Prayers of the People: The Unexpected Hour ~ 24th Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

For Sunday, November 12, 2023; Readings: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25; Psalm 78:1-7, 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13

Now therefore revere the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness…as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord…incline your hearts to the Lord…and him we will obey. [Joshua 24:14a, 15c, 23b, 24b]
 
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, 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.

     The Bridegroom, of course, 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 by, at the very least, our own mortal death. We just don’t know the day or the hour.

     Playing the role of active Christian, faithful attendance at worship, giving of alms, doing good deeds, etc., is all well and good, but preparing my soul for an unexpectedly swift end to my human life 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 with all my just-in-case soul preparations trying to match my outermost Sunday best to my innermost daily thoughts and then to my outer words and actions. Whew! How about you? Are you prepared for the unexpected hour?

 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ O Lord our God, incline our ears to the words of Your mouth and deliver us from pursuing temporary pleasures that distract us from the wisdom of preparing our souls. Guide us, we pray, to keep our everyday thoughts and words as actions of faith, in earnest service to You.

 
                                                      God of All There Is
      RESPONSE:                     We put our trust in You
 
~ O Lord our God, we turn our faces to You for the strength and courage to live as a constant witness to the teachings of Christ who was, Who is, and Who will come again. Give us, always, a calm, rational, and truthful 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
 
                                                       God of All There Is
                                                       We put our trust in You
 
~ O Lord our God, gather all who are fearfully ill, economically desperate, or emotionally distressed, to incline their hearts to You, and endow their care-givers with compassion and energy. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       God of All There Is
                                                       We put our trust in You
         
~ O Lord our God, console us all with the 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
 
                                                       God of All There Is
                                                       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
 
                                                       God of All There Is
                                                       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

                                                       God of All There Is
                                                       We put our trust in You
 
The Celebrant adds: Most High and Holy God, keep our hearts and souls 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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