Ill-prepared or otherwise, our attitude towards the future should be marked by this operative phrase: Be prepared. The second reading shows what this preparation is like. The earliest amongst the Pauline corpus of epistles, it was sent to an anxious people. They were waiting for the Parousia, the second coming that for them was supposedly imminent. Jesus Himself promised, “I shall not make the rounds of all the towns and villages before I return”. An apt analogy of their waiting is like the anticipation for Christmas Day to unwrap presents—a period of anticipation that is neither here nor there. You know the feeling—of not being able to sit still because one is at a loss as to what to do.
Akin to the unknown motivational poster prior to WWII, “Keep Calm and Carry On”, St Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to carry on living in a way that establishes a dependable regularity making a point that life should not be wasted away. So, a crucial component in preparation is not to whittle away our time and our life. Coming back to the Christmas-gifts analogy, the waiting to unwrap the goodies could have been more productive in the sense we do what is necessary in the meantime. Instead, many of us while away our time endlessly playing mindless games on our devices. The sickness of this age is the rabbit warren we end up in—flicking from one channel to another or clicking from one YouTube to another. Frequently we end up with some forms of self-recrimination—what have I wasted my time?
In short, salvation is our personal responsibility. As the Groom arrives, the virgins who did not have enough oil pleaded with those who had adequate to share. What often comes across is how selfish the wise virgins appear to be for they did not want to share. The stinginess is not selfishness because it highlights a truth that we must recognise. In the matter of “preparation”, that is, in the way of virtuous living, nobody can live virtue in our stead. In other words, no matter how “good” it feels that heaven should be less calculative in regard to the foolish virgins, the truth is simply that sanctifying grace cannot be shared. You either have it or not. If we live as if preparation were not important, believing that the Lord will somehow, since He is merciful, open the door for us, then we are mistaken. He is not waiting on the other side to open the door for us or to shut the door on us. Instead, we, through our lack of preparation, have shut the door ourselves. Hence, time for us here is not forever. It is limited even though it feels as if we have been waiting forever for Him to come.
Let us not be like the unwise virgins caught unprepared for we know too well that wasted time cannot be recycled. So, the two parables that follow today’s Gospel make sense because they are related to the proper usage of our time, our talents and also our resources. In this, I am always reminded by the blessing at the end of a wedding ceremony and it goes like this. “May you be witnesses in the world to God’s charity, so that the afflicted and the needy who have known your kindness may one day receive you thankfully into the eternal dwelling of God”. This invocation, in broad strokes, sketches our engagement with the world even as we are waiting to meet the Lord, either at our death or when He comes. There is a lot to be done especially during this pandemic, even as we are waiting for the Lord. It does not have to be spectacular. It only has to be regular.
Which is why this preparation is already there right at the beginning if you noticed it within the rite of baptism. When the baptismal candle is lit on behalf of the child, parents and godparents are exhorted: “This light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. This child of yours has been enlightened by Christ. He is to walk always as a child of the light. May he keep the flame of faith alive in his heart. When the Lord comes, may he go out to meet him with the saints in the heavenly kingdom”. The rite literally echoes the sentiment of the Gospel for today.
This is a heavy responsibility firstly for those whom we have charge of, that is, our children and secondly for ourselves as we pass through life. If there is wisdom in all this, it is to recognise that time is never fully within our control. Furthermore, it makes sense that All Souls is celebrated in November as we progress towards the end of the liturgical year. Apart from alerting us to one of the spiritual acts of mercy, it is a reminder that once death embraces us, we can no longer prepare. Instead, we will be at the mercy of others who pray for us. Yes, the dead can pray for living but they can never do it for themselves. What we can is only in this life.
In summary, we are not entirely a wise or a foolish virgin. Instead we are, many a time, wise as well as foolish. Instead of discouraging us, we should realise that what is well within our control is our response and we should live everyday as if it were our last day. We are still waiting for Him to come. Unlike the foolish virgins, let us not be caught unawares.
