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Parable of the Lost Coin
Luke 15 is one of the most unique chapters in the Gospels in that it consists of three memorable parables: the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son. Many commentators locate these three parables within a larger section of Luke that asks the question “who will participate in the reign of God?” (13:10-17:10). The section includes the foundational formation of the disciples – but often via the encounter with the Pharisees in which the assumptions of right relationship with God are put to the question. The Pharisees and others in the Jewish religious leadership assume folks such as tax collectors and sinners are outside the “faithful remnant” that awaits the return of the Messiah. At issue is the question of fellowship in the community of God’s people. Each encounter in this larger section seems to be an opportunity to form the disciples (and anyone who would listen) in the understanding of the reign of God. So often in this section the characters within the pericopes and parables are those who should attract respect and honor according to the conventional wisdom, yet within the parables are casualties of a reversal of values and misfortunes: “For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last” (13:30). Our gospel for today proclaims:
8 “Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ 10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
What woman who has lost one of her ten drachmas, Greek silver coins, will expend so much energy, turning her house upside down in search of this one coin in ten? Perhaps it was part of her dowry and thus had added sentimental value. In a barter society perhaps it represents that fund for a “rainy day.” There is a part of the question that begs an answer: “no one would,” but where the shepherd lost 1% of the flock, the woman lost 10%. (In the next parable the father will lose 50% of his sons…. perhaps a stretch in thought, but…)
There are some scholars who posit that Luke, as he often does, parallels the shepherd (male) story with another in which the same dynamic is operative through a female protagonist. Other commentators see a subtle difference in that in the first, the sheep wander away on their own, whereas in the second the coin is lost by the carelessness of the owner. In either case the shepherd/woman represents the church and its poor shepherding by not ensuring the Gospel is being proclaimed, the lost being found, and repentance occurring.
When the woman finds the coin, her joy is like the joy in heaven over one repentant sinner. It needs to be shared. It is too great for one person. She and the shepherd invite their friends and neighbors for the thanksgiving party. What about the other nine silver pieces and the ninety-nine sheep — are they not important, too? Surely, but the joy of the kingdom breaks out of the ordinary categories of reason and good business. What was given up as lost has been found. It is like a new life, a resurrection, and must be celebrated.
Image credit: “Searching by Lamplight” | generated by Dalle-3 with prompt “1200×675 px graphic of the Luke 15 parable of the Lost Coin in the style of Vermeer” | downloaded Nov 3 2026
Wise and Foolish: being prepared
This coming Sunday is the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the parable of the Ten Virgins. At the center of the parable are the “ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise” Matthew has already used this doublet in the Sermon on the Mount. At the opening of the Sermon, Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” The expression loses its taste, literally “becomes foolish.”
And again at the closing of the Sermon in the parable of the two house-builders (Mt 7:24-27): “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” (Mt 5:24-27)
The wisdom/foolishness is centered on having gathered sufficient oil for the task at hand – being vigilant and prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom: The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. (Mt 25:3-4) The portable torches for outdoor use (the word is not the same as that used for a standing domestic lamp in 5:15 and 6:22) would be bundles of cloth mounted on a carrying stick and soaked with oil. The jars held the oil into which the torch was dipped before lighting. A torch without a jar of oil is comparable to a modern flashlight without a battery.
5 Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. (Mt 25:5-7)
The parable gives the impression that the young women thought they knew when the bridegroom would arrive, and had not reckoned on the delay. A torchlight procession would of course be after dark, but might be expected to be before the middle of the night. The parable thus illustrates both the fact that the time of the parousia is unknown, and may not be as soon as people might expect, and also its sudden, unexpected nature when it does come, the middle of the night being the time when people are at their least alert. By the time Matthew wrote his gospel both these factors might be expected to be in play, with some Christians anxious over the delay of the “imminent” parousia, and others complacent after years of unfulfilled prediction. But the story does not develop as the call to vigilance in the earlier Matthean parables might have led us to expect: the wise ones did not stay awake while their companions slept. All were equally disappointed by the delay, all fell asleep, and all were equally taken by surprise by the eventual shout.
