Gospel Reading for November 12, 2023

This detail of the foolish virgins from a stained glass window in St Giles’ church Oxford was photographed by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 25:1-13
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is an eschatological passage, which means that it relates to last things.  Jesus is warning the disciples that they are to be ready for the coming of the end of the age because they will not know exactly when that will be.

The wedding feast is a common Biblical image for the end of the age and coming of the kingdom of God.

A little familiarity with weddings in the Jewish world of the first century can make these details come to life. It was the custom for the bridegroom to go and build a house for himself and his bride following the betrothal.  And when the father determined that the house was acceptable, he granted the son permission to go and gather his bride and bring her back for the feast.  This usually happened at night with a festive procession through the town, with torches and singing.  So, the virgins waiting for the coming of the bridegroom at night, at an unknown time, is not at all far-fetched.  There were no synchronized watches in those days!

But the real issue here is being prepared for the unknown time of arrival.  The five wise virgins had brought supplemental oil in case the bridegroom was tardy — the five foolish did not.

Those who are prepared are welcomed in to the brightly lit home for the wedding feast — the unprepared are shut out in the dark.

Jesus makes his message clear:

Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

APPLY:  

This may seem harsh to our modern ears — why couldn’t the five wise virgins share some oil? Isn’t that the Christian thing to do? And why didn’t the bridegroom just relax and let the foolish virgins in?

From our perspective, it all seems unreasonable — but Jesus is making one simple point.  Watch.  Be prepared.  You never know what will happen and when the Lord will come.

RESPOND: 

I do not know when Jesus will return, but I am deeply aware that he has promised to do so.  My job, if I am to be wise, is to be ready — to turn to him in faith, to tell others to do the same.  If I am to take the interpretation of the parable to the next level, then I need to warn the foolish folks around me to be ready — buy oil, so to speak — by focusing on their faith.

Our Lord, I confess I feel inadequately prepared for your coming sometimes — but I do know that you are with me, whatever a day might bring.  Help me to face the future with anticipation that you will meet me there.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
“Foolish Virgins” by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs license.

Gospel Reading for November 8, 2020

This detail of the foolish virgins from a stained glass window in St Giles’ church Oxford was photographed by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 25:1-13
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is an eschatological passage, which means that it relates to last things.  Jesus is warning the disciples that they are to be ready for the coming of the end of the age because they will not know exactly when that will be.

The wedding feast is a common Biblical image for the end of the age and coming of the kingdom of God.

A little familiarity with weddings in the Jewish world of the first century can make these details come to life. It was the custom for the bridegroom to go and build a house for himself and his bride following the betrothal.  And when the father determined that the house was acceptable, he granted the son permission to go and gather his bride and bring her back for the feast.  This usually happened at night with a festive procession through the town, with torches and singing.  So, the virgins waiting for the coming of the bridegroom at night, at an unknown time, is not at all far-fetched.  There were no synchronized watches in those days!

But the real issue here is being prepared for the unknown time of arrival.  The five wise virgins had brought supplemental oil in case the bridegroom was tardy — the five foolish did not.

Those who are prepared are welcomed in to the brightly lit home for the wedding feast — the unprepared are shut out in the dark.

Jesus makes his message clear:

Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

APPLY:  

This may seem harsh to our modern ears — why couldn’t the five wise virgins share some oil? Isn’t that the Christian thing to do? And why didn’t the bridegroom just relax and let the foolish virgins in?

From our perspective, it all seems unreasonable — but Jesus is making one simple point.  Watch.  Be prepared.  You never know what will happen and when the Lord will come.

RESPOND: 

I do not know when Jesus will return, but I am deeply aware that he has promised to do so.  My job, if I am to be wise, is to be ready — to turn to him in faith, to tell others to do the same.  If I am to take the interpretation of the parable to the next level, then I need to warn the foolish folks around me to be ready — buy oil, so to speak — by focusing on their faith.

Our Lord, I confess I feel inadequately prepared for your coming sometimes — but I do know that you are with me, whatever a day might bring.  Help me to face the future with anticipation that you will meet me there.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
“Foolish Virgins” by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs license.

Gospel Reading for November 12, 2017

This detail of the foolish virgins from a stained glass window in St Giles’ church Oxford was photographed by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

Matthew 25:1-13
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is an eschatological passage, which means that it relates to last things.  Jesus is warning the disciples that they are to be ready for the coming of the end of the age because they will not know exactly when that will be.

The wedding feast is a common Biblical image for the end of the age and coming of the kingdom of God.

A little familiarity with weddings in the Jewish world of the first century can make these details come to life. It was the custom for the bridegroom to go and build a house for himself and his bride following the betrothal.  And when the father determined that the house was acceptable, he granted the son permission to go and gather his bride and bring her back for the feast.  This usually happened at night with a festive procession through the town, with torches and singing.  So, the virgins waiting for the coming of the bridegroom at night, at an unknown time, is not at all far-fetched.  There were no synchronized watches in those days!

But the real issue here is being prepared for the unknown time of arrival.  The five wise virgins had brought supplemental oil in case the bridegroom was tardy — the five foolish did not.

Those who are prepared are welcomed in to the brightly lit home for the wedding feast — the unprepared are shut out in the dark.

Jesus makes his message clear:

Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

APPLY:  

This may seem harsh to our modern ears – why couldn’t the five wise virgins share some oil? Isn’t that the Christian thing to do? And why didn’t the bridegroom just relax and let the foolish virgins in?

From our perspective, it all seems unreasonable – but Jesus is making one simple point.  Watch.  Be prepared.  You never know what will happen and when the Lord will come.

RESPOND: 

I do not know when Jesus will return, but I am deeply aware that he has promised to do so.  My job, if I am to be wise, is to be ready – to turn to him in faith, to tell others to do the same.  If I am to take the interpretation of the parable to the next level, then I need to warn the foolish folks around me to be ready – buy oil, so to speak, by focusing on their faith.

Our Lord, I confess I feel inadequately prepared for your coming sometimes — but I do know that you are with me, whatever a day might bring.  Help me to face the future with anticipation that you will meet me there.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
“Foolish Virgins” by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs license.