Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mt 25:1-13
November 12, 2023

As I sat down to write this reflection on my iPad, I noticed the message at the upper right-hand corner of the screen indicated that I had only 20% left on the battery. And since (as Sr. Laura often points out) I tend to be long-winded, my first thought was that my computer will shut down before I complete my work.

NO BIG DEAL!

I began writing, knowing that if the screen were to go dark before I finished, I could just get up, find the charger cable, plug it in, and go about my business…. which, by the way, is exactly what happened.

So, here we go…

Our Liturgy of the Word begins with a reflection on the beauty and the importance of WISDOM and PRUDENCE. Our Second Reading offers assurances of RESURRECTION. Then we come to our Gospel. It is, indeed, sobering to hear how Jesus concludes this little parable. The wise and prudent are rewarded, while the foolish and self-indulgent are told: I do not know you!

The warning is crystal clear. A wise person prepares for their Day of Judgment and can expect to be admitted to the heavenly banquet. If you give no further thought to these Readings, that would certainly be a worthy and important takeaway.

HOWEVER, it would seem that Jesus often turned to parables so that His listeners would give FURTHER thought to the little story. Here, it seems very likely that someone in the crowd would not have been satisfied with the plain and obvious meaning, and might react with…I get it but….!!!!

So, let me say it for you…I get it but….!!!!

Wedding parties are all about relationships, close friends coming together to celebrate with few, if any, limits. WISDOM and PRUDENCE are not foremost on the minds of young people intent on having a good time. Moreover, because of the good-natured atmosphere and the close friendships, if one were to say: I forgot my eye shadow…or…I’m out of hairspray…would you really expect the others to say: Too bad…you should have planned better?

And then there is the fact that Jesus’s first miraculous deed was done at a wedding reception. When poor planning, or possibly over-indulgence, left the glasses empty, The Lord provided an abundance of the best of wines. He made it possible for all the wedding guests to continue the celebration. So, what’s with this parable?

Of course, the plain and obvious lesson in our Gospel is that the WISE and PRUDENT are rewarded, while the FOOLISH and SELF-INDULGENT suffer severe consequences.

I get it but…

What about the relationships…the friendships…the reason for being together…the celebration? Five might well have been “wise,” but their reaction to the less prepared seems a bit selfish! And, in the end, was their decision not to share really the wise thing to do?

Then, of course, there’s the attitude of the bridegroom. He must never have heard the expression…the more the merrier!

Isn’t this one of those parables where Jesus encourages us to dig a little deeper?

Consider this: In spite of their deep love and appreciation for wisdom, the greatest thinkers in our Church…our greatest saints…readily acknowledged their limitations. Still, they continued to seek enlightenment in the sure and certain hope that at the conclusion of their earthly life, all would be revealed to them. All their hope was dependent on, and energized by, the unconditional love of God, revealed to us through Jesus Christ.

A truly wise person accepts that no one is worthy, by their own merits, to enter into the heavenly banquet. We all fall short in wisdom and prudence, some more so than others. But those who are wise enough to keep seeking come to appreciate God’s great mercy, unconditional love, and forgiveness. That is enough wisdom to enable us, even when we occasionally run short on prudence, to move through life in the hope that those who believe in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior “will always be with the Lord!”

It’s all about our relationship with God, Who never exhausts His love for us. That is definitely something to celebrate.

St. Paul concludes our Second Reading by encouraging us to “console one another.” So, permit me to conclude with this consoling thought:

At those times when your conscience signals that your faith or hope or love is running low, you can always reach for the charging cable of the Sacraments of our Church and continue your work in this world, with the sure and certain hope that on the day your screen finally goes dark…you will awaken at the doors of a great feast. And you will hear the most loving voice say: I know exactly who you are…come in and enjoy the place I have waiting for you.