Third Sunday beFore Advent

‘Keep awake for you neither know the day nor the hour.’

Two of the saddest words in the English language are the word ‘If Only’.

If only I had known.

If only I had thought.

If only I had done that.

If only I had said that.

If only I had not said that.

If only I had prepared more thoroughly things would not have gone so badly wrong.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. And of very little use unless we use it to learn the lessons of the past. It is all too easy to be wise after the event. To look back and see how we could have acted differently or been better prepared. As it is for the things of earth. So it is for the things of heaven.

In the Gospel for today Jesus tells the parable of the ten Bridesmaids. Five were wise and five were foolish. The foolish ones with hindsight must have wished that they had done things differently. Lack of preparation was their problem. They simply weren’t prepared for the late arrival of the bridegroom. They ran out of oil for their lights and so missed him when he came. If only they had been prepared. What is this parable about?

Only Matthew recounts this story and he sets it in the midst of Jesus teaching about his return at the end of time. What some refer to as the Second Coming of Christ? Or, the Return of Christ. This parable is inviting us to look forward to our goal and our destiny when our bridegroom Jesus Christ will come again and bring us into the final unity and joy and glory of a world made new. Specifically this parable is about being prepared for his coming – for it could be any time. He may come or he may call us at any time.

The business consultant Steven Covey has written a book entitled:’ The seven habits of highly effective people’. (As is plainly obvious I haven’t yet read this book). Anyhow I do know that one of the things that he highly recommends is:

‘Always keep the end in view’.

It’s a good principle for any business or organisation and indeed for an individual to always keep in mind what you are aiming for. What is your end and purpose? It’s easy to be so immersed in the everyday joys and sorrows the everyday triumphs and disasters that you lose your sense of direction and forget where you are going. This parable calls us to think about our ultimate destiny. To remind us of the end for which we were created. The Westminster Catechism reminds us very simply of our end as purpose as we live our lives as the children of God. Our end and purpose is: ‘To so love and serve God in this life that we may forever enjoy him in the eternal life which is always about to break in.

The parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids is about keeping our eye on that goal. Being prepared for the Lord should he come or call at any time. And not just in death or at the end of the time. Are we prepared to recognise and welcome the Lord as he comes to us in the events and the circumstances and people of our lives?

In all these circumstances events and people the Lord returns and comes again. Sometimes to encourage us. Some times to challenge us. Sometimes to heal us. Sometimes to reproach us. The challenge if this parable is simple though sharp.

‘Are we prepared?’

And are we so prepared that we will recognise him when he comes and will he recognise us. A good question for me to ask myself and so maybe a good question for us all to ask ourselves would be this one.

‘How would I spend today if I knew that I was to meet the Lord tomorrow’?

What would be my priorities? What shift in the hierarchy of what is and what is not important would there be in the light of the imminent return of the Lord. Clearly oil wasn’t enough of a priority for the foolish maidens as it had been for the wise ones. I do find it very interesting that Jesus introduces the ideas of wisdom and foolishness into this story.

The concept of Wisdom is a very important and helpful category on the Old Testament. In the biblical and Judeo/Christian tradition wisdom is not about intellectual cleverness. Nor is it about the acquisition of knowledge. Though it could include both of those. No, wisdom is about being in touch with God and following the way of life which God calls us to. Becoming through the way we live who we were created to be by God in his wisdom. Wisdom is the knowledge of God and knowledge of God’s purpose for our lives. It is about going along with the grain of Gods way in the world. Living in harmony and peace with God and so living in harmony and peace with Gods people in Gods world. Observing God’s way in the world and following in that way. The way of wisdom is the way of a good life, a life well live in the presence of God on God’s good earth. It is the road least travelled, but it is way of God.

That way of wisdom is surely the way to prepare for the coming of the Lord. This involves us in an active nurturing of our faith and our obedience. To practice the presence of God everyday through a time spent in prayer, so that that presence will irradiate the whole of our lives in all that we do and say. To a prayerful, reverent and expectant receiving of the lord in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, so that as we receive him into our lives so we may become more like him. Wisdom calls us to be people of the Holy Scriptures. How can we know the ways of God unless we are attentive to his word? We should allow the Word of God to take deep root in our hearts and minds. So that the Christ who is the living word within the word will form us and shape us into his likeness. And wisdom calls us to a holy obedience in our everyday lives – so that our words and actions our thoughts and our attitude accord with Gods good and preamble ways.

Wisdom is allowing God’s Holy Spirit to determine every aspect of our lives. This way of wisdom is the way to prepare and be prepared for the coming of the Lord. Whether it is at the end of time. Whether it is at the hour of our death. Or whether it is that daily coming of the Lord in the everyday circumstances of the people and the events of our lives.

There is a story about a holy old monk who has sent a life time of prayer and worship and reflection in the community of his monastery. One autumn day he was sweeping up the fallen leaves in the monastery garden when a visitor asked him:

What would you do brother if you were to die in the next ten minutes or the Lord was to return in an hour’?

The old monk replied: ‘I’d carry on sweeping’.