7 Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’
We do not know whether the torches had been lit when the girls first set out, but if so they would not have stayed burning while they slept; even a well-soaked torch would not burn for much more than a quarter of an hour. So the wise ones would resoak and light their torches, while the attempts of the foolish ones were of course futile: “for our lamps are going out” suggests that as they lighted the torches they immediately went out again, having no more oil to keep them burning. The response of the wise ones to their natural request for a share of the oil may sound selfish, and perhaps in a real life situation they might have been willing to share—though if their supply too was limited, to keep it for themselves ensured that at least some torches would stay alight. But in a parable things do not always happen according to real life, and the hard-nosed realism of the wise girls invites the reader to reflect that spiritual preparedness is not something that others can provide for you: each needs their own oil.
One might note that the idea a merchant would be open in the middle of the night is not realistic, but it is a parable, and such an idea serves a rich irony to the reader in the vain attempt to prepare when it is already too late.
10 While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked.
When the bridegroom arrives, the feast begins. As in other celebrations depicting the blessings of the kingdom of heaven (8:11–12 and 22:1–13). Only those who are prepared will enjoy the celebration.
One odd element, at least for real life, is the closing of the door, which seems out of place in the open hospitality and conviviality of a village wedding; late arrival is not normally an issue in oriental society, certainly not penalized in such a dramatic fashion. But then this is a parable which like so many of the other parables, a story of insiders and outsiders, of the saved and the lost, and the closing of the door symbolizes that final division at the last judgment – which is clearly a theme as one moves through Mt 25.
Image credit: Greek Fresco, “Bridal Chamber”, iconreader.wordpress.com, CC-BY
Lacking Oil
This coming Sunday is the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the parable of the Ten Virgins. It was not that five slept and five stayed awake: v. 5 says explicitly that they all slept and all had to be awakened by the midnight shout. The problem goes back to the preparations they had made before going to sleep. At the core of the problem is that they lacked oil for their lamps. While the parable itself offers no allegorical identification for the oil, we do know that oil is a rich and multifaceted symbol in both the Old and New Testaments. Its symbolic use carries various meanings and significance in different contexts. Here are some of the key ways in which oil is symbolically used in both the Old and New Testaments:
- Anointing and Consecration: Oil was often used to anoint and consecrate individuals for specific roles and purposes. Kings, priests, and prophets were anointed with oil as a sign of God’s chosen and set-apart status. For example, David was anointed with oil by the prophet Samuel before becoming king (1 Samuel 16:13).
- Healing and Restoration: Oil was used for medicinal purposes and symbolized healing and restoration. In the famous “Good Samaritan” parable, the Samaritan poured oil and wine on the wounds of the injured man to help heal and soothe his injuries (Luke 10:34).
- Joy and Celebration: Oil was often used as part of festive occasions and celebrations. It was associated with joy, abundance, and blessings. In the psalms, the anointing of the head with oil is linked to the overflowing cup of God’s goodness (Psalm 23:5).
- Sacrifice and Atonement: In some sacrificial rituals, oil was used as an offering to God. It symbolized consecration and reconciliation with God. It was also a component of the anointing oil used in the tabernacle and temple rituals (Exodus 30:22-33).
- Anointing of Jesus: In the New Testament, the anointing of Jesus’ head or feet with oil is a symbol of reverence and recognition of His identity as the Messiah. The woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume in Luke 7:36-50 demonstrated deep love and devotion.
- Healing and Miracles: In the ministry of Jesus and the early Christian Church, oil was used in conjunction with healing and miracles. In the book of James, anointing with oil is associated with prayer for the sick (James 5:14-15).
- Illumination and Guidance: Oil lamps were common sources of light in the ancient world. Oil symbolizes illumination, guidance, and the presence of God’s Word. The psalmist describes God’s Word as a lamp to one’s feet and a light to one’s path (Psalm 119:105).
