The parable of the ten bridesmaids is often misunderstood by the congregation on hearing the gospel. The role of the preacher is to enlighten the congregation of the true meaning of the gospel.
The wedding ceremony, it seems to us, is exceptionally late. In this case, it is the bridegroom who is late, rather than the bride. In Middle Eastern weddings at that time, the bridegroom went to the bride’s house with members of his family to escort the bride to his father’s home. This was a sign of her transfer from her own house to becoming a member of a new household – her husband’s family. Then the celebration would begin. This is when the parable begins.
The ten bridesmaids are waiting to welcome the bridal party but because they are so late in arriving, the ten bridesmaids fall asleep until they are awakened by the shouts of the wedding party. Five have enough oil to trim their lamps to welcome the wedding party and five do not. The five with oil refuse to give any to the other five and they have to go away and find oil by which time they are locked out of the party.
But this is not the focus of the parable – the lack of generosity of the five bridesmaids with oil. Perhaps, it is because we are familiar with weddings that our focus goes straight to this selfishness. But no, the parable is not about selfishness. The parable is about our own self being ready to welcome the bridegroom when he comes.
This is in the context of the closing chapter of the gospel concerning judgement before the Passion narrative begins. Jesus refers to himself as a bridegroom and the kingdom of heaven is referred to a place for feasting, a place to rejoice with Jesus the Messiah.
Entry is not automatic. The follower has to live according to the way of life that Jesus lays down and in imitation of him. We are told to have the same mind as Jesus Christ, to see things as he saw them, to repeat his actions in our own lives.
The scenario presents us with five bridesmaids waiting for the wedding feast as wise and the other five as being foolish.
The scriptures, especially the Wisdom literature has a strong theme of being wise or being foolish; of being prepared to meet the Lord, or ill prepared. Are we on our toes or not?
William Camden wrote, ’Betwixt the stirrup and the ground, Mercy I asked and mercy I found’. This is leaving it very late to make our lives right with God, but we cannot estimate God’s mercy, goodness and compassion. On the other hand, we are counselled in the gospel not to take our God for granted.
Time is an important factor in this gospel reading. We tend to do things, even important things, ‘later’. Such a dangerous word.
Columban Fr Gary Walker is currently living at the Columban house in Sandgate, Brisbane.
