XXXII Sunday in Ordinary Time – A – November 8, 2020 Patience to recognize God’s surprises and preparedness to act on them Readings: Wisdom 6: 12-16 / Psalm 63 / I Thessalonians 4: 13-18 / Mathew 25: 1-13
“Commitment cannot be forced upon someone. It cannot be bought or sold. You either have it or you don’t.” Father Marcelo was quite clear when he preached at the Mass of our vestition, which was the moment in which we received our Dominican habit as novices. The reading of that Mass was the same as the one for today, the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.
Our novice master challenged us to consider our decision to become Dominican novices and to consider why we persevere. He was right on target. Over the course of that year, over half the group departed. Some were more sincere: they came to the realization that the life was not the vocation Christ called them to.
Others found the commitment required more than they were expecting. Those novices seemed to run out of fuel after a few months, or, like today’s parable, they did not bring along enough oil to keep their lamps burning the whole time, which for us was a complete year.
The oil needed was not a flammable liquid to keep a torch lit, but the sustenance given by God to keep our spiritual fire burning through prayer, charity and humble service. I noticed that our year as novices required a lot of awareness in order to recognize Christ’s presence and how the experience was meant to be a formative one. We were expected to do a lot but also had to wait for things to unfold.
Today’s reading from chapter 25 of the Gospel according to Mathew is a familiar one, the parable of the ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom, five wise ones who were prepared and five foolish ones who were not. They were waiting for an important moment. Some waited well, some did not. Some of the young women were prepared, some were not.
Whether we like it or not, life entails a lot of waiting. It helps tremendously when we understand the purpose of our waiting as important. When that happens, preparedness seems to naturally follow. As we learn in the parable, being prepared and having dedication are qualities that are made manifest by intention, purposeful action. Some of the young women persevered, the other half did not.
As Fr. Marcelo made clear and experience demonstrated, commitment cannot be forced upon someone. We must have it within us and be willing to act and know why we do it. One of my favorite spiritual writers, Fr. Ignacio Larrañaga sums it up as he writes, “Without belief, nothing makes sense. Without commitment, nothing is believable.”
In case of the ten young women in the parable, being prepared was a serious aspect of waiting. It’s not about just passing time or waiting for something new and exciting; it’s about being patient, knowing that God has plans and that he hopes we are available and willing to be a part of them. Jesus is talking about being ready to act when the right moment arrives.
As my uncle told me upon graduating from college, “Success becomes possible when patience, preparedness and opportunity meet.” Being prepared means your whole heart is in it; being patient means you look forward to what you have been hoping and preparing for. The good Lord provides the opportunities. Trusting in him means that more than just waiting around, we must seek to be a part of what he provides.
The reality of waiting reminds us that much can happen in life which concerns matters that we are a part of as well as things which are beyond our control. Preparedness is important, but optional. It requires our commitment, our will – our decision and action.
Pope Francis frequently reminds us of the need to let God surprise us. Our Creator is not playing games but invites us to be a part of something greater than our worries and work. He invites us to receive his love and be willing to share it with others.
Being patient means remaining watchful so we recognize God’s surprises for what they are: opportunities to be a part of his work, to be instrument of his grace. Being prepared means you not only desire to be a part of his plan, but that you have confidence that you will be able to do your part and do it well.