+ The gospel passage speaks to us of “being ready” to
welcome the Bridegroom when he comes, so that we can go into the wedding feast
with him. So, we must “gird our loins and light our lamps” and be ready for
this great arrival. But we must not misunderstand what Jesus means here, for he
is speaking of 2 out of 3 comings – that we will get into more later in the
season. But today’s 2 have to do with the fact that Jesus is “always coming” to
us – because we always need him – and we absolutely cannot do well without him:
we cannot do what will merit is forgiveness of our sins and eternal life in
heaven.
And so, “moment by moment”
Jesus wants to enter our hearts to refresh and renew them, and to give us
strength to carry on our course to the kingdom: so we must constantly be on the
lookout in each circumstance of our day to discover how he is “breaking into
our lives, our histories” to make an absolute positive change in them.
Of course, there will be a
future moment, when all moments will cease and at the Father’s bidding, Jesus
will be sent to inaugurate the new heavens and the new earth: when time as we
know it will cease functioning, and “eternal time-keeping” will begin – a
heavenly experience of eternity that we actually live out – in a way similar to
what we now experience. The only oil that will light our lamps at that time is
our good works done for love of him and his Father: sacrificial, selfless acts
of sharing, helping, healing, binding up wounds, listening, making a cup of
tea, lending some money, taking care of pets, for our families, our friends and
even those who don’t even know or like – all these and much much more will
qualify us for the eternal Wedding Feast of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ
himself.
We will speak of the third
coming of Christ in the months to come.
St Paul tells the Ephesians to
live like the household of God that they are – redeemed and washed in the Blood
of the Lamb who will one day marry his people. For all who are baptized must
live in peace, in the Spirit who fills us through and through, making us each
and together a rich and luxurious dwelling place of God.
Be, therefore, strengthened
and fortified to stand fast, stand firm in the faith that makes all this comes
to life – and reach out to help those whom God puts directly in our path!
Amen.
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