Homily For Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th November, 2023

Readings: Wis 6:12-16, Ps.63, 1Thess 4:13-18, Matt. 25:1-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE FOOLISH AND THE WISE WHERE DO BELONG IN PREPARATION FOR GOD'S KINGDOM

 

Oftentimes, we say that preparation is the secret and foundation of every successful event. This is obvious when we observe how footballers, boxers, athletes, engineers, doctors farmers, businessmen and women devote time and energy in rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals. Then we will realise that adequate preparation is truly the heart of any successful event. But if we can go to this length of rigorous periods of preparation just for things of this passing world, it will be even more demanding when it has to do with preparing for eternal life.

 

Thus, if we can devote such time and energy towards our spiritual life which we often neglect, we will be more awake and prepared than the ten maidens in our Gospel passage today, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. When the bridegroom delayed in coming their lamps burned out and as they went out to get more oil, they missed out since the door was shut after the bridegroom had passed.

 

In this parable, Jesus emphasized the need for us to be well prepared for the coming of God’s kingdom, warning us not to be like the foolish five maidens who were not well prepared and missed out when the bridegroom came because they ran short of oil. The oil here is so symbolic, as we know in the scriptures, oil is made from the seed of the olive tree, which symbolizes goodness, fruitfulness, purity and righteousness, these great viruses like oil sustain and fuel the light of our souls which shines in the world to enlighten the darkness around us.

 

Hence, these great virtues are what the wise maidens took as extra oil. While the foolish ones abandoned them. So as the coming was delayed, they all drowsed off, and when the time actually came, the foolish ones realized that they were not good enough. Their oil of goodness, purity, and righteousness had burned out, and their light had stopped burning, so they had nothing with which to replenish it. Thus, their contribution to the light of the world was no more, for they were fruitless.  They have become lazy and begin to do things that they are not supposed to be doing. So now that the time is ripped, they had nothing to keep their lamp burning for the bridegroom that was coming.

 

Dear friends, where do you belong in preparation for the Kingdom of God? If the Lord should come right now, will you belong to the foolish or the wise? The answer to these questions is important it helps us to know that our life as Christians demands that we should be alert, we should be prepared at all times and be ready to make sacrifices like the five wise maidens. Because so many people will be caught unprepared when they realize that the day of the Lord has finally come, and they have nothing to show to God for all the gifts he has given us. Little wonder we are told in our first reading to be wise for wisdom is found by those who seek her. And St. Paul in our second reading tells us about the need to be vigilant and prepared, we should not claim to be ignorant.

 

Therefore, we should be watchful for we know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us. We are reminded today that this world is passing away, so we need to stay awake and be ready. We are called to abstain from things that will separate us from our God, as we look into our inner being, and our interior life in order to embrace the life of holiness, goodness, purity and self-control for they are the extra oil that will help us to be more prepared.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often fail to listen to your warnings concerning the things of this passing world and the need for us to stay awake and be ready for your coming, give us the grace and wisdom to be well prepared and ready to stand before you whenever you call us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.  Peace be with you and Happy Sunday.