Today we hear the familiar parable of the unprepared bride’s maids from chapter 25 of Matthew’s Gospel where Jesus reminds us that we should always be prepared for the day when we will meet Him face to face:
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
A friend of mine says, “You are not getting out of this alive.” He is indeed correct, death comes to us all. Jesus reminds us that we are to live everyday as if it will be the very day that He will call us. There is comfort in that. He invites us to live out our Christianity every day and in every way, to be like the wise bride’s maids, because in doing so, our lives will be fuller and richer. Jesus invites us to get the most out of every day.
So get out there and live!
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
A friend of mine says, “You are not getting out of this alive.” He is indeed correct, death comes to us all. Jesus reminds us that we are to live everyday as if it will be the very day that He will call us. There is comfort in that. He invites us to live out our Christianity every day and in every way, to be like the wise bride’s maids, because in doing so, our lives will be fuller and richer. Jesus invites us to get the most out of every day.
So get out there and live!
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