32 OTA.11; Wis 6:1-16; 1Thess 4:13-1; Matthew 25:1-13
Two little boys, ages 8 & 10, are excessively mischievous. They’re always getting into trouble and their parents know if any mischief occurs in their town, the 2 boys are probably involved. The boys' mother heard that a preacher in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The preacher agreed, but he asked to see them individually. The mother sent the 8 year old in the morning, with the older boy to see the preacher in the afternoon. The preacher, a huge man with a deep booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Do you know where God is, son?" The boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open.So the preacher repeated the question in an even sterner tone,
"Where is God?!Again, the boy made no attempt to answer. The preacher raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face & bellowed, "Where is God?!" The boy screamed & bolted from the room, ran directly home & dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?"
The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied,…
"We are in BIG trouble this time!"
"God is missing, and they think WE did it!" (source:unk)
Well, do we know? “Those who are ready went into the wedding feast.”
Mt 25:10
Why won’t the ten wise virgins … help the foolish ones?
Just as in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:16) where Jesus says , “Let your light shine before others so they may see your good works and give glory to God”, so in today’s Gospel the oil that fuels the light is also understood as good deeds, and no one can share theirs with someone who has none.
Granted but there is more….
Matthew tends to write in dramatic dual (light/dark) imagery. Yet, when placed in the context of the whole Gospel, instead of inducing fear, the parable gives assurance that when we are responding … all along to the lifelong courtship of the Bridegroom, we will be ready for the moment of final consummation. How?
We prepare for that critical moment of meeting our Beloved face-to-face with all our daily choices for living truthfully/justly. Every time we resist selfishness/hoarding oil just for ourselves, so that others are left without, then we allow the love/light of Christ to shine through us to others.
The man wanders for another year, returns to the door, and knocks a third time. The voice from inside says, “Who is it?” The man says, “It is you.”
Josh McDowell tells about an executive "headhunter" who recruits corporate executives for large firms. The headhunter said that he likes to interview and disarm a potential candidate: "I offer them a drink, take off my coat, undo my tie, throw up my feet & talk about sports, family, whatever, until they’re relaxed. Then, when I think I’ve got them relaxed, I lean over, look them square in the eye & say, ‘What’s your purpose in life?’
It’s amazing how top executives fall apart at that question."
Then he told about interviewing one fellow recently. He had him all disarmed, talking about football. Then the headhunter leaned over & said, "What’s your purpose in life, Bob?" And Bob said, without blinking an eye,
"To go to heaven & take as many people with me as I can." "For the first time in my career," said the headhunter, "I was speechless." No wonder. He had encountered someone who was prepared. He was ready. His purpose, "To go to heaven & take as many people with me as I can." We might not express it that way, but do you doubt that this person has extra oil for their lamp? (Source: esermons.com/Nicolosi, Preparing for the End Time)
At this Liturgy, let us be as prepared as the Thessalonians, we who are alive, who are left, to be “caught up together in the clouds” by being wise, by being loving, by being Christ. Not ready? … well, if God can break down the stone door of a tomb, God can break down the door of your heart.
Two little boys, ages 8 & 10, are excessively mischievous. They’re always getting into trouble and their parents know if any mischief occurs in their town, the 2 boys are probably involved. The boys' mother heard that a preacher in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The preacher agreed, but he asked to see them individually. The mother sent the 8 year old in the morning, with the older boy to see the preacher in the afternoon. The preacher, a huge man with a deep booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Do you know where God is, son?" The boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open.So the preacher repeated the question in an even sterner tone,
"Where is God?!Again, the boy made no attempt to answer. The preacher raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face & bellowed, "Where is God?!" The boy screamed & bolted from the room, ran directly home & dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?"
The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied,…
"We are in BIG trouble this time!"
"God is missing, and they think WE did it!" (source:unk)
Well, do we know? “Those who are ready went into the wedding feast.”
Mt 25:10
Why won’t the ten wise virgins … help the foolish ones?
Just as in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:16) where Jesus says , “Let your light shine before others so they may see your good works and give glory to God”, so in today’s Gospel the oil that fuels the light is also understood as good deeds, and no one can share theirs with someone who has none.
Granted but there is more….
Matthew tends to write in dramatic dual (light/dark) imagery. Yet, when placed in the context of the whole Gospel, instead of inducing fear, the parable gives assurance that when we are responding … all along to the lifelong courtship of the Bridegroom, we will be ready for the moment of final consummation. How?
We prepare for that critical moment of meeting our Beloved face-to-face with all our daily choices for living truthfully/justly. Every time we resist selfishness/hoarding oil just for ourselves, so that others are left without, then we allow the love/light of Christ to shine through us to others.
(Resource: America, 10.31.11, B.Reid,)
Here’s a brief but hard hitting story:
2 A man knocks on a door. The voice from inside says, “Who is it?”, the man says, “It is your countryman.” The voice behind the door says, “There is no one here.” The man wanders for a year, returns to the door, & knocks a second time. The voice from inside says, “Who is it?” The man says, “It is your brother.” The voice behind the door says, “There is no one here.”The man wanders for another year, returns to the door, and knocks a third time. The voice from inside says, “Who is it?” The man says, “It is you.”
The door opens. How does Christ know us?
He knows us when he looks into our face & sees himself.
(Resource: Spiritual Wisdom of the Gospels, J.Shea p. 317)
This integration of Christ into our life means transformation. When it is occurring, we will understand Paul’s cry:
…“it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.”
“What will it be like when all the infinite beauty and greatness and happiness and Love of God are poured into the poor clay vessel that a human being is, to satisfy it eternally with freshness of ever-new joy?”
(Source: St. Josemaria Esciva)
What might this integration look like?
Worship/prayer must be the same as Real Life.
Josh McDowell tells about an executive "headhunter" who recruits corporate executives for large firms. The headhunter said that he likes to interview and disarm a potential candidate: "I offer them a drink, take off my coat, undo my tie, throw up my feet & talk about sports, family, whatever, until they’re relaxed. Then, when I think I’ve got them relaxed, I lean over, look them square in the eye & say, ‘What’s your purpose in life?’
It’s amazing how top executives fall apart at that question."
Then he told about interviewing one fellow recently. He had him all disarmed, talking about football. Then the headhunter leaned over & said, "What’s your purpose in life, Bob?" And Bob said, without blinking an eye,
"To go to heaven & take as many people with me as I can." "For the first time in my career," said the headhunter, "I was speechless." No wonder. He had encountered someone who was prepared. He was ready. His purpose, "To go to heaven & take as many people with me as I can." We might not express it that way, but do you doubt that this person has extra oil for their lamp? (Source: esermons.com/Nicolosi, Preparing for the End Time)
At this Liturgy, let us be as prepared as the Thessalonians, we who are alive, who are left, to be “caught up together in the clouds” by being wise, by being loving, by being Christ. Not ready? … well, if God can break down the stone door of a tomb, God can break down the door of your heart.
God is not missing … God is with you!