Keep awake. Ten maidens sleeping, awakened to the cry at midnight. “The bridegroom is coming.”
This parable is yet another allegory. The wedding is the coming of Jesus, the bridegroom is Jesus, the maidens are the members of the church, the wedding banquet depicts the fully realized reign of God, and the rejection of the foolish maidens indicates the final judgment.1 So we, the church are the maidens in this tale. The delay of the bridegroom was longer than hoped for, longer than expected.
We do not do well with delay. We like the package we ordered to arrive as soon as we order it. We want the annoying hold music to stop and to actually speak to a human when we call customer service. In our spiritual journey, we are the child, constantly crying out “Are we there yet?” So falling asleep once midnight hits seems obvious. We are easily distracted. Which is why I will repeat the words, “Keep awake.” Stay prepared.
All ten maidens look exactly the same. Dressed for a wedding. Lamps at their side. Sleeping in the dark. None look foolish in this scene. And we can walk through everyday life looking prepared, too. We come to church and sit in the pews, or go to Sunday School, and clearly that’s enough to be ready for the day that Jesus comes again, right? Perhaps we need to look at what makes some bridesmaids foolish.
The foolish were foolish for their lack of preparedness. They expected the bridegroom on time, in the way they had imagined him to come. Perhaps they rushed, without thinking of everything they would need. This is precisely what makes the 5 ladies foolish.
The wise packed extra oil. And because the oil represents our faith, our spiritual “backup reserves”, the other 5 bridesmaids can’t really give it to the unprepared bridesmaids. This work is part of a lifetime’s journey of spiritual discipline and trusting in faith. The foolish did not realize the importance of the wedding. They had no idea what was at stake. And sometimes, we are foolish. We’ve all gone on a road trip and forgotten something important. Do you turn around to get it, or do you continue the journey and trust you can live without it?
The problem we face in this parable is that we are faced with two realities: the rules we create about proper etiquette in this world, and the demands God places on our hearts for the good of the Kingdom. And every time we find ourselves sleeping on the job, we are hastened awake in a fury. The bridegroom is with us.
When we are properly prepared, the oil of our soul is always with us. The light of Christ is shining so that others may see our good works and know that the glory is God’s, not our own. Deeds of mercy and prayer, studying God’s word through Bible study, forgiving others, fighting for justice and peace, faithfully attending worship in community. These are just a few examples of how we keep our lamps trimmed and burning,
how we prepare for Christ to come into our midst.
Yes, the parable points to end times. What happens to us if we are the unprepared bridesmaid? What happens if we find ourselves on the wrong side of the closed door? We worry about these moments when the reality of our brokenness is the only thing we have left to fill the empty lamp.
These are very real questions, and some of our community may be too afraid to ask, for fear of revealing our shortfalls.
Perhaps we need to see the closed door as a gift, and not a punishment. A closed door is a boundary, a stopping point, a way to say “you’ve hit the limit.” Or in this case, “you’re missing the party.”
Why did the bridesmaids leave the community? Because by their rules and in this world, they needed oil to literally keep their lamps trimmed and burning? But Christ the bridegroom is coming. And he IS the light of the world. Why in the world do we need backup oil? This is the challenge of today’s parable. It was customary in the ancient world to walk from the bride’s home to the bridegroom’s home. This is why the oil is needed; no street lights. Instead of walking close to someone else with the light, the forgetful bridesmaids choose to leave, perhaps ashamed at their lack of preparation.
Really, who among us feels prepared for Christ to show up? This parable is not about having all of your ducks in a row in this world.
It’s about the open door. The one we keep open between God and us. Individually, yes. But more importantly, how we keep that door open as people, as church. Not the building, but our hearts and minds.
Christ is always in our midst. We never need to wait long for the bridegroom, but we must always be awake. Because in the middle of the night, in our dark moments, in the times we are convinced we are alone …. This is when we should be looking for Christ the bridegroom. He always meets us in that place of unknowing. And he is always ready to walk us to the wedding feast at his house.
Today, Jesus tells us we need to prepare. Keeping our lamps trimmed and burning is a way of revealing to God and others that we have faith that Christ will come again. And again. And again.
The kingdom of heaven is calling out to us today. There is violence in our world. Sexual assault being named every day. Veterans still fighting a war long ended. Post traumatic stress disorder the remaining lamp in their lives. People crying out for change, for justice. In the hope of peace.
This preparation God calls us into, this placement of our faith and trust in God, is necessary. Acts of faith, speaking against injustice, gathering together as community in worship, these help us prepare in a world that may appear to be the foolish bridesmaid.
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning. Every faithful action we take prepares us. Makes us ready for God, who breaks through our sin and lifts us to new life in Christ. God, who prepares us for the feast to come. God, who lights our way even when we forget the oil. Christ comes not at our convenience, but at the right time…and brings us in full light, hope and faith to God’s glorious party. We prepare for God together, and in that preparation, we are able to be the light of Christ for each other. Let all of us, who are the community of St. John’s, prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Christ. It’s a party we won’t want to miss, where all people are invited. Where violence and sin and death are no more. Where Christ’s light awaits.
Keep awake, for we know neither the hour nor the day.
1 Bartlett, David L., and Barbara Brown Taylor. “Reflection on Matthew 25 by Thomas D. Stegman.” Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, pp. 285–285.