THURSDAY OF ADVENT 3

[Jesus said:] “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.”

matthew 25:1-4

Today, December 21, is the day of the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.

From today on, the daylight hours will increase until June 21 of next year, when they will begin to decrease again.

This day has also been given another name. It is also known as “The Longest Night” for obvious reasons. Some have also borrowed the title of a poem by the 16^th century mystic St. John of the Cross, and have named it “The Dark Night of the Soul.”

During these often frenetic days surrounding the celebration of Christmas, many churches hold what are called “Blue Christmas” services to provide a time of comfort, consolation, and a supportive environment for those whose mood may not match the joy of the season and may not feel like celebrating.

We have all gone through those times.  For some of us this will be a painful holiday.  You will gather around tables where beloved faces are missing. For others, illness, aging, depression, or some other life altering circumstance often threatens to overwhelm us at home or work or in the world at large.  

Amid the Christmas specials on TV, and the happy songs on radio, all we have to do is watch the evening news to know that the world is all too often still a dark and violent place.  Day to day, we struggle to keep our pretty turbulent lives intact.

The Advent season is a gift that illumines our present with light from our promised goal, to shape us as a people of patient and vigilant faithfulness. 

It is providential that today’s gospel story of the Ten Bridesmaids from Matthew is appropriate for this day and this occasion.

Ten bridesmaids are waiting for the groom.  There was to be a torchlight parade at the wedding banquet.  But the groom was delayed.  Five of them, however, were ready for the torchlight parade. Five had to rush off to the store to buy more oil and missed the parade. The problem was that when they wanted to enter the feast, they were considered no different than anyone else who was not invited.  The wedding feast had begun, and the doors were locked. It was too late.

This story was obviously very dear to the early church.

The people in the days shortly after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension were waiting for him to return. But, as we are obviously aware, they were left to wonder when and IF Jesus would return.

The lesson applies to us as well, 2,000 years later.

The message of this parable is simple: “Live today as if Christ were coming tomorrow.”

Like the bridesmaids, some of us grow complacent in our relationship with Christ as we wait.

Like the bridesmaids, we grow tired and we fall asleep.

Living as if Christ is coming tomorrow means living each day as disciples.

In the word disciple, we can readily see the word discipline. One way to keep our lamps filled with oil is through discipline, by developing spiritual practices; among them, pray, study, worship.

With so many things going on in our lives, it is a challenge to take the time to keep our lamps well oiled.

But as Jesus reminds us, “keep awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Let us pray:
Gracious God, by your Word, lead us to see your presence here on earth, and give us a vision of your kingdom that is to come, where we may give you honor and glory and praise forever. Amen.