Call to worship & Prayer

PASTOR: Ten lamps gathered, with oil enough for all. Ten lamps gathered, but five are empty showing careless disregard. Ten lamps gathered, five blaze with oil abundant enough to share. Ten lamps gathered, five lifeless when laziness and greed collide. Ten lamps gathered… How many will burn tonight?

ALL: Creator God, giver of oil, hear us as we pray… For generous hearts to share oil with our neighbors.

ALL: Creator God, giver of oil, hear us as we pray… For the vision necessary to leave our comfortable seats in search of oil.

ALL: Creator God, giver of oil, hear us as we pray… For forgiveness for the ways our selfishness & our apathy collide. Ten lamps gathered, with oil enough for all.

ALL: Come children of God, into a sacred circle

Where sharing creates abundance. Amen.

Gospel Matthew 25.1-13

The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.

5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those young women got up and trimmed their lamps.

8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But 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.’ 10 And 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. 11 Later the other young women came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Sermon: “Where Sharing Creates Abundance.”

Did I remember my passport, my ticket, my glasses and sunglasses, my phone and my valet?

This is almost like a mantra for me whenever I travel. Be prepared… and I am almost over prepared!

v I like to get to the Airport in really really good time – rather 3 hours before takeoff, then my nightmare of running to the gate and missing the flight (which I by the way never have… because I am also in so good time)

v The night before I leave the house, I checked my suitcase which has been packed and repacked a couple of times. Just to check that I really did pack that new dress that I bought especially for this travel. (which I of course did, I have never forgotten any clothes)

v Before we leave the house, I check my passport, my ticket, my Vallet, my glasses and sunglasses, my travel insurance just a couple of times just incase something should have changed since last time I looked (which only has happened once when the flight was canceled and I panicked)

v When we are finally in the car heading for the airport, I check my backpack just a few more times for passport, ticket, insurance, glasses and sunglasses and valet. Just to be sure that I forgot something or mysteriously something had disappeared (which by the way never has happened… but you can never be too sure can you?)

v When we get to the airport and we have finally checked in, been through safety check, - I get a cup of Starbucks and just check one more time: passport, ticket, Vallet, glasses and sunglasses. Just to be sure.

v And finally on the plane, I sit in my seat, tuck my passport, phone glasses and sunglasses, Vallet away. Find my book to read, close my eyes at takeoff – and pray a little prayer for safe travels.

v Even if I am well prepared and checked hundreds of times, I pray. Just to remind myself to leave worries, manic preparations behind me and trust that God will be with me.

My over preparedness has become sort of a running joke in my family. Our sons make fun of my manic preparations and constantly consistent checking. But even if it might seem a little too much, - it is never too much when I, mother and wife, do have all papers needed, all insurance, all passports and all the money when and if something should happen. It rarely does – but you never know do you. Better be prepared.

So, in so many many ways I like 5 wise Bride girls who are prepared.

I like to be prepared. I like to make lists. I like to have order in my things. I like being in control. I like being prepared.

So, at first glance, Jesus’ tory about the 5 wise and the 5 foolish Bride girls seems fairly straightforward. Ten young women are asked and tasked with greeting and escorting their friends’ fiancé to the wedding banquet. Jesus calls the five who do not make contingency plans foolish, and the vie who do, wise. The foolish women run out of oil for the lamps when their guests are delayed, and ultimately, they miss out of the entire wedding banquet as a result of their carelessness.

They miss their flight!

A traditional reading of this story leads us to villainize and ridicule the foolish women, while praising and elevating the wise ones as heroes. But what if our heroes aren’t actually all that heroic?

The Greek word used to describe these five is phonimos, which means prudent and even shrewd. Like a fox. Cunning. It is a different sort of wisdom than that the one of Salomon, Sophia, which implies a much broader understanding of the greater context. The wisdom of the five women is merely focusing on anticipating events and acting accordingly, not on listening, being compassionate and discerning.

It is true, they are prepared, but prepared for what?

They have brought oil to last them through the night when they can fulfill their duty. In other words, they are prepared to keep their own lamps burning, even if that means their friends will suffer and miss out. The wisdom of the 5, then takes on a tome of selfishness rather than compassion or communal care.

Technically, they get it right. They are prepared, they are ready, and they will make it into the grand wedding party. But the story ends with a word of caution to all of us: We will not always know when we need to be ready. “Keep away, therefore, for you know neither they day nor the hour.”

This final statement is not just an admonishment for the unprepared, it is also a reminder that preparedness often includes a season of waiting. And how we wait is just as important.

Is it possible to be prepared and still miss something important? Who has not forgotten a toothbrush when travelling? Who has not missed a performance because traffic was bad? Who has not forgotten a birthday even when it was in your calendar?

It is possible to have enough oil but not enough compassion, isn’t it? In the larger context of the Gospel, Jesus is constantly calling us beyond selfishness, into lives of mercy, generosity and compassion.

My over-preparedness when traveling can be and is the subject of many jokes in my family, but what makes my preparedness valuable is that I have enough to cover the needs of my family. I am not just prepared for myself. The purpose of being prepared is not just to ensure that we have enough ourselves, but to make us ready to respond when others do not and need our help.

It is not wrong that the five were wise and well prepared, but the Kingdom of Heaven is not just a place where our own lamps continue to burn, and it is not just for those who shrewdly know how to survive the night.

The Kingdom of heaven is like a place where our lamps light the way for others, and where there is enough light for all.

ALL: Creator God, giver of oil, hear us as we pray… For generous hearts to share oil with our neighbors.

ALL: Creator God, giver of oil, hear us as we pray… For the vision necessary to leave our comfortable seats in search of oil.

ALL: Creator God, giver of oil, hear us as we pray… For forgiveness for the ways our selfishness & our apathy collide. Ten lamps gathered, with oil enough for all.

ALL: Come children of God, into a sacred circle where sharing creates abundance. Amen.