Sunday 12 November 2017
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Matthew 25:1-13 (NRSV)
Jesus said, “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.”
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There are two words that are at the heart of this Gospel: Preparation and Expectation.
Once more Jesus uses imagery of a wedding to speak of the Kingdom of God. In previous places these references speak mostly of the wedding feast. This imagery calls to mind what occurs before the feast. The bridegroom's coming has been anticipated. We know this because the bridesmaids are awaiting him. But what might seem odd to us is that they don't know when he will arrive. They must be ready for that moment to come. Preparation is essential, chiefly because the time of waiting may be prolonged. Preparation is rooted in expectation. If the bridegroom was not expected to arrive, there would be no need to prepare.
We hear this as we near the end of the Church Year and consider the "last things." This Gospel is a call to be preparing and expecting for the Advent of Christ not as a child but as the victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Only this isn't just for the appearance at the end of all days. It is also for the end of our days. We know not how long we will journey in this life. When the time of death comes, Christ will come to us as the bridegroom comes to the feast. Are we expecting to be greeted by Christ? Are we preparing for that encounter?
It's also not just about the end of our days. Christ comes to us and is in our midst on all days. Are we expecting to encounter Christ today and preparing to respond in faithfulness and love today, knowing we are in the presence of Christ? And I don't just mean this for days like Sundays when we encounter Christ within the walls of the Church, at the Altar where the Blessed Sacrament is consecrated in obedience to Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the glory of the Father. I mean this for the most ordinary days of the week when Christ's presence in our midst might catch us off guard and unaware that he is near.
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Fr. Timothy Alleman
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