Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

 Lectionary: 154

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...

The Wisdom Books of the Bible, (Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiasticus, and Wisdom) often represent the Virtue of Wisdom as a woman or young girl. She is God's daughter and adviser; she sometimes plays like a child among his creatures even as she perfects his handiwork.

She is dignified, beautiful, gracious, and eager to reveal the mysteries of heaven and earth to anyone willing to learn. Her beauty makes her desirable and she wants to be loved by everyone who would know the Lord. The more we know of her goodness, beauty, and truth, the more desirable she becomes. Wisdom invites her lovers to live with her in her own fabulous house, she prepares a banquet for them; but she will not suffer fools in her house or at her table.

The evangelists and writers of the New Testament never used that female metaphor, but they nonetheless insisted that true disciples of Jesus must be guided by the same impulse. Where the Old Testament spoke of wisdom, the New Testament speaks of the Holy Spirit.

In either case, whether we speak of a desirable female or a guiding spirit, true disciples want to be both clever and sinless; they should be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as lambs. If they build a tower, they do so after they have acquired the tools, materials, and skills to build it. No one laughs at wise disciples for starting a project without the means to complete it.  Likewise, if an enemy approaches their city, the wise fortify the walls, secure the food and water supplies, prepare their defenses, and send emissaries to negotiate peace. 

In today's Gospel, where the foolish children brought no more oil than they needed for the early evening hours, the clever girls prepared for an unexpected, but predictable, late arrival of the bridegroom. And Jesus adds, "Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour." Staying awake means readiness even when we’re sleeping. It means living wisely, so that our life is guided realistically, and with a purpose, whether we're awake or asleep, at home or away. 

The wise know the time. They know there is a time to work and a time to play; a time to rejoice and a time to grieve, as Ecclesiastes says. The wise move easily through different times but they know that God provides in every season. He provides abundance in times of plenty, and thrift in times of shortage. They fear neither feast nor famine; birth nor death; economic recession nor expansion; war nor peace. In the presence of God they're all the same.

As Job said, “We accept good things from the Lord; and should we not accept bad? The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Wisdom knows that God is Good, and is always grateful. 

Those who know the Lord believe his promises and his threats. God promises stability, security, and prosperity to his faithful people. They must share that stability, security, and prosperity with everyone. In the Bible, everyone especially includes poor widows, orphans, and aliens. There were always migrations and there were always aliens who needed welcome and opportunity. The Book of Deuteronomy describes three major festivals every year when every resident of Israel -- regardless of their race, language, or religion -- should enjoy the freedom of plenty. Eat and drink as much as you want; there’s more where that came from. And when it’s gone, the Lord will provide.   

The Scriptures also warn us of the threat, especially upon God’s chosen people if they are not faithful. Every act has consequences. There is no end to drought, plague, earthquakes, storms, famine, flooding, fire, infestation, or war for those who will not care for the widow, the orphan, and the alien. 

When the Lord withdraws his blessings because of our sins, we fall prey to every curse that humanity has suffered since the world began. There is not enough money in bank accounts; there are not enough insurance companies or welfare programs or social securities to sustain us in the absence of God’s blessings. Prisons cannot hold all the criminals. And weapons of mass destruction cannot destroy all their enemies when God's people turn their back on his blessings. 

And finally, the wise know the day will come when the virtuous and the wise will be set apart from the wicked and the foolish. They expect and welcome Judgment. On that Day God’s glory, holiness, goodness, mercy, and justice will be revealed to the entire universe. And, on that day “the wicked will go off to eternal punishment, while the righteous will enter eternal life.”