Matthew 25:1-13
1-6“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For 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, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’
7-12 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
REFLECTIONS:
Thoughts from Jess: So often I feel like I don’t have enough or didn’t come adequately prepared for everyday life. I often feel like the foolish virgins, that I too will miss my purpose and deserve nothing less than to be shut out. But what if the point of this story is that just our desire to be with the bridegroom means we have enough. What if it is all about celebration and partaking in a feast that honors an intimate and loving relationship. We are the wise virgins. The foolish virgins are the ones who don’t really care to be part of this celebration. Maybe they were last minute tagalongs who were hoping for a free meal and didn’t care much for the bridegroom, That is why they didn’t have enough. Just because you came to the celebration doesn’t mean you know the bridegroom or that he knows you. The invitation to all is to come and celebrate a joyous union, but you don’t have to if you really don’t want to. We have the option to join and be part of whatever community we want to. Maybe the oil in the lamp is the amount of desire we have to be part of that community. Being in a relationship fills up our lamps. We have more than enough for the relationship we want to celebrate!
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Reflect back to last week and notice if there were times that you were so focused on your own inadequacy and faults that you didn’t notice the co-workers around you who balance you well. Be aware this week of looking inward when there are others around you who can work with you towards a better outcome.
Pathways Toward Centeredness
Center yourself in your physical body on this earth. Take a walk and be aware of your cadence and your breath. Look at the trees, birds, sky and everything else you see. Feel the breeze on your skin or the rain drops on your face. Don’t analyze or process, just let it all be just what it is. Try and keep your mind still and quiet and let the physical world interact with you just as it does.
Questions for Reflection
Who do you really desire to be in relationship with?
In what ways do you spread your relational energy too thin to really invest in those you want to?
What steps can you take to fill up your relational tank so that you can go deeper with those you truly desire to know?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
Copyright (C) 2023 Church at the Park. All rights reserved.