💖 HOMILY - SEPTEMBER 1 💖

First Reading - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Gospel - Matthew 25:1-13

We are in a world of hustle and bustle. In this hustle and bustle of life, we overlook many things and miss a lot. Yesterday, we reflected upon the vigilant preparedness for our last day. The same theme of preparedness is reiterated in the gospel of the day. However, the readings stress on the avoidance of those things that can become barrier or hindrance to prepare ourselves.

In the gospel, Jesus presents the parable of ten virgins. The parable finds its setting in the wedding preparation. The parable displays the customary practices of the time of Jesus. Since a wedding was a great occasion, the whole village would line up at the sides of the road to wish God’s blessings on the bride and groom in procession. The invited ones would join the procession, which started from the bride’s house, and ended at the groom’s house to take part in the week-long celebration. Since the bridegroom might come to the bride’s house unexpectedly, the bridal party had to be ready at any time, with virgins carrying lighted torches and reserve oil in jars. The five foolish virgins who could not welcome the groom’s party lost not only the opportunity of witnessing the marriage ceremony, but also of participating in the week-long celebration that followed. The local meaning is that the foolish virgins represent the “Chosen People of God” who were waiting for the Messiah but were shut out from the Messianic banquet because they were unprepared. The universal meaning is that the five foolish virgins represent those who fail to prepare for the end of their lives and for the Final Judgment. What was the problem of those foolish virgins? It was lack of sensitivity and seriousness. They were insensitive to the need of time and not serious about forsightedness. Hence, they were imprudent.

In the first reading, St. Paul continues with his guidance and instructions to the Christians in Thessalonika. He points out the aberrations of sexual immorality and feeling of anger and hatred for their own brothers and sisters. The aberrations mentioned, as he emphasizes, are contrary to the life of holiness and the commandment of love. The problem of sexual immorality and lack of brotherhood probably was pervading in the community. Therefore, St. Paul exhorts the Christians to strive for holiness because this is what God expects of all. The life of holiness can be achieved provided they forgo all aberrations. He also warns them if they cling on to aberrations, God's punishment will certainly strike them.

Dear friends, we are not sure of our lives. The life we have is short-lived and temporary and our tendencies to appropriate it will be our constant effort but the fact is, we cannot possess it forever. Thus, let's not mess it up by being imprudent and insensitive like those foolish virgins. It's because of their imprudence, they were unprepared to welcome the bridegroom. We are given opportunity to save it by our holy life, as St. Paul outrightly states this in the first reading. However, our life of negligence, immoral living, and taking our life casually will make us only unprepared for our destination to be with the bridegroom at the wedding feast that is heaven. Let's not mess up our life but save it by our worthy living.

May God help us save our lives by living a holy life.