Matthew 25:1-13
Time After Pentecost Lectionary 32
A bridegroom who doesn’t show up when expected, and who seems to be suffering from amnesia, a wedding party who falls asleep, selfish but wise bridesmaids, and a door that slams shut—that’s our gospel this day. And while we hear about the bridegroom and the bridesmaids, there is no mention of a bride. I would be less than honest if I said that the meaning of our Gospel reading for today was crystal clear. When I asked one of my colleagues how he was approaching this text, he said he changed the reading for the day. And I am the one who made our preaching schedule.
There were ten bridesmaids, five foolish ones and five wise ones. The wise ones apparently had been through Scout training; they knew how to be prepared. They brought extra oil for their lamps, just in case. The foolish ones brought lamps, but never thought that they would be waiting in the dark for such a long time. All ten of them were waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Then everyone, both the wise and the foolish, fell asleep.
Finally, the bridegroom showed up, and the wedding party woke up. But by that time, half of the bridesmaids’ lamps had gone out because they had run out of oil. The other half refused to share their reserves, saying that there was not enough for everyone. They told those foolish ones to go buy some of their own. But it was midnight, after all, and these were the days before Wal-Mart was open for 24/7. Maybe these five were called foolish because they left to go to the store anyway.
Because they were not there, they missed the arrival of the groom. While they looking for a store that was open at midnight, the wise bridesmaids went into the wedding banquet with the bridegroom. After they went in to the party, the door was shut. We don’t know who it was who closed the door, but when the bridesmaids who had gone shopping returned, they were locked out. Our parable concludes, Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. But remember that all of the bridesmaids, both the wise ones and the foolish ones, had fallen asleep.
The confusion continues when we remember that in Matthew’s gospel, right before Jesus’ arrest, he went to Gethsemane to pray, and he took Peter, James and John with him. After his prayer, he found them sleeping (26:40). What’s more, in Matthew’s gospel, we have heard Jesus say, Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth (6:19), but the wise bridesmaids did just that. Maybe oil was an exception? When the five foolish ones knocked on the door, the bridegroom said, “I don’t know you.” But Jesus says in Matthew’s gospel, Ask and it shall be given you, search, and you will find, knock, and the door will be opened for you (7:7). Maybe this doesn’t hold true if you are late? In everything, Jesus told us, do to others as you would have them do to you (7:12a). Tell that to the other bridesmaid and the bridegroom!
This story does not sound like the Jesus I know. The Jesus I know fed over five thousand people who had come unprepared to eat dinner. He went in search of the one sheep who left the group. He threw a party for the son who came back home after squandering everything.
Not to mention, this story sounds stressful, full of urgency, and at the same time full of waiting. How do you feel about waiting, especially as everywhere gets more crowded as we approach the holidays? Waiting takes up 10 years of our lives, according to one estimate.[1] Have you ever been to the DMV? Or recently driven on Interstate 64 through the construction?
Always being prepared sounds just as stressful. How many times have you forgotten something? How often have you run out of milk, or paper towels, or have anxiously looked for the nearest gas station because that little orange gas pump-shaped light has come on in your car? Have you ever come close to running out of fuel?
Wait, and be prepared, we hear. What differentiates the five wise ones from the five foolish ones is that the wise ones had oil for their lamps, and the foolish ones didn’t. It’s the oil that makes the difference. But maybe the foolish bridesmaids did not have more oil because they couldn’t afford it. Maybe they were among the poor, the ones Jesus tells us to help. Or maybe they had shared their oil with someone in need. We don’t know why they didn’t bring more with them. So maybe the why is not what’s important.
Wait and be prepared. It’s going to take everything you’ve got. If you want to get into the banquet, don’t share your oil. This, too, doesn’t sound quite like Jesus to me. So, it seems that this oil is something that can’t be shared. This oil provides fuel for your lamp, for your light. Ah! Remember? Jesus said, You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14a). This is the light, fueled by oil we cannot borrow. While we can give love away, we cannot borrow a relationship. Our relationship and our engagement with Christ must be our own. Our love for God has to be ours, given to us through the Hoy Spirit.[2]
Our parable reminds us not to put off spending time with Jesus. Our good intentions will not substitute for an active relationship with God through Christ now. Our relationship is fueled by prayer, study, worship and being together in community. Our plans to engage with God tomorrow will not help when we unexpectedly need to draw on God today.
In our baptism, a candle is lit from the Paschal candle. We are given the light of Christ, and these words are said: Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. ln hope and trust, we reflect God’s love. Our light shows the world that God’s mercy and grace will prevail. When the Kingdom comes, God’s justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream (Amos 5:24). When people are senselessly murdered, or suffer abuse, when corruption invades our institutions, when the darkness creeps in, may our light spread God’s light to the world. Light will overcome darkness. As we wait, be prepared, Jesus tells us.
At the end of our parable, the foolish bridesmaids finally come, wanting to enter the wedding banquet. Open the door, they plead. Notice that the bridegroom does not say no. The bridegroom answers them, Truly, I tell you, I do not know you. I believe that as he said that, tears were streaming down his face.
~Pastor Cheryl Ann Griffin
[1] http://www.tesh.com/articles/the-average-person-will-spend-10-years-standing-in-line-over-their-lifetime/e
[2] I give thanks to Anna Carter Florence and to Debbie Blue for their insights into this text.