THE HOPE OF PREPAREDNESS
Once a philosopher told a Christian, man lives to die, but the Christian responded man dies to resurrect. This is how worldly wisdom serves man negatively with a deep sense of pessimism. While the Christian wisdom from the Holy Spirit serves to encourage man positively with a sense of optimism. We live in a world where our lives can end at any-time, anywhere and anyhow. Hence, we need the hope of preparedness through the Spirit of God. This is why we need the Wisdom of God that enlightens, illuminates and guides us on the part to salvation.
OUR THEMES
The readings of the 32nd Sunday in ordinary time is a reminder that we are getting close to the end of the Church´s liturgical calendar. Hence, they remind us of the end of time. The end of our world or existence on earth through death. The end of our earthly life and our passage to another world. There is also a strong emphasis on the fact that we need true and conscious wisdom to be prepared. For this end-time, no one knows what time, place or manner it will come.
FIRST READING: WISDOM 6:12-16
The Wisdom of God is priceless, beautiful and eternal. Those who love, seek and long for her, live within graciousness, understanding and knowledge of God, of life and its mysteries. Wisdom does not only help us to comprehend life and death. It also helps us to live in the preparedness of death and life after it.
The psalmist in Psalm 62, invites to unquenchable desire or thirst for the Lord our God. The inexhaustible Wisdom that seeks and finds us as well as guide us in life.
SECOND READING: 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18
St. Paul treats the theme of death and its mystery in the early Christian community of Thessalonica. Where there is a lot of misinformation about death, resurrection and Christ Second coming known as the Parousia. For Paul, the hope of preparedness is seen in the fact that dead in Christ Jesus will rise to eternal life. And the living will have no advantage over the dead. Hence, death for a Christian with living hope in Christ is not a loss or tragedy. It is a glorious transformation to see God as He is and to be like Him and be with Him in glory.
THE GOSPEL: MATTHEW 25:1-13
The theme of the end of time, death and preparedness for this sudden and inevitable fate of all is concretely connected to Wisdom of God. The gospel text of the ten virgins illustrates this for us.
THE ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION
The virgins represent the Church or Christian community that is waiting for Christ’s Second Coming. The five wise virgins the prepared Christian with virtuous life to meet God. While the foolish virgins are the unprepared Christian with vicious lifestyle. The Bridegroom is Christ. The wedding feast is the great and joyous occasion in which Christ comes for his Church. The delay of the Bridegroom corresponds to the delay of the Second Coming or Parousia. The Bridegroom’s arrival in the dark of night is the unsuspected Second Coming. The closing of the door is the final judgment and eternal bliss or punishment of all following his or her lifestyle.
THE SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION
The ten virgins are all of us who are alive and live in this world. The wise virgins are those of us who have heard, understood and practised the teachings of Christ. While the foolish virgins are those who heard but did not understand the teachings of Christ or understood but did not practice them.
The lamps are our hearts, while the oil for our lamps is the good values and good deeds inspire by the Holy Spirit, the Eternal Wisdom of God. Jesus Christ is the bridegroom whom we all await to join in the heavenly banquet. Midnight is the unknown day or the hour when Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, will come again. The wedding feast is the eternal reward of the righteous ones to Heaven. Equally, closing the door of Heaven on the wicked ones implies eternal punishment.
THE LESSONS OF THE GOSPEL
1. The central idea is clear: only the alert and the vigilant can experience God coming in their lives.
2. The hope of resurrection and immortality in Christ Jesus is for those who died in Him.
3. There are certain things which cannot be obtained at the last minute of our lives on earth. Like a good relationship with God, good character, merits from good deeds of sharing and forgiving love and humble service that is done to others.
4. There are certain things which cannot be borrowed in life, especially at the end time. We cannot be lend relationship with God, ideal character of integrity, honesty or the virtues of faith, hope and love.
Today’s gospel concludes with a ringing exhortation “Stay awake.” Some important ways in which we can stay awake in God is through prayer, preparedness and virtuous living.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the eternal wisdom of God which illuminates, guides and enriches us in our Christian faith and journey. Help us to be ever prepared with this wisdom to understand that we live in a finite and transitional world. And may our lives be oriented to the future immortality of the resurrection in Christ Jesus. Amen.
