Wisdom 6:12-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 24:42,44
Following the recommendations of how to do the right thing, the Book of Wisdom reiterates here that the Final Judgement doesn’t need to be feared. Instead, it describes what rulers need to do if they want to be righteous: Wisdom is connected to brightness and truth. Consequently, those who are in the light are being led to do the right thing and will walk the path of righteousness. They don’t have to worry as they love and trust. They will be awake and ready when Wisdom comes. Wisdom will give preference to those who have kept awake, and she will be ready, sitting at the gates looking out for those who are worthy. The call is to “Watch for her early”. It is important to actively look out for her. Those who are doing the right thing will see Wisdom – even if it might still dark be in the early hours of the day.
According to Jewish traditions, the day starts the evening before the day and goes from nightfall to nightfall. We also have the tradition of celebrating Vigil services the evening before a Sunday or feast day – with the word ‘Vigil’ being derived from the Latin word ‘vigilia’ which simply means ‘awake’.
In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul points out the difference between the believers in Jesus Christ and the ones who don’t believe: the believers are not afraid of dying, and we don’t have to grieve for them. Those who have died in Jesus have the hope that they will rise again, just like Christ. God will call them all when the time is right. It will be God’s time, but those who believe can be sure that they are not left behind. Hence, there is no need to worry.
When Jesus talks to his disciples about the destruction of the Temple, the false prophets and the end of times, the disciples try to urge Jesus to tell them when this would be. Knowing the hour would be helpful for anybody who wants to get prepared and be ready just in time. However, not even Jesus nor the angels would be able to tell when the hour comes. It will be God’s time. The warning is that we need to be ready and alert at any time.
In order to demonstrate what he means, Jesus tells his disciples a parable of ten bridesmaids who are waiting for the bridegroom. All of them are looking forward to welcoming the bridegroom.
However, only five of them have come prepared with a spare flask of oil for their lamps. They might have had to get up earlier than the others to get additional oil, would have spent more money before coming and would have had to carry and watch over a flask and their lamp. The bridesmaids didn’t know the time when the bridegroom would come, but they were ready to wait and welcome the bridegroom.
The other five bridesmaids are ill-prepared. They were confident that it wouldn’t take long for the bridegroom to arrive. They didn’t go the extra mile and are often called ‘lazy’. All ten bridesmaids fall asleep while waiting, but only when they hear the call that the bridegroom was arriving, the ‘lazy’ bridesmaids realise that, despite being at the right place, they couldn’t offer light for the bridegroom. The prepared bridesmaids can’t help them out as they would risk not having enough oil for their own lamps, and if there was not enough oil for any of them, the bridegroom would arrive in the dark. So, the ill-prepared bridesmaids have to leave their place and get oil for their lamps at a moment when the bridegroom arrives. They return too late and are not admitted to the celebration. The long time they had been waiting and the oil that burnt in their lamps before they fell asleep were wasted. They could not provide light to the bridegroom. They were not prepared and ready.
According to the Book of Wisdom, light is a symbol for wisdom. So, those who are well prepared and provide light for the bridegroom are called ‘wise’, whereas those whose lamps didn’t have enough oil to shine a light have been ‘unwise’.
The bridegroom took longer than expected. Did he negotiate a wedding dowry? If it took him so long, the bride would have been very special and the celebration worth waiting for.
Wisdom recognises the ones who are worthy and ignores the ones who are not worthy, who are not prepared. Likewise, the ‘unwise’ bridesmaids are not recognised when they arrive late.
We never know when we are called. In this parable, the bridegroom arrives at midnight – when the date changes. This reminds us clearly that we don’t know neither the date nor the hour when we are called.
We are approaching Advent, the time of waiting and preparation. Waiting is not enough as we have seen with the ‘unwise’ bridesmaids. It is also about being prepared and ready to act. As Michael Mangan sings in one of his Advent songs: “Watch out, wake up. Don’t sit and wait for a special sign…”
BM
