Reflection
Today’s Gospel reminds us that one day Jesus will come to take us to our eternal home. He is teaching us that we must be ready to meet Him, even though we do not know when that time will come. We must act with wisdom and not foolishness.
The oil lamps in today’s parable can be seen to represent the light and fire of the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the Church. Those who are wise, filled with the Spirit of God, and ready for the bridegroom, are welcomed into the wedding feast of heaven; those who are foolish and unprepared are locked outside. When we die, we will meet Jesus and receive our “particular judgment” (see CCC 1022) when our eternal destiny is determined. At this point there are just two final destinations: the eternal joy of Heaven or eternal damnation in Hell. We are called to act with wisdom, to always be filled with the Spirit of God.
In today’s first reading, Paul also speaks about wisdom. For the Gentiles, Jesus’ death is foolishness. It looks like he failed. For the Jews, Jesus’ death is a stumbling block. It doesn’t correspond to the role of the Messiah-King for which they desired. We should not and cannot reduce the Father’s saving plan to mere human logic. Without God’s revelation, we cannot grasp with our reason how death could be the source of life and love.
Like the first disciples, those who truly believed in Him and all that He taught, we are called to believe in a loving Father in Heaven who created all things and created us with the freedom to know and to love Him by knowing and loving others. He gave us His Son Jesus to show us how to love, and to give the ultimate sacrifice of His life by a cruel death on the cross, so that we may be rescued from the slavery of the power of Satan and sin that has captured all humanity because of the foolishness of our first parents. From both the Father and the Son, we are given the grace, power, and the light of their Holy Spirit. The only thing left is our response. Will we be wise and keep that light shining brightly, always ready for our Lord to come and take us to our eternal home?
Today’s Questions for Prayer and Reflection
Am I ready to welcome the bridegroom in this moment? Does my life shine brightly with the light of the Holy Spirit, or has the light of God’s love gone dark within me?