Wise Virgins Secure in Love 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time A
Wisdom 6:12-16; Psalm 63; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13
In the Gospel reading, ten maidens are waiting for the coming of a bridegroom. Five are foolish, and five are wise. The five foolish maidens did not bring oil for their lamps. The five wise ones brought oil with their lamps. According to Church Fathers, comments Scott Hahn, the bridegroom represents Jesus, God who comes to us in the form of man; the brides represent humanity, and the oil represents the Holy Spirit who gives us the light to recognize Jesus for who He actually is, the saving Messiah of the world.[1]
The virgins also, continues Hahn, represent all disciples of Jesus who are waiting for their bridegroom Jesus to come. This is, states Hahn, “particularly applicable to the religious life.” Those in religious life who choose virginity act as reminders that the most important relationship, which surpasses the loving relationship between spouses, is between God and his people. All are called, in different ways, to prioritize our spousal relationship with God over all other relationships, including marital relationships.[2]
At Holy Apostles College and Seminary, we are blessed to have student religious sisters living on-campus in quasi-convents. These sisters have a unique calling from our Heavenly Father to be wise virgins, to be windows into heaven, through which we are reminded what is most important in life and who will give us deep, lasting, eternal peace, joy, and happiness. Jesus, the bridegroom of these sisters, can only give us what our hearts deeply long for: eternal, unending love, where we are loved without any condition, and are delighted in and not simply seen as acceptable in the Heavenly Father’s eyes, since we are participating in the life of Jesus.
If we close our eyes and meditate for a moment what we experienced as a child when someone good, such as a loving parent, took delight in us. A memory that surfaced in my mind was being with my Slovak grandfather who would take walks with me in the forest where we would collect mushrooms. I felt secure around him, as if nothing in the world could harm me, and I experienced peace being around my grandfather. I imagine him sitting and just gazing upon me with serene joy as I ran around looking for things in the forest.
Returning to the sisters on-campus, the image of my grandfather can serve as a sign of the Heavenly Father who gazes upon the sisters with delight, respecting their freedom as they run around doing things that for them are considered very important, as looking for mushrooms was very important to me when with my grandfather.
Then, reflecting upon the presence of the Heavenly Father we can then realize that instead of looking for mushrooms as I did when I was a child, they are called to constantly seek holy ways of encountering Jesus while inviting us to also to appreciate the good things of this world but with detachment for only Jesus will truly satisfy our hearts, only following Jesus and His holy ways, will put us into good, holy relationship with one another, a relationship of secure love in which fear of being manipulated, hurt, and betrayed recede into the background.
Come, Lord Jesus. Come, Good Shepherd. Lead us into your secure love, where we will be healed, made whole, and then sent out to bring others to you so as to experience your healing, sanctifying presence, a presence only you can offer. May the Lord Bless You All – Father Peter
[1] Scott Hahn, The Gospel of Matthew (St. Joseph Communications), CDs.
[2] John S. Bergsma, Mountains and Mediators: A Survey of the New Testament, CD bible Study and PDF.
