HOMILY: Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 25:1-13
12 November 2023
Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA
Today, I am celebrating my 12th Anniversary of Sacerdotal Ordination. They say the 7th to the 10th years are the most crucial. Some priest-friends claim that once a priest goes beyond the 10th year, everything else seems to be manageable. I can say without a doubt that that is not true. 🙂 Every year brings new unique challenges! It is by the grace of God that I am still here and that I have not given up.
This Sunday’s gospel passage, Jesus uses the parable of the ten virgins to teach people that if we take up the task of building God’s Kingdom, it is important to be ready at all times. In the parable, the ten virgins are tasked to wait attentively for the bridegroom’s arrival. Five of these maidens are identified ‘wise’ while the other five ‘foolish’ in relation to their degree of preparation to the task at hand. Notice that all ten came prepared. I believe the five wise maidens were self-aware, acknowledging that they had to fulfill a responsibility — to meet and welcome this prestigious guest. They recognised that it was the bridegroom’s affair, his honour, and not theirs. It is said that the groom’s arrival was delayed but no explanation is given for his tardiness. His arrival should be celebrated more because no wedding will take place without him, right? One commentary on the text interprets this as the bridegroom asserting his male authority from the onset of the marriage! As a man, he is supposed to be followed at all times! Here in the Philippines, it’s the other way around — the bride is always the one who is late to her own wedding. People say it was her last shot at freedom. As I said earlier, in the Philippines it seems that the women who are the ones often followed more than the husband. Is that right? In any case, the wise maidens thought it best to bring extra provisions to sustain them and to keep their lamps burning should there be delays. They made sure they were ready for some unforeseen circumstances.
I chanced upon a Tiktok upload of Olaf recounting some valuable life lessons. Do you know Olaf? He is the playful snowman in Frozen. Olaf counsels: “If you focus on the hurt (mistake, the poor choice), you will continue to suffer, but if you focus on the lesson, you will continue to grow. When life brings pain and challenges, remember this: “Where you put your attention makes all the difference. It can keep you trapped in suffering (or you can move forward and grow). If you shift your focus to the lessons hidden within those tough moments, you give yourself the power to grow and become stronger.” Don’t you find the animated snowman quite clever? 🙂
My twelve years of priestly ministry was never a walk in the park. I have had to deal with many setbacks and challenges through the years. I admit I am partly to blame for some of those situations because I am only human with imperfections and shortcomings. However, I do not let this discourage me! I always believe that as we pick up the broken pieces of a misfortune, we should always focus on the lesson we gained and recommit ourselves to doing things better next time. The wisdom derived from these experiences enables us to be wiser and more discerning in all of our life’s choices. The lessons learned from all of life’s experiences are what make us prepared to meet life’s challenges and direct us to always carry with us our “extra oil” for our lamps to keep burning in the midst of the darkness in our life.
It is funny sometimes to speak about lessons of the past. Even today, when you look around, it is like we have not learned the lessons from our mistakes. On a large scale, look at Israel and Palestine who are at war with each other. Theirs is a war that has been fought over and over for thousands of years. Every war always brings many casualties among the innocent and yet actions to ensure the safety of the civilians have yet to be pursued. If we look at our government, would we say we have learned from the mistakes of the past? We have such short-term memories. How have the lessons of life and history prepared us for today. I guess humanity cannot always be expected to make the wise decisions. However, each one of us can still make a difference if we choose the path of wisdom and preparedness. We never know who is watching us and whom we may inspire.
Like the wise virgins, let us always be prepared for the daily encounters with Jesus. Let us be responsible workers preparing His Kingdom on earth. Let us hold on to the wisdom offered by the various experiences of life and let these lessons guide us to cope with life’s surprises. Lastly, please pray for me that I may continue to serve the Lord well with you. I shall pray for you too, that the wisdom of the past will help us all bear the challenges of the present and allow us to glimpse a future with Jesus in His Kingdom!
Sunday Gospel Reflections 