Certainly the last example is one that pertains to this parable in the literal sense. One might well argue that to have a full measure of oil in the allegorical sense is to have let the light of Christ illuminate, guide and help you prepare for this life and the next. The preceding and following parables both indicate an understanding of what it means to be ready. But the point is simply that readiness, whatever form it takes, is not something that can be achieved by a last-minute adjustment. It depends on long-term provision, and if that has been made, the wise disciple can sleep secure in the knowledge that everything is ready.
All that being said, one is then struck with the oddness of v.13 – “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” Its oddness is that “stayinging awake” is precisely what none of the ten girls did, and the wise ones did not suffer because of their dozing. It is almost as though it is an added on as it virtually repeats Mt 24:42, where it precedes a parable which was about staying awake. Nonetheless both Matthew and Luke use this expression with a sense of vigilance and readiness. With that language already in play with Matthew, one might simply offer vigilance and readiness, necessarily encompass preparedness, which is a concern of the parable.
Image credit: Greek Fresco, “Bridal Chamber”, iconreader.wordpress.com, CC-BY
Cooperating with Grace
In today’s first reading from the Letter to the Philippines, we hear: “...work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work.” (2:12-13). Work out our salvation? To be clear this verse does not mean that a person can (or has to) earn their salvation, or can attain justification on their own. Salvation is a free, unearned gift of grace received through faith and baptism. But then what is St. Paul telling us in these verses?
In Catholic understanding, these verses are understood as a synergy, a cooperative relationship between divine grace and human free will in the life of the Christian. “Working out” refers to the process of justification / sanctification which is understood as the ongoing, active process of letting God’s internal grace transform your actual life, character, and daily obedience. Just as a seed must grow or a physical gift must be utilized to bear fruit, the grace God plants in the soul requires active human response and cooperation. “For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work”. Our desire for holiness, perseverance in obedience, and capacity for good come first from God’s grace. What about human freedom? God does not override human freedom. A person must freely choose to accept, cooperate with, and act upon that grace.
It sounds like “God is on our side” so what’s with “fear and trembling”? The phrase is understood not as a state of fear and paralyzing terror over losing God’s love, but as overwhelming and reverential awe in the awareness of God’s gifts of life, love and grace. It is a disposition of deep humility and a sober awareness of our human weakness. “fear and trembling” reflects what is at stake: human pride as our weakness that can lead to rejecting or squandering God’s grace. We must be ever aware that divine help is always there for us and never fear or hesitate to ask for divine grace. It is why a life of prayer and participation in the Eucharist are so important.
It is this synergetic relationship that leads Catholics to reject a doctrine of eternal security (“once saved, always saved”). Salvation is an ongoing relationship and a dynamic reality involving human freedom. A person can theoretically turn away from God through an unrepentant life, a life of apathy or even outright rejection of God’s grace. We are called to persevere to the end in faith, love, and obedience with vigilant humility. Secure in the knowledge that God’s grace always moves first. We only need to respond.
So, cooperate with your salvation for God is the one who saves you, if you’ll let Him. He won’t save you without you.
Image credit: FrG with Canva | CC-BY-NC
Parthenos and a locked door
This coming Sunday is the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the parable of the Ten Virgins. “…the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.” (Mt 25:1) As best we can know the scene is part of the procession returning to the bridegroom’s home. This story mentions only two parties, the bridegroom and the ten girls. The precise role of the young women in the ceremonies is not clear but most scholars assume that Hellenistic-Roman marriage customs also apply in Jewish circles at the time, and thus the young women are servants from the bridegroom’s house, awaiting the return of the bridegroom with his bride.
The young women are described with the Greek term for “virgins” (parthenos). Parthenos occurs 15 times in the NT: 6 times in 1 Corinthians, 4 times in Matthew, twice in Luke, and once each in Acts, 2 Corinthians, and Revelation.
