The Wise and the Foolish
The Wise and the Foolish- Matthew 25:1-13 ( morning prayer reading from 1928 BCP
Lectionary- 4th S. in Advent)
Three centuries ago a story went round
about a student’s visit to Thomas Goodwin, the Puritan president of Magdalen College Oxford
Today’s reading asks us to be ready and to
watch for “ ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh.” The Gospel is about two groups---one group of
five had oil for their lamps; the other did not. They were not ready. What does the oil represent?
Luther said that the oil represents faith,
Origen said good works and Grotius the Holy Spirit. I think all three answers put together are
the right one. You must have all three
to be ready to enter heaven.
Surely these ladies knew they needed
oil. “ They that were foolish took their
lamps, and took no oil with them.” Vs 3. What was the result? They went to buy the oil. The Bridegroom came. Then the door was shut. They said , “ Lord, Lord open to us. “ But he
answered and said, “ Verily, I say unto you, I know you not.” Vs. 12
What was lacking was the oil of faith, the
oil of good works and the oil of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. On that day when time is no more ( which we
do not know when!), when Jesus will come in all His glory, it will then be too
late to begin a new life, to develop spiritual graces and to show our
friendship for Him and others.
This is a good Advent admonition to keep
always in our thinking. “ Watch
therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh.’
So may we pray with renewed fervour, “
Grant us, we beseech thee, that having this hope, we may purify ourselves, even
as He is pure; that when He shall appear again with power and great glory, we
may be made like unto Him in his eternal and glorious kingdom.”
Comments
Post a Comment