How wise are we? That question comes to mind as I pondered these readings. “Resplendent and unfading is wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her.” If we consider ourselves wise, then hopefully we are prepared for any unforeseen circumstance that could end our lives. Too often we are reminded that events beyond our control do happen: devastating earthquakes, raging forest fires, torrential downpours resulting in unanticipated floods, auto accidents, strokes, heart attacks, or a shooting spree can snuff the life out of us on a moment’s notice.
Like many in their day, Jesus and his disciples believed that the world would soon end. Biblical prophecies spoke of accelerating decay as a consequence of social chaos, political oppression, poverty, famine and rampant illness. The way the world would end was and still is a matter of debate. Some prophets, like Zechariah, envision a major catastrophe while others, like Isaiah, believed that the transition would be sudden yet peaceful.
Jesus described the end times both ways. Today’s gospel passage resembles Isaiah’s vision. Jesus’ return at the end of time will be like that of the bridegroom showing up late and unexpectedly for his wedding feast.
This parable of the ten virgins seems farfetched to us yet it describes a commonplace situation in biblical times. The groom would arrive at the house of the bride to claim her as his wife. If he arrived after sunset, the bridesmaids would greet him with lamps. Jesus used this familiar image to convey a lesson about his final coming. He warns his followers that his unexpected arrival would catch some of them off guard just as the bridegroom in this story caught five ill-prepared virgins by surprise.
We can interpret Jesus’ parable in this way: he is the bridegroom and the wedding feast stands for the eternal feast of heaven, which commences when Jesus returns in glory to claim the Church as his eternal bride. The wise virgins stand for those who are prepared to meet him while the foolish ones stand for those who are not prepared.
In the years following the ascension of Jesus, many of his followers anticipated his return in glory in their lifetime, but as time passed, they began to realize that Jesus’ return was not imminent. He was coming again, but as he warned, no one knew the day or the hour when he would return so Matthew and the other evangelists began to emphasize a spirit of readiness, challenging generations of Christians to live, like the wise virgins, ready for the final moment.
The odds are, that like countless other Christians, we will not witness the return of Christ in such a dramatic manner in our lifetime. The moment when we meet Jesus will likely be when we take our last breath and when we do, will we be ready? Or will he say to us, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.” If we don’t want to hear those words said to us, then we need to follow the example of the wise virgins.
You may feel that the wise virgins treated the foolish virgins in the parable unfairly. After all, Jesus often talked about sharing but keep in mind some things in life cannot be shared. I can borrow a cup of sugar from you but I can’t take credit for your good deeds or your relationship with Jesus. We cannot borrow our way into heaven. Repentance and our good deeds, which demonstrate how well we have obeyed God’s commandments, provide the “oil” we need to keep our lamps lit.
Two weeks ago I said, “There is only one means of loving God and proving that love: it is by loving our neighbor; there is only one medium by which we serve God: it is by serving our neighbor and conversely, love of neighbor is made possible by our loving relationship with God. The greatest commandment ultimately demands a new lifestyle, a way of living that draws us so close to God that we become His presence for others.” While we may feel sorry for the foolish virgins who are barred from the feast, we must take responsibility for our own readiness.
Many people try to avoid thoughts of death and so are not prepared for the moment when it comes. One litmus test that separates the wise from the foolish would be that the foolish have the attitude of “what me worry?” as though being baptized is all that matters. As wise Christians, our approach is quite different. We face the reality of death throughout our lives. The uncertainty that death could happen at any moment is the reason why we try to live our lives with meaning, purpose, and direction. When we don’t, we must then seek to be reconciled with God. Actively seeking Christ through worship and good deeds helps us to stay awake and be ready to greet him. We wisely realize that we are given this lifetime to prepare ourselves for where we will be for all eternity, which ideally will be at the eternal banquet.
We don’t know when we will take our last breath but when that moment comes, would we be ready to die well? The only real obstacle to dying well is our failure to live well. To live well, we need wisdom; that quality found in the beauty of truth, the radiance of peace, and the realm of love. Wisdom combines common sense, good judgment, and fidelity to God’s laws and ways. Wisdom awakens us to the reality that choosing to live well this day may be the wisest choice we can make for tomorrow we might not have that chance.