We are heading down the path of the “end times,” that is—the end of this liturgical year 2020—thank God!!! Like you, I am very much ready to see this year in the “review mirror.”
In the next three weeks we will conclude the current liturgical year in the Church and Advent (Sunday, 29 November we shall start the Advent season, concluding on Thursday, 24 December, Christmas Eve). Advent asks us to consider the Coming of Emmanuel, the Son of God, and the Salvation of the world—in the Christmas event but it also asks us to consider the Second Coming of Christ at the End Time. So let us now consider the end-time as we prepare for Advent.
Over the next three weekend Masses we prepare for Advent—or Adventus in Latin—meaning the arrival of Jesus both in the sense of the Nativity—the physical birth of Jesus—and in the “expectant waiting” for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ at the End Times. This weekend, we hear from the Gospel of Matthew (25: 1-13), which is the first of three (3) parables from Matthew’s twenty-fifth chapter in which we experience the parable about ten virgins, five wise ones and five foolish ones.
Scripture scholar and current General Secretary of the Sulpician Order, Father Ronald Witherup tells us in detail about the meaning of this gospel parable as well as how we are to make the Word of God applicable in the modern world, in-and-through each of our daily lives
Father Witherup tells us that Matthew draws from Jewish apocalyptic literature for this parable and highlights three (3) themes for our consideration: “(1) a strong interest in the end-of-the-world; (2) dualism—or seeing things as two diametrically opposed realities; and, (3) a belief that in spite of appearances, God is in charge and that He will come at the end time and bring a judgment against the unrighteous as well as also vindicate the righteous.” Fr. Witherup wants us to understand that this school of Jewish thought provides for moral ethical standards for those who are living under great difficulties, i.e., persecution. In detail he tells us that such writing, Jewish apocalyptical literature, was written to give hope to people in persecution—and that we should also look to see how these writings can give comfort and hope to us today—as well as challenge us.
The moral point in this weekend’s parable is this: in times of great trial or difficulty, it is wise to be prepared. The story of ten virgins, five of whom are wise and five are foolish are awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom, some take the time and effort to be prepared with their lamps and their oil supply, some don’t. The parable wants us to think about the end times, when Jesus Christ (the bridegroom in today’s parable) will return and bring forth the Final Judgment, and it asks us to consider just how we are preparing in our life of discipleship to be ready. Keep in mind that Jesus has already told us that neither the day nor the hour of his final arrival will be preceded by a press announcement or an advance team—no “pre-Christmas sale.” So how are we to do what is expected and commanded of us, when we don’t know the day or the time of our accountability? Well, be prepared.
Rather than focus on lamps and oil supplies, the gospel asks us really to consider just how prudent (acting with or showing care and thought for the future) we are in the living out of our faith in-and-through our daily activities of life: in the commitments we’ve made, say marriage or being a godparent or a faithful friend—do we honor the commitment,; in the care we offer to the sick and the frail—do we care; and, in the learning of what our faith truly calls us to be all about, what it really means to be a Roman Catholic—do we take time to learn from proper sources?
When we are prepared, we make plans and we see to it that those plans are being implemented and not just stored on a shelf. When we are not prudent, we put things off till next year or we fail to prioritize what we really should be doing, i.e., is baseball, soccer or is “getting ahead” more important than getting to know and be closer to God?
Like everything else in life, time flies and things come upon us faster than we would have believed. Time to be prudent.