That the generations to come might
know, and the children yet unborn; that they in their turn might tell it to
their children; 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
Thessalonians 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]
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. My
favorite line in this passage is verse 17 which says Then we who are alive, who are left, will be
caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air and so
we will be with the Lord forever.
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…to
being caught up in the clouds with those who have gone before to meet the Lord
in the air? I’m not quite ready but if that is how it ends, then it sounds like
floating into Paradise. Keeping up with my hope on any day and in any hour, with
God’s help I will pray to say:
nor steal my inner joy
no matter all the plots and schemes
no matter intent or ploy.
My peace will continue
to grow and to give
to all I encounter
each day that I live.
~christina brennan lee
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
~ 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
~ 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
~ O LORD our God, console
us all with the hope and the knowledge that we, with all who have gone before,
will be with be with you forever in this life and the next. We pray especially
for… add your own petitions
God of All There Is
~ 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
~ 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
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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