Be Prepared

This weekend’s gospel is one that often gets misunderstood.  In Matthew, he tells the parable of the women getting ready to meet the Bridegroom on his way to the castle, so they can attend the wedding feast.  Some of the women brought their lamps and some of them brought their lamps and extra oil to keep them lit.  Well, as I am sure you know, those that did not bring extra oil, had to go to the merchant and purchase more.  While they were gone, the Bridegroom came by and invited those waiting into the feast, leaving behind those that did not bring enough oil.

 

Every story can be seen from one side or the other.  If you don’t believe that, watch a conservative news broadcast and then watch a liberal news broadcast.  They both tell the same news story just with a different spin.  This parable is no different.  Some will look at it from the side of the women who were prepared and say congratulations for having the fore thought to think ahead and bring extra oil.  Others will look at the same parable and express discontent for those prepared women for not sharing their oil with others.  How can they be faith filled not to give of what they have to help others!!  Regardless of the way you want to interpret this parable, the most important message is be prepared, for you do not know when the time is coming.

 

Are we prepared for the time in which Jesus calls us?  We all know when it is going to happen, we just do not know when.  Fr. Hunter tweeted the other day, “Take a quick spiritual inventory of your life.  Is Jesus the focal point of your life?  Are you coming to Mass each week?  Do you pray each day?  If not, it’s not too late to change it.”  Many of us are like the women that did not have extra oil.  We may attend Mass when it is convenient to our schedule, maybe we do not attend Reconciliation like we should, maybe we do not pray every day, and the list could go on and on.  Regardless of what takes our focus off of our faith, it is not too late to change.

 

Tyler Mayer, from Bishop Chatard High School stopped by last week to talk with our 8^th graders.  He said, “Habits are the easiest things to form, but the hardest things to change.”  Take some time to do a spiritual inventory.  Do you have spiritual habits?  If not, it is really easy to develop some, attend Mass regularly, attend an Advent Penance service, pray daily, go on a retreat.  It is hard to break a habit, I agree, but if you replace a bad habit with God, it will quickly become a good habit.