31 Aug 2018
Empty Lamps, Empty Lives
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
For 31 August 2018, Friday of week 21 in Ordinary Time, based on Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable: “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. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
31 August 2018 @ 9:01 pm
There was another virgin, the 11th. She had no oil, no lamp, she did not even know that a wedding was going on. But she saw People gathering and going into a direction which seemed Beautiful. So she went with them. They entered into a bright hall, filled with guests and stopped and looked around. There was a friendly Young man greeting her. But nobody looked at him. He was the bridegroom.
01 September 2018 @ 12:14 am
I love this preaching, Mary Ellen, and your reminder of the choices we face and opt for every day. I also love Elizabeth’s comment…and her reminder that our choices don’t end with the arrival of the bridegroom
..