was so intense that many Jews, particularly the more intelligent and better educated ones, were beginning to think that Greek learning was superior to theirs. Since Jewish culture and thought were so intimately linked to their religion, the author of the Book of Wisdom feared that Jews might abandon the worship of the God of Israel altogether, or at least, try to combine their religion with inappropriate elements of the non-Jewish worship in a sort of syncretism.
The author clearly shows that Jewish traditions are in no way inferior to those of the Greeks. He adopts Solomon as his patron. King Solomon’s wisdom was legendary in Israel, making the biblical authors aware that true wisdom can only come from the God of Israel. In describing wisdom and the way she is to be found, the sacred author looks back to the prayer of Solomon, who, to rule his people justly, begged God for wisdom, not wealth or political power.
How relevant is the message of this reading to us, Africans, today? Just as the Jews faced the colonizing attitude of the Greek culture and thought, so also have we, in Africa, been faced with colonial rule and all that it implies. The tendency has been for us to abandon many of our positive values as we strive to accept, and be accepted, by European cultures. This has led us, especially in Church, to abandon the positive values of our African traditions that could better help enrich our understanding of the Christian faith. Hence, the urgent need for us to heed Saint John Paul II’s appeal for us to embrace inculturation, i.e., by allowing the Gospel message to take root in our own cultures. This must be done without losing many of the positive aspects of our cultures, such as, our openness to one another, our common expression of joy through song, dance and story-telling, that can be used to enhance our understanding of Christianity.
Pope Francis, for his part, made story-telling the principal focus of his message on the 2020 World Communications Day. In it, he said that storytelling is helpful because good stories build up, not tear down; they help us rediscover our roots and the strength needed to move forward together. “Amid the cacophony of voices and messages that surround us,” continues the Holy Father, “ we need a human story that can speak of ourselves and of the beauty all around us.”
Let us pray therefore for the courage to tell our own stories as part of our evangelization endeavours that enable us to better incorporate our culture into our Christian faith. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18.
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep. Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.
Comment
History tells us that Saint Paul had to leave Thessalonica in a hurry when his preaching and success among the Jews earned the envy of certain influential Jews, who organized demonstrations against him and Silas. This interrupted the religious instructions he was giving to his converts, and one of the doubts in the minds of many, which he did not have the time to address when he was with them was what would happen to those of their brothers and sisters, who had died. Would they also find rest in the Lord at the time of the Parousia, or the Second Coming of our Lord?
Paul reassures his converts that the dead will be at no disadvantage when Christ appears in glory. Those who have died will rise first to join those who are still alive and together they will go to meet the Lord and be with him forever. He, however, makes it clear that no one knows when the Lord will be coming again. When that happens, he tells them, those who have died and those who have become new through the waters of baptism will go to meet the Lord in the air for both will now have glorified bodies.
The main lesson in this reading is that we should always be ready as we know not the day nor the hour of our Lord’s coming; this message is continued more powerfully in the Gospel message of this day when the bridegroom arrives at a time no one expects.
So let us pray for the strength and the courage to keep awake in anticipation of the Second Coming of our Lord when, together with our brothers and sisters, who have slept in the Lord, we will find eternal rest. This is the month of November, the month in which we remember, in a special way, all our departed loved ones. We remember those whose lives have been cut short by the senseless wars that are being waged in our country, in the northwest and southwest regions of our country as well as in the northern part of our country. These conflicts have resulted in countless needless deaths of our loved ones. May they, as Saint Paul says, arise to eternal life with the trumpet blasts of the angels from heaven. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gospel acclamation: “Alleluia, alleluia. Stay awake and be ready! For you do not know on what day our Lord will come. Alleluia.”
Gospel: Matthew 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."
Comment
The parable of the wise and foolish virgins (25:1-13) may be interpreted on many levels. It can be seen simply as a purely historical analysis of matrimonial customs at the time of Jesus. The high point of the wedding ceremony at this moment in history occurred when the groom, accompanied by his relatives, went to the family house of the bride to bring her with him to his home. It is here that the rest of the ceremony took place. This moment is the beginning of the Gospel parable.
Ten young women are awaiting the groom’s return. Five are clever young girls and five are not the brightest! When the bridegroom comes at midnight, they all rise to light their lamps; but only five who have thought ahead and bought sufficient oil are able to do so. The five without oil beg to borrow from the others, but the wise ones are unwilling to give up their resources because then none of the 10 would have enough oil. While the five foolish ones are off buying more oil, the bridegroom arrives and is ushered into the marriage feast, and the door is bolted shut. The clever young girls are prepared for their roles, but the unprepared and dull-witted girls fail to make adequate plans and find themselves closed out of the feast.
As with all parables, this one has a double meaning: It is about a wedding celebration but it is also about something else, namely, how God relates to human beings. The simplest meaning, and probably the one most relevant to Jesus' historical situation, is that those who were in tune with the wisdom of God had "ears to hear" and accepted his message. Those who rejected it found themselves rejected. The lesson to be learned is "watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
On another level, the parable can refer to the church and her individual members. The delay of the parousia (second coming of Christ) is symbolized by the wait for the bridegroom. Everything else was ready at the marriage feast; only the bridegroom was missing. The parable is clearly a warning to live lives of watchfulness and prudent preparedness. Such virtues are the result of careful attentiveness to the words God has spoken to us.
The foolish young girls are not ready when the great moment finally arrives. The young girls without oil and the guest without the wedding garment in the parable a few weeks ago (Mt 22:11-14) are missing the good works to accompany their faith commitment.
For Matthew, being watchful means being ready at all times, whether awake or asleep. This parable refers to very ordinary people, and not only to those in leadership of the ecclesial community. Every person who loves Jesus must persevere in his or her doing and being until Jesus comes, no matter how great is the delay of that coming. Those who endure to the end will be saved (24:13).
Being "ready" in today's Gospel means performing good works, but we know that there are also other obligations to be fulfilled as well: abstinence from bad behavior (15:19); love of enemies (5:44); love of other Christians (24:12); forgiveness of those who have wronged us (18:21-35); bold faith (21:21); loyalty to Jesus (10:32); and love of God (22:37).
We learn from today's Gospel passage that our faith must be accompanied by good deeds that will sustain our spiritual life. When the five foolish young girls went out to meet the bridegroom, they are not prepared. The wise girls store up their good deeds and have their lamps lit. When the Lord returns, they will be eager to welcome him. The five without the oil represent those who are more concerned with the feast than about longing to see the bridegroom.
In reflecting on today's parable, we must also take into consideration the provider of the oil. Here is a thought for you this week. If oil represents the good works inspired by the Spirit, the oil provider is the dispenser of those good gifts, the Holy Spirit. The five wise girls seem to have been in recent contact with the oil provider, that is the Holy Spirit, whereas the others apparently had dallied around.
To be prepared in one's heart and mind to welcome the Lord is a quality or state of being that is learned, refined and honed over time. It is due to a strong relationship with the provider of the oil; it is non-transferable, not simply passed onto one who is unprepared. It is worked on continually on a lifelong journey that will lead us to the eternal marriage banquet that knows no end.
Let us pray to stay awake and not be away shopping when opportunity comes knocks and finds that we are not prepared for it. The bridegroom is at the door for us, are we prepared to receive him?
May we remain always prepared for the final coming, but attentive to the people around us who depend on our good deeds, here and now. Let us be sober so as to enter the heavenly wedding feast with the wise young virgins and be found worthy by the Lord of eternal life in his presence. We place our supplications in the hands of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
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