The Wise and the Foolish

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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.  In the dark study Goodwin opened the conversation by asking if his visitor was ready to die.  The lad fled. 

 

    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.”

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