“The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 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.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet” Matthew 25:8-10
As my children used to say when they were younger: “You snooze, you lose.” Although in the parable of the Ten Bridesmaids (also ‘Virgins’) it wasn’t sleeping that made half of them miss the Bridegroom’s arrival, it was the fact that the foolish ones left to go purchase oil for their lamps. They weren’t around when the Bridegroom arrived, they were off on a fool’s errand.
Now I know that many faithful people have understood this parable to be a rebuke of foolish people who don’t have enough of the Holy Spirit (oil) or who are not prepared for the coming of Christ and, therefore, are not ‘saved.’ You snooze, you lose. It’s their own fault those foolish bridesmaids missed the arrival of the Bridegroom.
It seems to me, however, that the foolish act was to listen to the “wise” bridesmaids and leave (in the dark?) to go and attempt to purchase oil. What if the “foolish” had stayed in the light of the other five? One imagines the shame they may have felt failing to bring enough oil. Foolish, yes, but what if they had stayed there with the others–the wise? What if they had stayed; feeling ashamed, unworthy and a failure, standing on the edge of the light coming from the other’s lamps, but hoping in their darkness for the forgiveness and mercy of the bridegroom–the Lord of Light? Those “foolish” bridesmaids would have been there to greet him and to stand in the radiance of his good news.
That doesn’t seem foolish to me
Last Sunday we were reminded that it is Christ who makes Saints–it is Christ alone who hallows the wise and the foolish. There is no Saint who would say they earned their holy status. Instead, a saint would likely say that they were living for and with Christ and trusting only in His love, mercy, and grace. Saints are fools for Christ (see I Corinthians 4). To be wise, as I see it, is to bear the light of Christ, to bring others to stand in the light of Christ, to share the light of Christ even with fools.
I know what I’ve written doesn’t seem to fit the parable of the Ten Bridesmaids or a more traditional interpretation of its meaning. I understand that human hearts sometimes want us to say: “you snooze, you lose.” Perhaps I’m being foolish. “But you are the light of the world–like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hid. No one lights a lamp and then puts under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds glorify your Father in heaven [and come to see and know the Bridegroom of life and light: Jesus Christ our Lord].” (see Matthew 5:14-16)
It is the wise thing to do.