Occasionally parthenos refers just to a young woman of marriageable age. This is the case, e.g., in the parable of the ten parthenos (Matt 25:1, 7, 11), the young women who are waiting for the bridegroom and are as yet unmarried. The point of the parable does not depend on their “virginity” in the strict sense. Similarly, parthenos’ use seems unrelated to the point of verse. For example, in Acts 21:9 – “He had four virgin daughters gifted with prophecy.” The four daughters of Philip are described as “young” and parthenos. Here the reference is likely that they had reached a marriageable age and presumably also virgins – but the description is apart from the main point of the verse: prophetic gifts. So too, in Matthew’s use of parthenos. The point of the pericope is about preparedness. Perhaps “young” is a more germain aspect. (Note: In Matthew and Luke, in reference to Mary, the intended meaning is “virgin” in the strict sense. St. Paul’s use is mixed) [Horst Robert Balz and Gerhard Schneider. Exegetical dictionary of the New Testament 1990, Vol 3:39]
The story tells us that their role included escorting the bridegroom in a torchlight procession to his house, but that they were not present at whatever part of the ceremonies immediately preceded this procession. There is an unexpected delay. The reasons for which do not matter. All that matters is the delay, and the effect it had on the readiness of the young women when the time for their part in the ceremonies eventually arrived. Their role seems to have been to be a formal escort into the wedding feast at the bridegroom’s house, the high point of the celebration.
Entering the celebration with the bride and bridegroom is the turning point of the parable. To miss that is to miss everything: “the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked.” (Mt 25:10) The emphatic closure and locking of the door harkens to a scene of eschatological (end-times) judgment.
At this point it is good to remember an earlier Matthean scene when Jesus is teaching the followers what it means to be true disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day,o ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ (Mt 7:21-23)
The earlier teaching is echoed here in the parable when the foolish young women address the bridegroom as “Lord, Lord, open the door for us” and his response is, “I do not know you.” Clearly the bridegroom knew his own wedding party, but that is not the point of the parable. The question that begs an answer is why then did the five foolish ones miss the feast?
Image credit: Greek Fresco, “Bridal Chamber”, iconreader.wordpress.com, CC-BY
Other Interests
From time to time, my dad would remind me that “every person you meet is your better in that you can learn something from them.” Good and sage advice. I wonder if he knew he was echoing Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote: “In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.” Then again, I wonder if Emerson was influenced by today’s first reading from the Letter to the Philippians from which we heard the notable and famous passage: Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and, found human in appearance, he humbled himself…” (Phil 2:6-8a)
I wish the reading had started a few verses before where St. Paul writes: “humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others.” (Phil 2:3) and I think that starting from that posture, the opening words of today’s first reading become easier to understand.
Jesus wasn’t looking out for his own interests in becoming human. He was looking out for all of our interests when he humbled himself, becoming one of us. Kneeling before us in service, seen most vividly at the Last Supper as he washed the disciples’ feet and asked, “Do you know what I have done for you?”
Think about it. Better yet, answer the question aloud to yourself! This is the importance He placed on each one of us. He became one of us in order to invite each one of us to that great and final banquet of our Lord described in the Gospel.
Seems like those invited had other interests: a new field, new oxen, a new wife. All good things, but not the best. John Cardinal Newman remarked that if the good keeps you from the best, then the good becomes the enemy of the best.
Need an example? Make a list of all the good things that kept you from prayer. Your favorite team’s Monday night football ran long, overtime, thrilling game, but way past your bedtime… “It’s late, I’m tired… I’ll pray tomorrow.” A long day of shuttling children to school, club practice, late night laundry for tomorrow, shopping online for the weekend’s birthday celebration.. “I’ll pray tomorrow.” Fill in the blank with your own story.
What will we say to God? Sorry, I was busy…I was too tired…Monday night football was more important. Sounds kinda’ horrible when you say it outloud: “I had other interests.”
Today’ readings form an intersection where interests, human desire, and gratitude meet – and sometimes collide. An intersection when we need to ask who am I serving? To whom am I attending? Is this thing that occupies my interests serving God and His kingdom? I am guessing that Monday Night Football is not on the list but serving your family’s interest is on the list. Either way, prayer can be short, sweet and to the point. “Lord let your servant go in peace…”
Today’s readings give insight into what it means to walk humbly in this life: to not look out for our own interest and be attentive to the invitation God sends our way every day to join Him in his mission to serve others and their interests. I am sure there is more, but it’s enough for a start.
Image credit: Permission to use in not-for-profit settings. (c) 2019 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD
An intersection of interests
From time to time, my dad would remind me that “every person you meet is your better in that you can learn something from them.” Good and sage advice. I wonder if he knew he was echoing Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote: “In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.” Then again, I wonder if Emerson was influenced by today’s first reading from the Letter to the Philippians from which we heard the notable and famous passage: Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and, found human in appearance, he humbled himself…” (Phil 2:6-8a)
I wish the reading had started a few verses before where St. Paul writes: “humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others.” (Phil 2:3) and I think that starting from that posture, the opening words of today’s first reading become easier to understand.
Jesus wasn’t looking out for his own interests in becoming human. He was looking out for all of our interests when he humbled himself, becoming one of us. Kneeling before us in service, seen most vividly at the Last Supper as he washed the disciples’ feet and asked, “Do you know what I have done for you?”
Think about it. Better yet, answer the question aloud to yourself! This is the importance He placed on each one of us. He became one of us in order to invite each one of us to that great and final banquet of our Lord described in the Gospel.
Seems like those invited had other interests: a new field, new oxen, a new wife. All good things, but not the best. John Cardinal Newman remarked that if the good keeps you from the best, then the good becomes the enemy of the best.
Need an example? Make a list of all the good things that kept you from prayer. Your favorite team’s Monday night football ran long, overtime, thrilling game, but way past your bedtime… “It’s late, I’m tired… I’ll pray tomorrow.” A long day of shuttling children to school, club practice, late night laundry for tomorrow, shopping online for the weekend’s birthday celebration.. “I’ll pray tomorrow.” Fill in the blank with your own story.
What will we say to God? Sorry, I was busy…I was too tired…Monday night football was more important. Sounds kinda’ horrible when you say it outloud: “I had other interests.”
Today’ readings form an intersection where interests, human desire, and gratitude meet – and sometimes collide. An intersection when we need to ask who am I serving? To whom am I attending? Is this thing that occupies my interests serving God and His kingdom? I am guessing that Monday Night Football is not on the list but serving your family’s interest is on the list. Either way, prayer can be short, sweet and to the point. “Lord let your servant go in peace…”
Today’s readings give insight into what it means to walk humbly in this life: to not look out for our own interest and be attentive to the invitation God sends our way every day to join Him in his mission to serve others and their interests. I am sure there is more, but it’s enough for a start.
Image credit: Permission to use in not-for-profit settings. (c) 2019 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD
Weddings
This coming Sunday is the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. Our gospel is the parable of the Ten Virgins. The gospel reading begins: “Jesus told his disciples this parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like…’” and then goes on to place the parable in the midst of a first century wedding celebration. Both of Matther’s use of a wedding celebration setting are a part of the overarching message about the Kingdom of Heaven.
- The Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14; gospel for the 28th Sunday): This parable is unique to the Gospel of Matthew and directly addresses the theme of the Kingdom of Heaven. In this parable, a king prepares a great wedding feast for his son, symbolizing God’s invitation to people to enter His Kingdom. The initial guests (representing the religious leaders of the time) reject the invitation, and the king invites others from the streets and highways (representing the Gentiles and outcasts). The parable teaches that those who accept the invitation and come properly attired (with righteousness) will be part of the Kingdom, but those who reject it will be excluded. This parable reinforces the idea that the Kingdom of Heaven is open to all, regardless of their social or religious status, but there is a minimum standard of life by which one remains in the celebration.
- The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13): In this parable, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to ten young women awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom for a wedding. Five are wise and prepared with enough oil for their lamps, while five are foolish and unprepared. When the bridegroom finally arrives, the wise virgins enter the wedding feast, but the foolish ones are left out. This parable emphasizes the importance of readiness and vigilance for the coming of the Kingdom. Those who are spiritually prepared will enter, while those who are not will miss out.
