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†Readings for Sunday November 6^th 2011                           

                           Use Your Mistakes as Light for Others

        

            Jesus uses an image everyone can relate to, a big wedding, to teach us the importance of making Him the biggest priority in life.  While they did weddings a little differently back in Jesus times, the importance of good planning was still important.  Today, an engaged couple is asked to spend at least six months planning and preparing: They cannot be married in the Church if they just showed up, knocked on the priest’s door, and asked to be married on the spot.  Jesus, knowing how big weddings are, decides to use a marriage analogy.  A first glance at this parable might seem like Jesus is a little harsh.  Is the bridegroom keeping out these virgins just because they did not bring enough oil?  Why is oil so important?  This parable is not so much about oil as it is about being prepared.  The foolish virgins did not do what they needed to do to prepare for the wedding, and because they took it lightly, the bridegroom was infuriated.  Because they took Him for granted, he wanted nothing to do with them at His wedding.  It would be like bridesmaids forgetting their dresses at the wedding, and simply shrugging it off like it was no big deal.  If that happened today, would the bride and groom not be furious?  They would have every reason to kick those bridesmaids out of the wedding.  They would take it as a personal insult.  What Jesus is trying to teach us is how we need to be spiritually ready for Him to come to us.  This will happen ultimately at our death, but He is literally present to us at every moment of our lives.  He invites us to stay awake, to stay spiritually pure, away from sin and anything that keeps us from Him.  Our call is to be ready for Him at every moment of the day, so that, whether it is today or tomorrow, our lives will be in a state of grace, reflecting God’s love to ourselves and those around us. Summary of the Gospel

Discussion Questions

1   Why do you think the foolish virgins took their preparation so lightly? What would have caused the bridegroom to get so upset?
2   When have you taken your relationship with Jesus lightly? What motivates you to stay focused on Him, even during ‘dry’ times?
3   How can the Sacrament of Confession help you ‘stay awake’ on a regular basis? What attitudes about Confession do you need to get ‘over’ to better meet Jesus there?                                                                                4   When have you used your mistakes to teach others better ways to live?

                         
 Reading 1 Wisdom 6:12-16

Resplendent and unfading is wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire; Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence, and whoever for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care; because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude.

Reading 2 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep. Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.

Gospel Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise ones replied, 'No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.' While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!' But he said in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.' Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour."