Wis 6:12-16: Matthew 25:1-13
Our first reading is from the closing of the first section of the Book of Wisdom, and is primarily descriptive praise of wisdom. The writer is clear that pursuing wisdom is easy and enjoyable. She is transparent and easily seen, therefore, if one doesn’t see her, one is looking away and not paying adequate attention. Secondly, she will be there when one seeks her.
Similarly, in this gospel moment, Jesus is explaining the need to pay attention and the ultimate consequence of not doing so. Of the ten maidens waiting and watching for the bridegroom, half run out of oil for their lamps, but they do not give up, slink home and crawl into bed. They travel to town, despite the late hour, in hopes of buying oil. The wailing and gnashing of teeth seems a harsh punishment for poor organizational skills and does not present a patient and merciful, compassionate and forgiving Lord.
Jesus invites us to wait and watch for Him, to ultimately join the wedding feast. While exclusion from such a day may lead us to question the Lord’s forgiving nature, He wired into our spiritual DNA the desire to be with Him. To allow us to do so is the ultimate act of mercy.
We cannot accept such an invitation, however, if are not paying attention. Attention, like time, is one of God’s gifts to humanity that is often underrated. But it is one of the gifts given so we can understand both His love and His Kingdom. Because the concept of God’s love and the Kingdom are communicated with common metaphors and language, it is easy to lose sight of the epic and magnificent mystery of ‘life’ within the Kingdom. We also face the danger of forgetting the profoundly generous nature of the invitation.
These readings remind us to pay attention: like the maidens we must pay attention so we can perform our expected duties, and like those seeking Wisdom in the first reading, we must pay attention so we can see wisdom and what is right. Jesus suggests, as well, that we need to be paying attention to the ways in which the Kingdom is Here and Now. The phrase Already Not Yet is used to describe the Kingdom. We need to pay attention to the Already, so we are prepared for the Not Yet.
Journal Exercise:
Recall and recount, with as much sensory details as possible, three experiences in your life of the Already nature of God’s Kingdom. Conclude by exploring the similarities and patterns in each of the three moments.
Writing to Pray 