by Fr. Tommy Lane
Jewish weddings at the time of Jesus were, of course, quite different from weddings here now. Usually they were arranged weddings, and the parents, especially the bridegroom’s parents, played a decisive role in whom their son would marry. A year before the wedding, the couple entered betrothal which is a bit like engagement but more definitive. The couple did not live together until married but betrothal was legally binding. A year after betrothal the couple got married. The bridegroom went to the bride’s house to bring her to his parent’s house where the wedding and dinner took place. This usually took place in the evening, and often late. The bridesmaids waited at the bridegroom’s house for the arrival of the bride and bridegroom, and once they arrived the festivities began.
Jesus said in the Gospel today (Matt 25:1-13) the kingdom of heaven is like ten bridesmaids (ten virgins in the USA translation) going out to meet the bridegroom when he arrives back at his house for the wedding. Five had their lamps ready to meet the bridegroom and the other five did not have their lamps ready. None of them knew the exact time when the bridegroom would arrive with his bride, but they knew it would be that night and yet five of them seem to have been too lazy or scatter-brained to bother having oil for their lamps. Unfortunately, they missed the wedding. The bridesmaids asked at the door to be allowed in, but the bridegroom replied, “I do not know you.” Jesus told this parable to encourage us to always be ready for the moment when he will call us from this life. He concluded, “stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.” (Matt 25:13)
Jesus’ parable not only encourages us to be ready for his call from this life whenever it will be, but to spend our entire lives with him. The bridegroom in the parable said to the five foolish bridesmaids, “I do not know you.” No one wants to hear Jesus say to them when they die, “I do not know you.” Jesus does not want to say to anyone, “I do not know you.” Jesus wants everyone to live their lives with him, around him, for him. Jesus wants this for everyone, not just priests and nuns. Jesus wants everyone to live their lives with him, around him, for him. Jesus wants to “know you” but more importantly that you know him. Jesus wants the best for you and the best for you is that you know Jesus and spend your life with Jesus. You can do this by praying to Jesus every day and receiving the sacraments frequently. Prayer is essential to living life with Jesus. People make many efforts to get the most out of life. The most important thing to get out of life is to live a life of prayer with God. What a waste to live without praying, without spending time with God every day, without putting God first. Prayer is the essential ingredient in every day to get the most out of life.
There are many ways to pray. I always say to people to pray in the way that suits you, to pray in the way that helps you. Whatever way you pray, it is important that you pray with the heart, that your prayer is a meeting with Jesus. Praying the rosary could help you have this meeting, or reading favorite passages from the Bible, especially from the Gospels, or just talking to Jesus in your own words. For example, the Psalm today is a beautiful Psalm that you could easily use every day to help you pray if you want. You could read some of it at the beginning of your prayer. This is the first stanza:
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
like the earth, parched, lifeless and
without water. (Ps 63)
You could turn it into your own prayer something like this:
God, you alone are God in my life. I want
to live with you always.
Just as my body needs food and drink, I
need you.
Just as a dry desert needs water, I long
for you ever more in my life.
You could use the Psalm to talk to the Lord in your own words. That is just one simple example of how you might begin to pray using the beginning of today’s psalm. You could use another psalm, for example Psalm 23 which everyone knows: “The Lord is my shepherd.” Whatever way you pray, it is important that you pray with the heart, that your prayer is a meeting with Jesus. No one wants to hear Jesus say to them when they die, “I do not know you.” Jesus does not want to say to anyone, “I do not know you.” Jesus wants everyone to live their lives with him, around him, for him. Jesus wants this for everyone, not just priests and nuns. Holiness is for everyone, not just a few.
There are some very beautiful passages in St. Faustina’s Diary. This is one:
On a certain occasion, I saw a person about to commit a mortal sin. I asked the Lord to send me the greatest torments so that that soul could be saved. Then I suddenly felt the terrible pain of a crown of thorns on my head. It lasted for quite a long time, but that person remained in the Lord’s grace...how very easy it is to become holy; all that is needed is a bit of good will. If Jesus sees this little bit of good will in the soul, He hurries to give Himself to the soul, and nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings nor falls—absolutely nothing. Jesus is anxious to help that soul, and if it is faithful to this grace from God, it can very soon attain the highest holiness possible for a creature here on earth. God is very generous and does not deny His grace to anyone. (Kindle Location 2810)
As I see it, Jesus’ parable is in effect asking each of us this question:
Do you take the Lord as your God,
for
better, for better (it’s never for worse with God!),
for richer,
for poorer,
in sickness, and in health,
all the days of your
life?
It is up to each of us to
answer, “I do.” We can do this by praying every day.
If Jesus sees this little bit of good
will in the soul, He hurries to give Himself to the soul, and
nothing can stop Him, neither shortcomings nor falls—absolutely
nothing. Jesus is anxious to help that soul, and if it is faithful
to this grace from God, it can very soon attain the highest holiness
possible for a creature here on earth. God is very generous and does
not deny His grace to anyone.
Do you take the Lord as your God,
for
better, for better,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness, and
in health,
all the days of your life?
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2020
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Thirty-Second Sunday Year A
Oil for our lamps in readiness for the Lord 2023
Related Homilies: Stay awake, praying at all times
A priest’s near death experience