Be Alert and Prepared

 

 

1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But 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.’ 10And 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. 11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Matthew 25:1-13

 

  

File:Schadow,FW-Die klugen und törichten Jungfrauen-0.JPG

Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

SCHADOW, Friedrich Wilhelm von

1838-1842

Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie

Frankfurt am Main

Germany

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schadow,FW-Die_klugen_und_t%C3%B6richten_Jungfrauen-0.JPG

 

Details:

 

Schadow_Wilhelm_von-Parable_of_the_Wise_and_Foolish_Virgins_detail-1.jpg

detail: Wise and Foolish Virgins

https://watchingforthemorning.wordpress.com/tag/parable-of-the-ten-virgins/

 

SCHADO~1-1.jpg

detail: Wise and Foolish Virgins

http://my-museum-of-art.blogspot.com/2010/03/wilhelm-von-schadow-parable-of-wise-and.html

 

schadow1-1.jpg

detail: Wise and Foolish Virgins

 

"Jesus' conclusion to the parable [of the wise and foolish bridesmaids] emphasizes its lesson: constant alertness is necessary because it is impossible to pinpoint the time of the Lord's coming. The parable is a warning to the church, which consists of both wise and foolish disciples. Matthew's gospel highlights this parable because, for the church of Matthew, the return of Jesus has indeed been delayed. Jesus has not returned as swiftly as many in the early church anticipated. The church must learn to remain vigilant, anticipating the Lord's coming while its members perservere in faithful service and proclaim the kingdome to the nations."

http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-processquery.pl?code=ACT&SortOrder=Title&LectionaryLink=AProp27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn’t raining when Noah

built the ark.

~ Howard Ruff

 

 

 

 

By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.
~ Ben Franklin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From my window — before the snow.

 

 

Chew and Chat

Wednesday

And today we watched three more episodes!

We love it!

Photos by Sondra Kellogg

 

Filling Soldier Bags for Homeless Veterans.

 

 

 

Gail Sharp, owner of TallGrass Spa and Salon, started the Soldier Box

project for our troops overseas many years ago.  For the last three

years, she has changed it for Homeless vets.

Kudos, Gail!!!

 

Spa Evergreen | Hair & Beauty Salon | Day Spas & Hair Salons Denver | TallGrass Aveda Spa and Salon

https://www.tallgrassspa.com

 

 

 

 

 

In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken," and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. 

~ Carl Sagan

 

 

 

 

 

November 12, 2023  Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 27 Year A

 

Previous OPQs may be found at:

 

 

13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. 15For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. 16For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

Free Veterans Day Animations - Graphics - Clipart

 

 

 

 

 

We could certainly slow the aging 

process down if it had to work its 

way through Congress.

- Will Rogers

(Thank you, Pat!)

 

 

 

Peace on Earth

 

 

 

LECTIONARY

Joshua 24:1–3a, 14–25 

Psalm 78:1–7 

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 

Matthew 25:1–13

 

Summary

The parable of the ten virgins sits uncomfortably with many Protestant Christians used to the idea that perseverance unto the end is a guarantee for the believer. The parable, clearly addressed to those who hope in Christ, rebukes passivity as presumption. The attitude of the believer is to be watchful for the Master’s return.

And yet, the Lord does more than warn us. The “helper” of the Holy Spirit aids us in our present watchfulness, calling to mind all the Lord said and did. Hence, we are not left alone to cultivate the proper attitude. The oil that fills our lamps is the Spirit of Christ himself, and because he is with us, we can live our lives in hopeful anticipation of his coming.

https://www.preachingtoday.com/lectionary/

 

THE WORD:

These last Sundays of the year focus on the Parousia, the Lord’s return at the end of time.  The parable of the bridesmaids, found only in Matthew’s Gospel, is taken from Jesus’ fifth and final discourse in Matthew, the great eschatological discourse.

According to the Palestinian custom, the bridegroom would go to the bride’s house on their wedding day to finalize the marital agreement with his father-in-law.  When the bridegroom would return to his own home with his bride, the bridesmaids would meet them as they approached, signaling the beginning of the wedding feast.

The image of the approaching wedding feast is used by Jesus to symbolize his coming at the end of time.  Jesus’ return will take many by complete surprise.  The love we have for others as evidenced in works of kindness and compassion is the “oil” we store in our lamps waiting for Christ's return.

HOMILY POINTS:

Jesus’ parable of the foolish bridesmaids is often played out in our lives when we realize too late that our “lanterns” are empty of the “oil” of responsibility, gratitude, generosity, justice.  Our inability to place the common good before our own, our failure to see how our actions affect others, our refusal to accept responsibility for one another extinguishes the light of hope that we thought would never go out. 

Too often we fall into the mindset of the five “foolish” bridesmaids of today’s Gospel:  We carry on convinced that there will always be enough time “later” to make our lives what we want them to be and that there is an unlimited amount of “oil” in our lamps to make it all happen.  

https://connectionsmediaworks.com/sundaygospel.html#nov12

 

 

 

First Reading Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

1Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. 2And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors — Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor — lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. 3aThen I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many.

14“Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

16Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; 17for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”

19But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” 21And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the LORD!” 22Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” 24The people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” 25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

Psalm 78:1-7

1   Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; 
          incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 
2   I will open my mouth in a parable; 
          I will utter dark sayings from of old, 
3   things that we have heard and known, 
          that our ancestors have told us. 
4   We will not hide them from their children; 
          we will tell to the coming generation 
     the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, 
          and the wonders that he has done.

5   He established a decree in Jacob, 
          and appointed a law in Israel, 
     which he commanded our ancestors 
          to teach to their children; 
6   that the next generation might know them, 
          the children yet unborn, 
     and rise up and tell them to their children, 
7        so that they should set their hope in God, 
     and not forget the works of God, 
          but keep his commandments;

Second Reading 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. 15For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. 16For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Gospel Matthew 25:1-13

1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But 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.’ 10And 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. 11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”