August 28,
2015
If you
really knew me you would know that I love a good conversion story. There is a
great line in the musical Wicked,
“The most celebrated are the rehabilitated” and I agree with that statement. I
have a dear friend who works as a Chaplain in the prisons, and I am convinced
that he would also agree with this statement. Why?
- Rehabilitate: To restore to a condition of good health.
- Restore: To bring back into existence, to bring back to a former, original condition.
I like
these definitions because they contain a lot of food for thought. To restore to
a condition of good health is a gentle way to look at needing “to go to rehab.”
I know that I am guilty of being judgmental toward those that need rehab, but
based on this definition, WE ALL NEED SOME REHAB. We could all use a little (or
a lot of) physical, mental, and spiritual restoration back to good health. The
next definition says “to bring back into existence, to a former, original
condition” and I love this as well because it takes my heart and mind back to
Genesis when God created the universe including you and me and He declared it,
“very good!” Our “original” condition was good and I think we all need to be reminded
of that on a daily basis.
I think a
lot of times we get stuck in our soiled selves and we feel like we need to stay
there. Self inflicted punishment for my sin and mistakes is something that I
personally excel at, however, God would much rather restore us to our
originally good selves, and bring us back to life, but that means that we need
to go to rehab. We need to re-habit our lives into good health.
Today’s
gospel gives us a quick and easy example of the healthy vs. the unhealthy. Ten
virgins were waiting on the bridegroom to attend the wedding banquet. Their job
was to wait and be ready at any moment to escort the groom in. Since it was
night they had oil-burning lamps and half of them had extra oil for the lamps
and the other half did not. Obviously, we need to prepare ourselves for the
coming of the Lord (side note, this passage suggests that Jesus comes to us in
our darkest hour) and since we have no idea when He is coming, we need to be in
shape so when He does come, we can keep up. Being in shape requires healthy habits
and the same is true for our spiritual habits. We must feed our souls with good
food, train our heart muscles with discipline, and this training program must
be consistent. We should anticipate things like storms, grief, loss, and broken
relationships (i.e. darkness) and then, like the virgins with extra oil, we
will be ready for them at the time. We don’t want to be left behind because we
did not prepare.
Today is
the feast of St. Augustine and he is the poster boy for “the most celebrated
are the rehabilitated.” He lived a reckless life and because of the persistence
and faith of his mom, St. Monica (with extra oil for her lamp), he came to the
realization that he was reckless because he was restless. Restlessness leaves
us wanting, it irritates our wellness, it steals our focus, it keeps us
constantly tossing and turning without peace. We can’t sit still and we can’t
just be. This was St. Augustine’s life and for a lot of us, this is our life.
Like the virgins who had to go out and buy more oil and because of that, they
missed the banquet; our restless souls point us toward things that keep us away
from our bridegroom, Jesus Christ. The virgins with extra oil could simply
enjoy the party to which they were called.
St.
Augustine finally realized this when he discovered the Truth of the matter
giving us one of the most quoted lines in history, “You have made us for
yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Loosely
translated by me: “They tried to make us go to rehab and we said, yes, yes,
yes!” Let’s try to become celebrated rehabilitated souls so that we can be
brought back into existence by the God that made us for Himself and finds us
VERY GOOD.
Reading 1 1 THES 4:1-8
Brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God–
and as you are conducting yourselves–
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
This is the will of God, your holiness:
that you refrain from immorality,
that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself
in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion
as do the Gentiles who do not know God;
not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister in this matter,
for the Lord is an avenger in all these things,
as we told you before and solemnly affirmed.
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.
Therefore, whoever disregards this,
disregards not a human being but God,
who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God–
and as you are conducting yourselves–
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
This is the will of God, your holiness:
that you refrain from immorality,
that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself
in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion
as do the Gentiles who do not know God;
not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister in this matter,
for the Lord is an avenger in all these things,
as we told you before and solemnly affirmed.
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.
Therefore, whoever disregards this,
disregards not a human being but God,
who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Responsorial Psalm PS 97:1 AND 2B, 5-6, 10, 11-12
R. (12a) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD loves those who hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful ones;
from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Be vigilant at all times and pray,
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD loves those who hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful ones;
from the hand of the wicked he delivers them.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
Alleluia LK 21:36
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Be vigilant at all times and pray,
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
‘Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.’
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.’
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.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’
But he said in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
“The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
‘Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.’
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.’
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.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’
But he said in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
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