For Sunday, November
8, 2020, Readings: Joshua
24:1-3a, 14-25; Psalm 78:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18,
Matthew 25:1-13
That the generations to come might know, and the children yet unborn; that they in their turn might tell it to their children; 7 So that they might put their trust in God… [Psalm 78:6-7a]
We do not want you to be uninformed…about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope…so we will be with the Lord forever. [1 Thess 4:13, 17b]
Ten Bridesmaids too their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise…Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” [Matthew 25:1b-2, 13]
Keep awake,
therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. [Mt 25:13] Of all the admonitions of Jesus, this one always sends a
chill up and down my spine. I've spent a considerable amount of time in
hospital emergency rooms for a variety of personal and professional reasons,
and a swift and unexpected death can sometimes overwhelm even the most
experienced and detached medical staff, let alone loved ones.
In my own life, the hour and the day have whisked away
those I hold most deeply in my heart so unexpectedly, I can still feel the
reverberation in my heart and head, as if being hit with a concussive blow that
never quite heals and never quite stops. This reminds me that I,
too, am subject to immediate and sudden factory recall.
Joshua reminds the Israelites to incline our hearts to the Lord
to serve and obey, to revere God in sincerity and in faithfulness. The
psalmist tells us to know and recount to generations to come the praiseworthy
deeds and the power of the Lord
that they might put their trust in God.
Paul and those he converted and to whom he preached, were working
with a presumption that the return of Jesus was fairly imminent. There was some
concern by the Thessalonians about who would be raised up when Jesus returned. Paul
gives them and all of us hope, when he says about those who have died, that you
must not grieve as others do who have no hope as we all will be
with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
With the parable of the 10 Bridesmaids, we
are given a serious lesson in preparation, taking nothing for granted,
being ready for whatever comes. The parable itself is an example of an
ancient Palestinian bridal ritual that those listening to Jesus would have
understood. As the wedding day approached, the Groom, accompanied by friends
would travel to take the bride from her home, usually at night. The bride was
attended by maidens of both families and as they might be journeying a great
distance, no exact time of arrival of the Groom was known. And so, then,
preparation is the call here, keeping watch and being ready to embark. If you
missed the Groom’s arrival and the wedding party’s departure, you were done. Those
invited who remained awaiting the bridal party's return, were expected to stay at the Bridegroom’s, or a neighbor’s
home, as long as it took for the entourage to appear. The underlying message
about preparation is knowing NOW what we must do. At the Last Judgement, you’re
in or you’re out.
The Bridegroom is the Messiah, one
through whom God’s work is undertaken to completion. Matthew is clear that the
Bridegroom is the Risen Christ although Jesus never referred to himself as Messiah.
Still, whether or not we are convinced that there will be no second chance at
the End, we do know that an end is coming, whether by our mortal death or Divine
cataclysm. We don’t know the day or the hour.
Playing the role of active
Christian, faithful attendance to worship, giving of alms, doing good deeds, etc., is all well and good, but my inwardly digested attitude
of preparing my soul for a possible quickness to my human ending needs some work. A re-evaluation of every-day and long-term plans, might be considered. Time to get more oil
for the lamp, trim the wick, and start again to match my Sunday best to my
daily thoughts, words, and actions. How about you, got plans?
LET
US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ O Lord our God, deliver us from our foolishness of pursuing empty and temporary pleasures, that distract us from the wisdom of preparing our souls. Guide us to keep our everyday thoughts and words as actions of faith, in earnest service to You.
O God, Almighty
RESPONSE: We put our trust in You
~ O Lord our God, we turn our faces to You in the serenity of Your constant Favor, for the resilience to give constant witness to the teachings of the One who was, Who is, and Who will come again. Give us, always, a calm, rational voice to the issues at hand, to all holding power on our Planet, in our Country, and in our local Community, especially to those with whom we disagree. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O God, Almighty
We put our trust in You
~ O Lord our God, incline the hearts to You of all who are fearfully ill, economically desperate, or emotionally distressed, and endow their care-givers with compassion and energy. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions
O God, Almighty
We put our trust in You
~ O Lord our God, console us all with hope and the knowledge that we, with all who have gone before, will be with the Lord forever. We pray especially for… add your own petitions
O God, Almighty
We put our trust in You
~ O Lord our God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions
O God, Almighty
We put our trust in You
~ O Lord our God, grant our spiritual leaders continuing purity of heart, hope of the spirit, and the fidelity of faith, to guide our soul journeys toward Your eternal kingdom. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O God, Almighty
We put our trust in You
The Celebrant adds: Most High and Holy God, keep our hearts awake and our minds alert to reflect Your presence within us now and in the time to come, as we move through this life ready for the unknown day and hour of our new life in You. We ask this through Jesus, our Christ and our Redeemer; and the most Holy Spirit, our Advocate; who, together with You, eternally reign as One God, in heaven, on earth, and beyond all time and space. Amen.
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