OT XXXII [A]: Wis 6:12-16; I Thes 4:13-18; Mt 25:1-13

In April 1988 the evening news reported the sad story of a photographer who was also a skydiver.  He had jumped from a plane along with several other skydivers and filmed the group as they individually dove out of the plane and opened their parachutes.  As the video was being shown of each member of the crew jumping out and then pulling their rip cord so that their parachute opened to the wind, the final skydiver opened his chute and then the picture went out of control.  The announcer reported that the cameraman had fallen to his death, having jumped out of the plane without a parachute.  It was not until he reached for the ripcord that he realized he was in free fall, taking pictures without a parachute.  Tragically he was unprepared for the jump.  It did not matter how many times he had done it before or what skill he had.  By forgetting the parachute, he made a foolish and deadly mistake.  Nothing could save him, because his Faith was in a parachute which he had never taken the trouble to buckle on.  It is a story not unlike the parable which Jesus tells about the foolish bridesmaids forgetting to bring something very important and necessary.

 

Through this parable Jesus emphasizes the fact that each and every one of us should be prepared, stay awake, because we do not know the day or the hour when we will be summoned to answer before the Lord God.

In Jewish custom when a couple married, they did not go away; they stayed at home; for a week they kept open house; they were treated, and even addressed, as prince and princess; it was the gladdest week in all their lives. To the festivities of that week their chosen friends were admitted. The foolish virgins missed this chance, because they were unprepared.

At first glance we think the wise virgins are mean, maybe selfish.  But that’s not the case.  Their role in the wedding feast, according to customs of the time, was to welcome the newlywed couple to the bridegroom’s home after the wedding.  That was their responsibility.  To give away their oil would be to shirk their responsibility: there was simply not enough oil for ten lamps.  For us to be unfaithful to Christ and his Church – no matter under what pretext – would be equally irresponsible

 

This parable warns us that there are certain things which cannot be obtained at the last minute. It is far too late for a student to be preparing for the examination on the last day. It is too far late for a man to acquire a skill, or a character, when some task offers itself to him. When we are prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, we have nothing to fear.

The second message that the parable teaches is that there are certain things which cannot be borrowed.  The foolish virgins found it impossible to borrow oil, when they discovered they needed it. A man cannot borrow a character; he must acquire it. A man cannot borrow his relationship with his neighbours; he must develop it. A man cannot borrow his relationship with God, he must cherish it. Hence, it is the duty of parents and elders to help the growing younger generation to acquire the noble values came down to them from their forefathers.

 

Christ himself sums up the meaning of his parable: “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”  It’s so easy to forget this.  We go on living as if we think this earthly life will go on forever.  Nothing is further from the truth. Death accompanies us each step of the way and could come upon us at any time.  

It is so ironical that the wedding which was such a well prepared and long awaited event, had these five virgins who were so unprepared and so unequipped for the grand moment. The story of these five virgins who were unprepared could well be our own stories too.

 

In the Gospel of Luke w12:35 WE READ: Keep your lamps lit. To keep our lamps lit.. it’s the reminder and challenge of the gospel to all of us.

At our baptism, we all have received the Light of Christ. This light, is not just to be preserved, but is to be nurtured and fostered daily. But we live in a world when there are many a winds seeking to put off this light in us. We live in a world where there is a strong engulfing of the darkness trying to drown the light in us.

Let’s examine our own lives… Am I allowing the wind.. of losing the focus from God. To put off the light in us?

… of being focused on our own selfish interests to put off the light in us?

.. of false principles and ideologies to put off the light in us?

As the saying goes, “We can’t prevent birds from flying over our heads, but we can certainly prevent them from laying a nest on our heads. We cannot prevent these winds to rage and hit our lives… but we can certainly prevent them from blowing off the Light of Christ in us.

The Lord has given us everything we need to keep the vigil all through our lives, so we should stock well our lamps and press on with fidelity. That way we can be like the wise virgins, and march on to victory.

As we continue with this Mass, let’s renew our commitment to Christ and promise him to do whatever it takes to wake ourselves up and refill our lamps. After all, “we know neither the day nor the hour.”