Homily For The Thirty Second Sunday In The Ordinary Time, Year A, November 12, 2023.
Sunday Readings
The Video Narrative of the Parable of Ten Virgins
“When we hear people talk of riches, honors, and amusements of the world, let us remember that all things have an end, and let us then say, My God, I wish for You alone and nothing more.”
–St. Alphonsus Liguori
My Dearest Friends in Christ ♥
I welcome you to the peace of Christ on this Holy Day. May the transforming Grace of God help us to live wisely by keeping the light of faith burning. As the Church gradually draws to the end of this liturgical year(A), the readings remind us of end things( eschatology) and of the need to prepare for judgment and the life hereafter.
God is Wisdom Incarnate and Eternal Wisdom
The first reading personifies Wisdom. God is Eternal and Incarnate Wisdom. He is Wisdom per excellence. A line in the reading says, “Whoever for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care…and found by all who seek her.” These lines remind us of the very fact that people often worry a lot when they are unprepared. Take for instance, when a student prepares well for an exam he or she is well composed and is free from tension or fear; but when not prepared, anxiety takes over which often leads to failure. Our greatest worry in this life should spring from our lack of vigilance or preparedness for Eternity. We often see death as the worst enemy even though our religious faith assures us of everlasting life. Let us seek God while He is still near. Let us prepare for Eternity while we still can.
Be Optimistic and Hopeful The Judgement Day Is Near
The second reading of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, reassures us of life eternal and encourages us to be optimistic and hopeful for that day of judgment. Our creed tells us that Christ will come again on the last day to judge the living and the dead. There is a time between the first and the final coming of Christ and that is the time in which we live now –” the immediate time”. The time of the last judgment is very uncertain. Paul reminds us again today that the judgment day is coming when the living and the dead shall meet Christ before His judgment throne. Are you prepared for this final day of judgment?
Never Let It Run Out Keep the Light Of Your Good Works Shining
The parable of the ten virgins in today’s gospel reminded me of an incident that happened the first day I went shopping with a senior. It was on a weekday. We made a list of all we needed to buy. While we were shopping, the senior came across some beverages that were on sale and asked me to put them in the cart. Reluctant to do so, I responded, “But we still have a good quantity left at home and besides this is not on the list.” He retorted, “Let’s get it now that it is on sale so that in the future we might not run out of it. They might run out of stock or increase the price.” At first, I thought it was a waste of money, but time proved me wrong. Most of us are familiar with buying extra of anything we need to avoid running out of it. You know how frustrating it could be to discover in the middle of cooking a meal that there is no salt. At the beginning of Covid-19 when the U.S. Government declared Covid-19 a national health emergency followed by the lockdown, there was so much panic buying that ordinary commodities were out of stock in the shops. There was panic buying because we all thought life would not be the same again; we were afraid of running out of basic needs. Think about it, we ensure material security by buying the extra of everything we need. Yet do we think of doing extra good deeds to keep the light of faith lit and to prevent the oil of Grace of God from running out?
We are all waiting in this present time of expectation for this uncertain last day when the Bridegroom–Christ will return. The lantern is symbolic of the light of faith that illumines our good works, which the Bible mentions in Mathew 5:16 when it says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” The extra oil is what I refer to as the Sanctifying Grace of God which strengthens our faith and motivates our good works, and without which the light of faith extinguishes. The wisdom of having extra oil is our preparedness to sustain this Grace which could be lost through sin. True wisdom consists of being vigilant over anything that could rob us of God’s Grace until that hour when the Bridegroom will arrive.
The time of expectation of the Lord’s return is the time of action — we are in the time of action — the time in which we should bring God’s gifts to fruition, not for ourselves but Him, for the Church, for others. To be truly wise is to always use this time to seek to increase goodness in the world. Today it is important not to turn in on ourselves, burying our talent, our spiritual, intellectual, and material riches, everything that the Lord has given us, but rather to open ourselves, to be supportive, to be attentive to others. This is what the five wise virgins who had extra oil to refill their lanterns represent.
Never Be Foolish By Running Out Of Grace
The foolish virgins never thought of getting extra oil. They represent all who have fallen asleep in their Christian duties through waywardness, immorality, and sinfulness. They represent those who stopped doing good becuase the world has treated them badly. They ran out of the Grace that made them eligible to meet the Bridegroom upon His return. They denote a lack of preparedness. The foolish virgins weren’t ready for that encounter. To be ready for that encounter means being able to see the signs of the presence of God, keeping our faith alive with prayer, with the sacraments, and taking care to not fall asleep, not to forget about God.
Grace Cannot Be Borrowed
The foolish virgins couldn’t borrow the oil of Grace. Grace cannot be borrowed. It is infused by God. Certain things cannot be shared or inherited; an example is one’s State of Grace. While others can see the light of our good deeds, we cannot see or know our State of Grace. Grace is always sufficient in itself, but we can also run out of it. Our Christian struggle is to preserve it by doing what pleases God. Just as we buy extra things when they are on sale, now is the time when Grace is available for us to obtain it. The time shall come when the opportunity we have today may not be there again. The foolish virgins knock on the door again and again, but it is now too late. The Bridegroom answers, “I do not know you.” Before it is too late, do the needful today. “Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly.” -St. Ignatius Loyola
The Time Of Preparation Is Now
We don’t have all the time now to do whatever pleases us as many would falsely think. Many things can be done anytime, but there is always the right time to do certain things. The foolish virgins who went off to buy oil and came back late illustrate this. We are being reminded that there will come a time in our lives when we shall no longer have the freedom to get the extra oil or make changes because the time is up. Being truly wise is to do the best you can now while you are living, to earn friendship with God. Let us stay awake doing what is right and pleasing to God. Our lives here on earth cannot be predicted.
Our end date and time are certain to come, but this last day of judgment is unknown. Let’s hand over our lives to God that He might find us worthy to enter the banquet hall in Heaven. Peace and blessings. Amen.
No Matter How Bad Life Is For You, Never Stop Doing Good.
I keep you and your family always in my prayers. ©Clem C. Aladi (2024)
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