In the meantime

23rd Sunday After Pentecost

Today's Readings: 1 Thes. 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13

Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

In these days of great stress and anticipation I’ve been spending a lot of time with the smoothing chants of the Taize monks from France. The chant that I heard repeated in my head as I meditated on these scripture passages this week was this: “Wait for the Lord, who’s day is near. Wait for the Lord; be strong, take heart.”

We’ve had to do a lot of waiting in 2020. Most recently waiting on election results, but we have spent the bulk of this year waiting for the day when it will be safe again to physically gather.. when it will be safe again to take off our masks.. when it will be safe again to hug our loved ones.. when it will be safe again to participate in life in ways that have previously brought us joy, fulfillment and love.

Ironically enough, we are about to enter the liturgical season of waiting; advent. We wait and we wait some more. In advent we await the Lord’s birth, celebrated at Christmas. Our readings today and for the next couple of weeks, remind us of our waiting for the Lord to return; waiting for the kingdom come in it’s fullness, where both the dead and the living will rejoice in God’s full glory. No one knows when this will be; only God knows the day and time. So we wait. Our lives our lived in advent, in waiting, in anticipation of the dawn of the new era Christ will bring.

In this morning’s parable, there are five bridesmaids who appear to have done the right thing as they waited on their lord. They were prepared for the wait and they rested. They did not lose sleep in anticipation nor did they lose their sanity trying to determine when and where their Lord would come. They were prepared. They were doing all they could do in the meantime and they found peace and comfort in this way of life.

We too are called to so much more than sleeplessness and paralysis. Many of lives would have been tragically wasted if Christians chose to wait for the Lord throughout history by simply gazing out the window waiting to see a glimpse of the lord on the horizon. Rather, we live our lives prepared to wait. We, like the wise bridegrooms, never assume we have enough in our lamps right now. We are prepared for the wait.

But this is a parable, so what does the oil actually stand for? In the parable, the oil lights the lamp. Perhaps for us the oil is faith, hope and love, which ignite a flame in our souls. These are the resources that sustain us. These are the resources we never assume we have enough of, always keeping more on hand, so our flame can keep burning throughout our lives of waiting.

Faith, hope and love; out of these things we are able to live even while we wait and hope for the resurrected life Christ promises is on the horizon. While we wait, we live in such a way that our light shines before others that they too may see and glorify God; we live in community in love and service to our neighbor; we learn and pray; we engage in acts of mercy, forgiveness, justice and peace – just as our Lord instructed us to do. In these ways we are prepared, patient, at peace, and most importantly alive here and now.

As Rev. Lindsay P. Armstrong says, “With good works and acts of faith in God, they (the wise bridegrooms) prepare for an unknown but secure future… NOW is the time for active discipleship… The kingdom of heaven summons us to new life, improved commitment, casting away of false idols, active waiting in hope, and renewed vigor in faith… One of the secrets taught by Matthew 25:1-13 is that faithful action done now prepares us to weather the unexpected timing of God.”

Beloved of God, Christ promises to return again and God always keeps God’s promises. In the meantime, there is life to live. In the meantime, we live the way of Christ in preparation for the kingdom come. In doing this, we even realize the kingdom come into our midst.. a foretaste of the feast to come. “Wait for the Lord, who’s day is near. Wait for the Lord; be strong, take heart.” Amen.