Weddings provided one of the high points in village life, and the question of who was and was not included affected one’s social standing. A first-century Jewish wedding in the time of Jesus was a significant cultural event with several distinct stages and ceremonies. The details of these weddings are primarily derived from historical and cultural sources of the time, including the Mishnah (a collection of Jewish oral traditions compiled in the 2nd century CE) and archaeological discoveries. While there is no direct account of a first-century Jewish wedding in the New Testament, we can reconstruct the general process based on these sources. It’s important to note that some variations in wedding customs existed depending on the region and specific Jewish community. Here is a brief summary of the known wedding customs.
In the first century Jewish culture, parents typically arranged marriages for their children. The prospective groom’s parents would approach the parents of the bride-to-be with a marriage proposal. This led to the initial stage of a Jewish wedding, the betrothal, which was a legally binding contract (cf. Luke 1:27 “to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary”). During this time, the bride and groom were considered husband and wife, even though they did not yet live together. Betrothals were typically arranged when the bride and groom were quite young, and the actual wedding would take place later. In the meantime the bride continued to live with her parents.
At the appointed time the groom, accompanied by his groomsmen, would proceed to the bride’s house. They would return together in a procession to the groom’s house for the ceremony and the festivities. The procession might be animated with shouting or the blowing of the shofar and was typically at nighttime so lamps were needed. The main part of the celebration was a festive banquet where guests would gather to celebrate the newlyweds. The feast often lasted for several days, during which time there was dancing, music, and rejoicing.
Image credit: Greek Fresco, “Bridal Chamber”, iconreader.wordpress.com, CC-BY
The Future and Judgment
This coming Sunday is the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle A. Our gospel is the parable of the Ten Virgins.
The gospel readings for the 29th through 31st Sundays in Lectionary Cycle A all describe a series of confrontations between Jesus and religious authorities of Jerusalem, namely the scribes and Pharisees. The reading for the 31st Sunday ends with Jesus warning the disciples to not become hypocrites like the scribes and Pharisees (Mt 23:12). It would seem like one more verse would have been a capstone to the warning: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites” (v.13)
And this was just the first of several “woes” cast upon the religious leaders. The “woe to you” verses continue unrelentingly through the end of Mt 23. The chapter’s penultimate end is the warning: “Amen, I say to you, all these things [the woes described] will come upon this generation.” The ultimate chapter-end are vv. 37-39, Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem with a denunciation of the current religious leadership. The verses also include a prophetic reference to the 70 AD Roman destructions of Jerusalem and the Temple: “Behold, your house will be abandoned, desolate.” (v.38) and the prophecy that after that event, “I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” – repeating the Palm Sunday proclamation for the Messiah, pointing ahead to Jesus’ return.
While not a part of Ordinary Time readings, Chapter 24 continues this theme of imminent destruction and coming tribulation (Mt 24:1-28) 1 Jesus left the temple area and was going away, when his disciples approached him to point out the temple buildings. 2 He said to them in reply, “You see all these things, do you not? Amen, I say to you, there will not be left here a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” 3 As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and said, “Tell us, when will this happen, and what sign will there be of your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Mt 24:1-3). This apocalyptic chapter ends with a description of the coming of the Son of Man (Mt 24:29-31) and final warnings about not knowing the time or date of the return of the Master. It is at this point that we turn the page to encounter our Sunday gospel: The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mt 25:1-13).
It is here in Matthew 25 that we will finish the final three Sundays of this cycle of Ordinary Time:
- 32nd Sunday: The Wise and Foolish Maidens (vv. 1-13)
- 33rd Sunday: The Parable of the Three Servants (vv. 14-30)
- Christ the King: The Great Judgment (vv. 31-46)
The biblical scholar R.T. France (2007, 889) calls these two chapters, “The End of the Old Order and the Reign of the Son of Man”
This final Matthean discourse focuses on the future, with emphasis especially on the theme of judgment. It takes its cue from the disciples’ question in 24:3, which combines two aspects of the future, the predicted destruction of the temple and Jesus’ “coming (parousia) and the end of the age”. With regard to the former the question is “When?,” with regard to the latter “What will be the sign?” In either focus, they are precursors of judgment.
