Stumbling, foolish and unprepared

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer contemplation by concentrating on

Searching the paradox

one verse from the Letter of Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1.23) on the paradox of the Cross

* [1:21–25] True wisdom and power are to be found paradoxically where one would least expect them, in the place of their apparent negation. To human eyes the crucified Christ symbolizes impotence and absurdity.

and one verse from the Gospel of Matthew from the (Matthew 25.13) from the The Parable of the Ten Virgins.

* [25:13] Stay awake: some scholars see this command as an addition to the original parable of Matthew’s traditional material, since in Mt 25:5 all the virgins, wise and foolish, fall asleep. But the wise virgins are adequately equipped for their task, and stay awake may mean no more than to be prepared; cf. Mt 24:42, 44.

Diane Jorgensen shares that one cannot come to know God through signs and wonders or scholarly knowledge, but only through Christ and the gift of faith. It is only through the eyes and ears of faith that we can enter into this mystery.

This kind of trust is foolish to those who want guarantees and proof, but wisdom to those who have chosen to accept the grace of faith. The mystery we call God is beyond anything we can know or understand, but we can choose to trust that God is present and active in our world - especially through us - and be attentive and ready to respond. The message of Christ crucified is all we need- why shouldn’t we live as if we trusted in God?

Don Schwager quotes “The Kingdom of God compared with ten maidens”, by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"The whole story is about the great day of the Lord, when those things concealed from the human mind will be revealed through our understanding of divine judgment. Then the faith true to the Lord's coming will win the just reward for unwavering hope. For in the five wise and five foolish virgins (Matthew 25:2), a complete separation between the faithful and unfaithful is established... The wise virgins are those who, embracing the time available to them, were prepared at the first onset of the coming of the Lord. But the foolish were those who were lax and unmindful. They troubled themselves only over present matters and, forgetting what God said, did not direct their efforts toward hope for resurrection." (excerpt from the commentary ON MATTHEW 27.3,5)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 25:1-13 observes that we might shy away from the message of the Gospel for fear we might be found among the foolish. But even if Jesus strong language makes us nervous, remember that Jesus wants us to be ready to greet him when he returns. So let’s turn to Jesus, our bridegroom, and pray.

“Lord, you know how hard it can be for me to wait. I know I should be watching for your return, but it seems so far off. People that I love are suffering, and I am still waiting for an answer to my prayers. People that I love have died, and I miss them—I want to see them again. And there is so much that I don’t understand about the world. I know that, one day, you will heal every wound and wipe away every tear. I know that there will be no more sickness, no more suffering. But while I wait for that day, I need to know your closeness. Will you wait with me, Lord? Fill me, Lord, with your hope and patience.

Friar Jude Winkler provides background to the stumbling block of the Jews and the foolishness in the minds of the Greeks. Prepare for Jesus return by the practice of nothing left unsaid nothing left undone. Friar Jude comments on the apparent selfishness of the wise virgins in the parable.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Rabbi Rami Shapiro to explore Hasidism, a grassroots movement of joyful love and service that appealed to ordinary people, not only to a scholarly elite.

The Besht believed that God was everywhere and could be found by anyone whose heart was open, simple, and pure. At a time when Judaism was focused on a scholar elite, he reached out to the masses with a Judaism rich in compassion, devotion, and hope. His inner circle of disciples took his teachings out into the larger world, creating a global movement that continues to this day.

Our human expectations for our encounter with God are usually too connected to our sense of wisdom and control. We prepare with joyful love and selfless service for opportunities for intimacy with God.

References

(n.d.). 1 Corinthians chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 31, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians1:33
(n.d.). Matthew chapter 25 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 31, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/25
(n.d.). Online Ministries Home Page - Creighton University. Retrieved August 31, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/preparing.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 31, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 21st Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved August 31, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 31, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/