TEN BRIDESMAIDS
The
parables describe obvious situations which are not difficult to interpret and
most people are either encouraged by them to keep going or shocked into
questioning their own lives. But it can happen that they are twisted to fit a current
way of thinking that is not obvious and which can distort them.
The story
of the ten bridesmaids or virgins is an example. The obvious interpretation is
that the wise ones were ready for the bridegroom when he came while the foolish
ones had not thought he might come at an unexpected hour and were not ready. This
story can be twisted to mean the foolish ones were the poor and marginalised and
the wise were selfish in not sharing what they had. To interpret the parable in
this way is to avoid the glaringly obvious intention of Jesus.
The parable
is about being ready, being alert and not putting off what I need to do now. Jesus
is not here talking about compassion and social justice. There may be all sorts
of reasons why I postpone taking steps but at least I can acknowledge that I am
avoiding doing what I know I should do. That’s a start. I can look at myself,
gently, and ask why I am ‘in denial’ as the saying goes.
The ‘oil’
in my lamp then becomes my agenda. What do I need to do? Well, to begin with, I
might see myself sitting with Jesus and the disciples on the Mount of Olives –
the setting for this parable. They were obviously looking at him. Romano
Guardini asked in one of his sermons: ‘What does it mean – to look at Jesus?’
All religions search for God. We Christians say God has revealed himself to us -
in Jesus. So what do we see when we look at him? Because he is the revelation
of God. His words and stories mean nothing if they do not tell us about God. We
cannot analyse them apart from him.
And we
cannot analyse them apart from the community he founded. I can give my opinion
but I have to test it in the stream of the interpretative tradition of the
Church. I have my beliefs but I want them to be in harmony with the tradition I
have inherited. I can come up with fresh insights into a text and so can you.
So can anyone. We have to look at Jesus and ask what he, in the community he
founded, says.
This
‘looking at Jesus’ is the heart of the matter. ‘We would like to see Jesus’
(John 12:21). It is encouraging for us to watch the disciples with Jesus, day
in and day out, and yet – for a long time - they did not really ‘see’ him.
Maybe we too are in a bit of ‘a daze’ (Mark 10:32) about him at times. We are
to be alert, awake, ready to see him any time – maybe when and where we least
expect.
12 November 2023
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