Image credit: Greek Fresco, “Bridal Chamber”, iconreader.wordpress.com, CC-BY
A Work In Progress
The earliest days of the Church were days of persecution by the Roman government. As a result, martyrs were especially honored. The local churches celebrated the martyr on the anniversary date of their death. They were examples of holiness. By the 4th century the list of martyrs grew quite large and the Church was caught between its desire to remember and celebrate the martyr’s witness and death, an ever expanding geography, and the practical matter of finding days to set aside to celebrate. As the persecutions abated, there were also more than just the martyrs – the remembrances soon included men and women who lived holy lives, whose piety and love of God and neighbor were examples to their communities. There is more history to tell, but in the end the Church established the Solemnity of All Saints, the day we celebrate, remember, and honor all the saints, known and unknown, the holy ones of God now in the heavenly courts. The women and men who figured out how to follow the two great commandments we discussed last Sunday: love of God and love of neighbor.
In my homily last Sunday I talked about our encounters with people in our lives. I offered four groups to consider: the ones we know and like to be around and look forward to seeing; the ones that are part of our life in some way and they’re OK; the ones whose company, shall we say, we do not prefer; and the great number of people we don’t really know: cashiers, wait staff, the person three pews behind you – and a whole lot of other folks. They cover the spectrum from those we like to those we’d rather avoid. But “like” has nothing to do with it. We are called to love; called to figure out a way in the encounter to recognize the dignity God gave them. We are called to allow them to interrupt our life and, even for just a moment, to serve them. That’s love – whether you like them or not. The Saints in heaven figured it out.
What about us? We who are works in progress. Are we “saints?” We Catholics have a formal system for sainthood (with a capital “S”) – but our reformed brothers and sisters in the Protestant and Reformed denominations, rightly point out that we are called, in this life, to be hagios, the holy ones, saints. St. Paul addressed his letters to “all the saints” in Rome, Ephesus, and Philippi. He is saying we are saints not because of our heroic deeds, virtuous character, or performance of miracles, but because God calls us to himself. Think of it this way. We are saints by our baptismal calling. We have been consecrated to God and called to be holy as He is holy, merciful as He is merciful, and and in those waters of redemption incorporated into the family of God. Consider our second reading in which St. John tells us: “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.” You’re already saints! … and you’re thinking, “I don’t know about that…I mean, that person next to me in the pew…I love them like the baby Jesus, but are they a saint? Yeah, I don’t know about that.”
Ok, so you walk into an artist’s studio and there on the easel is a portrait of the person next to you in the pew. Even though it is not finished, you recognize the person. Parts, like the eyes, are nicely captured while other parts are only outlined. You can see places where the artist painted over something; others where adjustments were made to the coloration. You wouldn’t say, “I don’t know about that.. that’s not a portrait” It is a portrait, just one that isn’t finished. And therein lies a way to think about life as a Christian.
God has already begun his work in us. There are parts of our lives where Christ is clearly visible even as other parts are very much unfinished. The Divine Artists has begun but “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.” We are His children now, not someday, not when we become sufficiently holy. Now. It is a portrait that captures the dignity of our life and baptism and the unfinished character of our life.
“sainthood” (small “s” variety) is not the final result of a successful Christian life. It is a mark of people who intentionally and mindfully struggle with their weaknesses, temptations, and more. People who are working out what it means to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. People who need to be reminded that we need to begin with what God has done and not what we have accomplished: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.” (1 Jn 3:1) Yet so we are!
The Solemnity of All Saints is a celebration of the finished portraits of the holy ones who have lived this life and gone before us, now residing in the heavenly kingdom as part of the communion of Saints who pray for us. We celebrate what God’s grace accomplished in them as they lived out the deeper meaning of love. But let us also celebrate what God has begun in us and be mindful: “Beloved, we are God’s children now.” So that we accept the grace from prayer, from the Sacraments, and from the intercession of the Saints to become the holy people God has called us to be: for “what we shall be has not yet been revealed.”
Amen
Image credit: The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs | Fra Angelico | ca. 1423 | The National Gallery, London | PD-US
