I’ve got a very short sermon today, not because I’m unprepared, but I think that the point I want to make is so simple that I’m afraid of making it complicated if I talk too much.
In today’s parable, we have another “the kingdom of heaven is like” story - we have two sets of bridesmaids, the foolish and the wise. The wise get into the wedding feast and the foolish don’t. Seemingly from a lack of oil, but I think there is another point to be made.
Although deemed “wise” for having extra oil, this set of bridesmaids, while getting through the door to the wedding, weren’t much better than the foolish ones. They were all in some way unprepared for how long it would take. They all fell asleep on the job. And the “wise” were selfish with their oil, fearing that there may not be enough to go around.
Here’s my question: Are the foolish foolish because they don’t have extra oil or because they left to try and find some just as the groom was arriving?
I think both groups miss the point, thinking that the oil or the lights is the most important thing about greeting the groom, instead of the celebration that’s about to happen, and I think we sometimes do the same thing. Yes, we need to be ready for the groom to return, but whatever it is we think our “oil” is – whatever we think our problem is or what it is we think we are missing – whenever we feel like we aren’t “good enough” - here’s the thing… God knows what it is. No matter how big we think our junk is, no matter how guilty we feel about it or how foolish we feel – God knows about it and is ready to forgive it. There is nothing we can do that can make him love us less. Let me say that again – there is nothing you can do that can make God love you less.
We don’t have to run away to make things right, the important thing is to be there when the wedding starts.
In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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