Thirty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time-A
A week ago, children and adults took part in the annual Halloween events, with ghouls and goblins on full display throughout neighborhoods. The next day, Christians shifted their focus and celebrated the Feast of All Saints, a day to remember all of the holy men and women who have entered into God’s glory forever.
The next day we commended all souls to the mercy and forgiveness of God. We prayed for their repose with a certain faith that they too will join the saints and enjoy eternal happiness. As November unfolds and the liturgical year is ending, the Church asks us to take time in reflection and prayer about the inevitability of our own deaths.
In this Sunday’s readings, Jesus uses the pedagogical technique of a parable to show how we need to be prepared for the moment we leave this world. The story begins with ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. Five were wise and brought extra oil, while five were foolish and brought none. Since the bridegroom was delayed, the foolish virgins ran out of oil and petitioned the other five to share theirs. Claiming there would not be enough for all, the foolish virgins were forced to leave and get more oil. Meanwhile, the bridegroom returned, and they were locked out.
Coming back, the foolish virgins cried out, pleading for entrance into the wedding feast. The response was harsh, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.” Then came the moral of the story: “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
The marriage ritual was much different in the past from what it is today. Normally, women married young, and there was a betrothal period, similar to what we now call the engagement period. The ritual was planned well in advance, before the bridegroom came to pick up his future wife. The woman’s entourage was already chosen, and she should have been ready for the transfer. In the parable, the twist was the bridegroom’s late arrival.
Three points emerge from the parable: procrastination, relativism, and presumption. Procrastination is something everyone can relate to. It stems from the belief that there is plenty of time to do what needs to be done. This is especially acute in the spiritual life. It seems like there is plenty of time to pray, repent, and change our lives. What Jesus teaches us is to be careful, for we do not know the day or the hour. The foolish virgins should have been prepared for the hour; it caught them off guard.
Relativism is another trap of a Christian. This unique shortcoming is the mistaken claim that coming close is enough. We all take this position at some time in life, trying to bend reality to our subjective wishes. A common refrain is that a good Christian only needs not to kill anyone to be considered good and holy. Being honest about who we are and our shortcomings leads us to always desire God’s mercy and forgiveness. The lamenting virgins did not evaluate the circumstances correctly; they thought their limited supply of oil was good enough. The bridegroom did not agree.
Finally, there is presumption. Even at the moment, conceding the imprudent virgins were unaware of their plight, there was a presumption once they knew the other five would come to their rescue. Christianity includes a sense of presumption when we are taught about God’s desire to bestow his mercy and forgiveness and offer a path to salvation. The presumption Christians should have is faith that Jesus’ promises are true and real.
The problem is that this presumption can turn from a certain hope into a license to keep acting and behaving as we always have. It gives us an excuse not to bother becoming better people because, in the end, God will welcome us as he does the righteous. Our foibles and character flaws need not matter because God will turn a blind eye to our misgivings. Presumption doesn’t hurt God; it hurts us because, by staying in our rut, it prevents us from using our earthly life to better ourselves in grace.
Few people want to think about this, and even fewer want to acknowledge there is a purgatory for those who presumed they knew exactly what it took to be in the beatific vision for all time. Hence, the need for the Church to pray for all souls. When it was too late, the virgins cried out, “Lord, Lord, open the door for us!”
No one knows the exact hour and day. We do rely on God’s mercy and forgiveness, but we shouldn’t procrastinate, be relativistic, or presumptuous. Use the time well to be prepared to welcome the bridegroom with our lamps lit.