Matthew 25 1-13 Wise & Foolish young women.

When our grandchildren were young and came to visit us, there always seemed to be an opportunity when we would try and instill in them how good it was to share.

Although it didn’t actually happen, thank goodness, I can picture us being at Mass, this gospel being read, and those little minds working. On the way home they would ask, “how come the smarter ladies wouldn’t share”. To which I would reply, “ what a good question, that shows you were listening to the readings,” Then I would change the subject.

Today’s gospel is one of Jesus many teaching about the Kingdom found in Matthew. This particular story uses the setting of a Palestinian wedding ceremony were the groom would go over to the brides house and make the marital agreement with her father.  The young women, with their glowing lamps would then accompany the couple as they returned to his home for the wedding feast.

We know Jesus’ basic teaching was of love of God & neighbor, the refusal of some of the women to share there oil with the others seems to contradict this teaching. This doesn’t seem to show much consideration or forgiveness.  But with a little closer look and reflection into this reading, our understanding is corrected we are shown that being part of and entering into the Kingdom is not without effort on our part.

The gospel reading tells us that we must also take personal responsibly.  We can and should rely on others in our seeking of the Kingdom, in fact that is the main idea of a faith community. But the graces earned by the community, which we are part of, are not completely transferable to each of us as individuals. Being part of the community helps in our salvation but in the end it is a mater of personal responsibility whether we enter the Kingdom or not.

We see in the reading that individuals can only give so much to another and that because we are part of a group does not mean the door is always wide open for us. This should remind us that we ourselves are ultimately responsible for keeping our candles burning and maintain our readiness for the Coming of the Kingdom.

How do we follow up on our invitation to be part of the Kingdom?, to insure our readiness when the bridegroom appears? We do this by following the teachings of Jesus, who proclaimed the Kingdom, to look to the way of the cross rather than the world for truth, and to embrace the gospel, the teaching of the One who tells us, ”He is the way, the truth, and the life”.