Reflection

Gospel

Jesus told his disciples this parable:

"The kingdom of heaven will be like ten brides who took their lamps and went out to meet their 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 brides 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 brides 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, or you know neither the day nor the hour.”

        Matthew 25: 1-13

Reflection

In this world where good and evil can occupy the same space, we must be wise and vigilant. In this world where stately roses and disruptive weeds can share the same garden, we must be wise and vigilant. In this world where the foolish and the wise can sit together at the same table, we must be the wise ones. The question is: how often are we prepared to be the wise one? 

Growing up, my grandmother would tell us stories to explain why it wasn’t right to tell a lie, or why it was wrong to steal, and so on.  I used to hear her stories and say to myself, “why can’t grandma just say what she means? Why does she have to tell us these stories?”  As I got older, it occurred to me that not only did she just enjoy using stories to convey life lessons, but the life lessons made more sense once digested. Today’s Gospel reminds me of my grandmother’s stories — a little esoteric, thought-provoking, with moments that make you want to ask a question, but hold back, and in a way, open to interpretation. Like any parable, the reader is invited to do more than just read it.  The reader is invited to let the words digest and relish the total mind and soul effect at the moment when we realise that we have been enriched, and awakened by the words; by the parable; by the story. This Gospel prompts us to stay spiritually awake, and to be prepared to bring light to the darkness.

As Christians, it seems we are always waiting for Jesus to reveal himself to us; we tell ourselves that we will see him at the end of our lives. It also seems that in our anticipation to be part of the Kingdom of God, we forget what is necessary; we forget that we need the light of Christ. We need the light that we get when we are baptised, the light that we get when we are compassionate, the light that exudes from us when we live out the Gospel. The light that is fueled by our faith, perseverance, and good works. This light illuminates our path to see and experience the Kingdom of God.  We don’t need to wait for the end of our lives to prepare ourselves, the Kingdom of God is with us everyday, but we need the light. The light that shows the way, and lights the path for a stranger, for a friend, or an outcast. The light that is also a guiding compass for those seeking mercy and understanding. Let us stay spiritually awake and be prepared with our light. 

Let’s not forget what is necessary to fully experience the Kingdom of God.

Julie Leonard Religious Education Leader/Wellbeing Leader