Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 12, 2023 – Wisdom 6:12-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14; Matthew 25:1-13

Okay, for the children, somebody put up your hands and answer this question. How many virgins were there? [Answer by child] “Two in white, and four and on the other was five.” Okay, shorter answer. How many virgins were there in the story? Hmm? Anybody else? Yup. Where did you go, you’re back here someplace? Yeah? Ten. There were ten virgins. Second question, just for the children. How many virgins fell asleep? “Five.” Nope. I hear a voice. How many virgins fell asleep? There were ten. How many virgins fell asleep? The bridegroom was a long time in coming and they all got drowsy and they… They all fell asleep. All ten of them fell asleep. So, at the end of the story, when Jesus says, “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know the day or the hour,” the problem is not whether you are staying awake or staying asleep. The problem is something else. And we’ll talk about that something else later on. 

But now, for the grownups. Let’s play some Veteran’s Day Weekend Trivia. How many of you know the motto of the Marines? If you know the motto, put your hands up. How many of you know the motto of the Marines? All you NCIS people, come on. Semper Fi, right? Semper Fi is short for Semper Fidelis. The mother tongue of the Catholic Church, Latin. Semper Fidelis. Always faithful. Semper Fidelis.

How about the Army? Does anybody know what the Army’s motto is? You’ll never believe it. It was done by a vote. They had all the people in the Army recently vote on their motto, and this is what they came up with. “This we’ll defend.” Bah! This we’ll defend. 

How about the Air Force? The Air Force is the other branch of the military that does not have a Latin slogan. The Air Force’s motto is long. “Aim high. Fly. Fight. Win.” You have to memorize that one. That’s a long one. But, our brand new branch of the military, The United States Space Force, has a Latin motto. Semper Supra. Semper Supra. It has nothing to do with soup, guys. Semper Supra. Always above. Always above. 

The United States Navy also has a Latin motto. Non sibi sed patriae. Non sibi sed patriae. Not self, but country. That’s a nice one. 

Ahh, but, The United States Coast Guard. Does anybody know what the motto of the United States Coast Guard is? [Answer from the congregation] Semper Paratus. Semper Paratus, that’s right. Always prepared, always ready. Semper Paratus. Which just happens to be the motto of both the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts, right? Be prepared. Semper Paratus.

And that’s what today’s Gospel is all about. Not being awake. But being prepared. Because all the virgins fell asleep, but five of them brought extra oil, just in case their lamps went out, and five of them didn’t. In order to understand this story, you have to understand that this was going to be a very funny story when Jesus told it. Everybody was going to be laughing because of the way weddings were done back in Jesus’ time. You see, in modern day, the bride has bridesmaids, and they’re all at her house. And the groom has groomsmen, and they’re all at his house. And then, all drive, in limousines, to the church. That’s not how it was in Jesus’ day.

In Jesus’ day, on the wedding day, the father of the bride went to the house of the father of the groom to discuss how much money one family was going to be pay the other as what we call a dowry. Now, a long time before the wedding day, both families had already agreed on what the dowry would be. But this was just a made-up day to tease everybody and get them all excited for the party. So, around the middle of the morning, the father of the bride goes to the house of the father of the groom. And they sit down, and they talk about the weather. And they talk about politics. Then they have some lunch. Then they take a nap. And finally, in the late afternoon, they start to talk about the dowry. But then they have to stop for dinner. And then they talk some more about the dowry.

Meanwhile, at the house of the bride, the mother of the bride is getting her daughter ready for the wedding. Dressing her up in her beautiful wedding dress. But all of the bridesmaids are hanging out outside the house of the groom. Boring. With nothing to do. And so, they bring lamps with them because they know that it’s going to be nighttime before the deal is settled. The later the better. So, Jesus says, “It took a long time, and everybody was growing sleepy, and all the bridesmaids fell asleep. And, late at night, finally, the final total was announced, and the cry went out, ‘The bridegroom is coming.’”

Because, in Jesus’ time, although it was what we call a patriarchal society, when two people got married, the husband left his family and became part of the bride’s family. So, the groom had to walk from his house to the bride’s house before the wedding could begin. And, because it was pitch dark, he had to have bridesmaids with torches walking along side of him so they all could see. 

So, everybody in this story is laughing. All the people listening as Jesus tells the story are laughing because all the ladies fell asleep. And when they woke up, some of their lamps were about to go out and they couldn't take part in the wedding. That’s the story. At the end of the story, when they get locked out of the house and can’t go to the party, everybody listening to Jesus’ story is laughing. We think it’s kind of cruel. But they thought it was very funny.

That’s the story. So, what was the disconnect? The disconnect is Jesus said, “Stay awake.” He didn’t mean stay awake. He meant stay ready. Be prepared. Semper Paratus. Be prepared.

So, what does this story mean to us now, in our days? Well, remember I said there was word used in the First Reading that came up again in the Gospel as an adjective? The First Reading was about wisdom. Jesus talks about wise virgins and foolish virgins. There are lots of things in our society today that are foolish. Internet influencers are foolish. Reality TV shows are foolish. Building your whole relationship on money or power is foolish.

But there are also a lot of other things that our religion teaches us are unwise. It is unwise to create a relationship based on lies. It is unwise to run your life or your business on a whole bunch of half-truths and fabrications. It is unwise to treat other human beings harshly and spitefully and either emotionally or physically in a harmful way. It is unwise to treat other human beings of either sex as objects of my own personal fantasy. It is unwise to be very dishonest with money or merchandise. It is unwise to focus one’s life on what one doesn’t have, in relationship to other people. Those are things that are unwise. 

But our faith gives us a way to be prepared. It comes at our Baptism. It is called sanctifying grace. And, as long as we don’t sin, it remains with us, to keep us ready for all the challenges of life. And, when we do sin and say we’re sorry, it is given back to us again, and again, and again, to keep us ready. It’s the oil in our lamps.

Semper Paratus. Be prepared.