Mt 25:1-13
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we approach the end of the liturgical year, the church proposes us to meditate on the end of times and urges us to be prepared for the coming of the Lord. (Mt 25). For three consecutive Sundays we shall be meditating on three parables which are part of the fifth discourse of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 24-25).
Some scholars begin the fifth discourse with chapter 23. It would be good to remind ourselves what are the other discourses. The first discourse is about the sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7). The second is on the mission (Mt 10). In the third discourse we have different images or parables of the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt 13). The fourth one gives us the instructions on attitudes that should characterise the community of disciples (Mt 18).
Today we are mediating on the parable of the ten virgins (Mt 25: 1-13). Next Sunday we shall meditate on the parable of talents (Mt 25: 14- 30). The following Sunday will be about the parable of the last judgement (Mt 25: 14-30). All these parables speak about the end of times and the second coming of Jesus. It is about the last days and the return of the Lord. We may reflect on the end of times in two ways. First, we think about our end in this life. The main question would be this: If Jesus comes today, am I ready for him? If God were to call me today, am I prepared? We do not know the time he will knock at our door. We do not know the hour when he will call us. Jesus says: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Mt 25:13). When we read a parable of Jesus, we must always try to place ourselves in the story. Where am I? Am I in the group of the five virgins who were prepared? Or I am in the group of the foolish ones who were not prepared for an eventual delay of the bridegroom? This is a question that many of us would avoid. And yet Jesus constantly reminds us that we must be always ready, whether he delays or not, we must be prepared.
Secondly, we may think about the parousia or the second coming of Jesus at the end of time. For sure the Lord will come again. This is part of the profession of our faith. That would be the end of this world and the beginning of a new world. The danger is that we may be thinking about this end and forget about our own end, that is the day of passing from this life to a life in the eternal presence of God. We might get tired of waiting and fall asleep. Let us note that the problem in today’s gospel is not about sleeping, but about having enough oil in reserve. Even as we sleep our lamp must remain burning. This where wisdom and vigilance is required from each one of us, as we await for the coming of the Lord.
There will be one day which will be the last day of our lives on this earth. Nobody knows when that day will be. Nobody knows when that hour will come or the manner in which it will come. St Paul says, in the first letter to the Thessalonians, that “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Th 5:2). God, in his wisdom, has hidden this knowledge to us. Otherwise if we had known the day, we will be anxious and afraid. As Christian, we wait for this day with hope and in faith. Meanwhile Jesus urges us to be ready now. Each passing moment, each hour is a moment of grace, a moment of God’s visitation. How am I attentive to the here and now of God’s presence and his saving grace? Is my ordinary busy-life filled with the presence of the Lord?
Jesus does not ask to do extraordinary things in preparation of his coming. His day will come in the ordinary events of our everyday busy-ness lives. A story is said of a monk who was working in the garden. He was asked what he would do if Jesus were to come now. The monk replied: I will continue working in the garden. There is a lot of wisdom in the attitude of this monk. It shows how ready he was prepared. It is today that we are invited to prepare for the last day. Most of us are good at postponing things. When the Lord comes, we cannot tell him: Please Lord, wait a minute, I am not yet ready. Please come next week. May be if he delays to come is to allow us to make our house in order and ready for him. Our readiness to face life daily, is what also makes us ready to face the last day with serenity and peace. Let us keep enough oil and our lamps burning so that the Lord may find us ready to welcome him.
Have a blessed Sunday.
Fr. Maganya H. Innocent, M.Afr
IEM-Kenya Chairperson
