A Vigilant Hope For An Encounter

A Vigilant Hope For An Encounter

(Homily for the 32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr. A)

          As we are gradually approaching the end of the liturgical year and drawing closer to the Advent season, the tone and mood of the liturgy perceptibly change. It is therefore, logical that the readings orient our attention towards our eternal goal and the last things. They indicate to us some internal dispositions with which we have to encounter the Lord. The liturgical message of this Sunday invites us to adopt the attitude of vigilance in order to be able to obtain eternal happiness with God. The first reading opines that he who is vigilant on account of wisdom will be free from care, as such, as a gateway to eternal happiness. Thus, it is the theme of vigilance that connects the first reading to the second reading and the gospel. For in St. Paul’s parlance, it is our vigilant hope that will help us to attain the Christological hope of being always with the Lord (v.17b), while the Gospel speaks of the five wise virgins that vigilantly sought after the Bridegroom.

          In the first reading (Wis. 6:12-16), we see the eulogy of the divine wisdom, the wisdom that comes from God. The divine wisdom is more precious than all the riches of this world. “For she herself searches everywhere for those who are worthy of her, benevolently appearing to them on their ways, anticipating their every thought” (v.16), for “meditating on her is understanding in its perfect form, and anyone keeping awake for her will soon be free from care” (v.15). Thus, it gives peace and serenity. The divine wisdom helps us to comprehend that life is a gift of and from God, it is not a fruit of chance. It is a journey towards eternity, and as such, it has to be lived with heaven in view, in a vigilant watch and not in indolence.

         The parable of today (Mt. 25:1-23), comes after the other two parables that revolve around the same theme of vigilance and readiness for the coming of the Lord, “Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Mt. 24:44). The second parable has to do with servants who in the absence of their Master have to fulfill their duty, but if they allow themselves to be carried away by enjoyment and it happens that the Master comes back, “His master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know” (Mt. 24:50). In the same vein, the parable of the ten Virgins who were waiting for the Spouse touches the same theme, but with a different underlining. Here, the Bridegroom delays in coming, but at midnight when no one was expecting him he appears. Little wonder, Jesus concluded the parable with the following enigmatic words “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Mt. 25:13).

          The similitude of this parable is powerful, that the kingdom of heaven is like ten courageous young virgins, armed with only lights, who forfeited their night rest and embarked on the journey of dissipating the darkness of the night with their tiny lights, because they were waiting for the Bridegroom, the love of their life. Honestly, in this parable almost all the protagonists appear problematic, starting from the Bridegroom that arrives very late, who as a result of his lateness, put all the maidens in crisis: the five foolish virgins that did not take enough oil for reserve, and the five wise ones that refused to share with the others, indeed, this parable is full of incongruence. The turning point of the parable is neither the dozing off of all nor the lack of vigilance, but the cry of the going off of light; the foolish then asked the other five “give us some of your oil”, and the response was an explicit no. However, from the passage, the evangelist does not explain what he meant by oil, but one can imagine that oil has to do with light and with fire, something like an ardent desire or passion, perseverance in faith that makes us to shine and glitter as God’s children, “in the same way your light must shine in people’s sight, so that seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven” (Mt.5:16).

                    Similarly, today’s Gospel with the parable of the Ten Virgins, illuminates us about the Christian Hope, from the episode of the parable we grasp that the Christian hope does not make us inactive and inert, rather it calls us to action. The Christian hope truly, like a verb is an action word. In the dynamics of the Christian hope, no room for inactivity, for it is all about vivid waiting and awakening. The Christian life, in the light of faith and hope:

►Is a waiting, however not in the sense of just waiting for time to pass and that’s all. Here, the waiting or the expectation presupposes a desire: of a person or a thing. And in the context of our parable, the ten virgins were waiting for the Bridegroom. The Christian life therefore, comports a waiting, replete with desires for the coming of Christ. For this, the psalmist says: “God, you are my God, I pine for you, my heart thirsts for you, as a land parched, dreary and waterless” (Ps. 63:1). This ought to be the internal disposition of every Christian.

►More than a waiting or an expectation, is a call to keep watch. A vigilant wait, which does not mean allowing oneself to be taking by inertia and somnolence, but the consciousness to be always ready, awake and attentive to the coming of the Lord. “Always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you have” (1Pt. 3:15).

►Comports an attentive and industrious waiting. “The point of our toiling and battling is that we have put our trust/hope in the living God” (1Tm. 4:10). The parable teaches us that it is not sufficient to carry a lamp, there is need to light it, therefore need of having oil. Likewise, it is not sufficient to claim to have faith, rather there is need of living it out. And the lighted lamp is a faith that is active and functional, mainly through love; faith that is translated in love towards God and the neighbor.

          In all, the essence of the narration of this parable revolves around the following truths that:

●The Lord will certainly come. ●We do not know when, how and where he will come. ●We are called to imitate the readiness and spontaneity of the five wise virgins and to discard the unpreparedness of the five foolish virgins. ●We need to be provident like the wise Virgins, by always having the necessary things (good deeds). ●We need to know how to wait for his coming, always ready and prepaid, for only those that are vigilant will recognize him and be saved!

          In the same vein, St. Paul in the second reading (1Th. 4:13-18), reminds us of the efficacy of our vigilant hope thus: “We would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and is risen…” (1Th. 4:13-14). Indeed, a Christian is a man or a woman of hope, in all ramifications. A Christian is man or woman who lives in the dynamics of hopes (espoir and espérance ►G. Marcel). The Christian hope is not a simple probability, rather a certainty, because it is founded on the Resurrection of Christ and on the Word of God. For “our hope does not disappoint us, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Rm. 5:5).

          In conclusion, the reward of the vigilant hope, above all, is the banquet with Christ: “those who were ready went in with Him to the Marriage feast” (Mt. 25:10), and the Word says in Rev. 3:20 “Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and open the door, I will come in to share a meal at that person’s side”. That is intimacy with God, experienced and lived here on earth and it will culminate in the eternal bliss in heaven. The second prize is the participation in the ‘triumph’ of Christ, who will enter into Heavenly Jerusalem as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Oratio: Lord Jesus help us to be found worthy of You! Amen!!!

(First Reading: Wis. 6, 12-16; Second Reading: 1Th. 4, 13-18; Gospel: Mt. 25, 1-13)

(Fada Vitus M C. Unegbu)