Introit

Collect

Almighty and merciful God,
graciously keep from us all adversity,
so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart
the things that are yours.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading Wis 6:12-16 1 

Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her. 13 She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her. 14 One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for she will be found sitting at the gate. 15 To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding, and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care, 16 because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths, and meets them in every thought.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 63:2,3-4,5-6,7-8 

R/. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Second Reading 1 Thess 4:13-18   

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. 15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Alleluia Mt 24:42,44 

 

Gospel Mt 25:1-13 

When talking about his coming in glory, Jesus spoke this parable to the disciples: 1 “The kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 “Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Catena Nova

The better part with Mary, and with Ruth,
Chosen thou hast, and they that overween,
And at thy growing virtues fret their spleen,
No anger find in thee, but pity and truth.
Thy care is fixt and zealously attends
To fill thy odorous Lamp with deeds of light,
And Hope that reaps not shame. Therefore be sure
Thou, when the Bridegroom with his feastfull friends
Passes to bliss at the mid hour of night,
Hast gain'd thy entrance, Virgin wise and pure.  (John Milton)

“I have not become as wise
as those five wise Virgins.
… But I have become the most wretched of the foolish ones
by failing to keep some oil for my lamp,
namely, mercy together with virginity
or, still more, the anointing from Baptism’s Sacred fount…

Therefore, the doors of the wedding hall
are closed to me too, in my negligence.
But, O my Bridegroom,
while I am still in my body here below,
listen to my soul, Your Bride…
From now on, I will cry aloud piteously,
“Oh, open to me Your Heavenly Door,
bring me into Your Wedding Chamber on high,
make me worthy of Your Holy Kiss,
Your pure and spotless Embrace.
Oh let me not hear the Voice saying
it does not know me!
I am blind; set alight with Your own Light
my spirit’s extinguished flame!”  (St. Nerses Chnorhali)

Homily

     Anyone who knows me knows I always arrive early and always come prepared.  So I have little sympathy for those bridesmaids who were caught unprepared – and I’m not too keen on the Bridegroom’s late arrival either!  And it’s a good thing I wasn’t the manager of the oil lamp store if those five slackers came knocking on my door after midnight.  

     But really can you ever be prepared enough?  For every possible event?  For when you need a contingency plan?  Curve balls can come from nowhere and foil the best-laid plans.  We've seen how prepared those who would overturn an election were to meddle and muddle the results.  And how prepared others were to thwart them.  All that Epstein class "oil" and the lamps still came up empty.

        And yet, all of Christian life is one long preparation, isn’t it? Whether we happen to be the generation alive when the Lord comes again at the long delayed midnight hour of human history, or among those who have fallen asleep while awaiting his arrival (II), the moment comes when the fateful cry is heard by all, Behold, the Bridegroom! (G)  And ready or not, we are summoned to go out and meet him from whatever place we happen to be, whether this side of eternity or beyond.

       Which is one reason we observe "All Hallows Tide" from October 31-November 2.  All Souls Day this past Monday and the whole month of November is dedicated to remembrance of the dead.  As nature begins its somber divestment of the blazing colors of autumn, leaving us with barren trees, leaden skies, and shortened days, so the church draws our attention to the grave and those who lie therein as they await the last day when unhindered in mind and body alike they will come to the fullness of eternal life in the resurrection of the dead (cf. Collect) together, hopefully, with us.

       And unlike our culture’s antiseptic approach to death, verging on denial, the church would have us employ a much wiser attitude.  Indeed, beyond the suffrages of All Souls Day when Masses are offered for the repose of the faithful departed – where such things still motivate Catholics – you might also consider visiting a cemetery where one’s loved ones are interred or, better yet, your own grave, yet to be occupied.  (As I recall, it was the Ghost of Christmas Future’s visit that cemented Ebenezer Scrooge’s conversion when he was forced to look upon his final resting place).  And just so you know, I will be doing this tomorrow as I bless the graves of my parents and other relatives, and gaze upon the headstone with my name on it — just waiting for a date to be chiseled next to my birthday.

     But All Souls Day has broader appeal than such hallowed practices — which by the way seem largely forgotten by Catholics in this country.  But not so others.  Here in Brighton NY where I live the Rochester Spiritualist Society held an event at a local park that included messages from mediums.  Several local news stations reported on a Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration in nearby Batavia honoring the Mexican holiday which drew more people than expected. And the Memorial Art Gallery is already selling tickets for next year's event they are calling the Museum of the Dead.

     If all this sounds ghoulish to you, well, nothing is more gruesome than Halloween, American style, playing into our endless fascination with ghosts, goblins and gore.  The latest horror film, Clayface, was released just in time to scare us up.  And I marvel at all the grotesque figures on people's lawns.  All of which tells me we have a real, if disguised, interest in facing human mortality — just not so much our own.   

       So let November be November.  It's the perfect time to check your “oil levels” and prepare for the midnight hour when you must “shuffle off this mortal coil,” to quote Shakespeare.  It's a matter of wisdom and prudence (cf. I) to make sure we are ready for that moment when the Bridegroom comes for us — preparation for a “good death” as we used to say.  

     But don't forget the lives and loves we leave behind.  Like your will,  power of attorney, executor, beneficiaries, health care proxy.  At the very least, let your next of kin what your final wishes are.  You can find mine in a plastic envelope on my desk in my bedroom, obituary included, while my burial vestments are in the downstairs closet in a garment bag.  Don't forget.     

     So as the year winds down, the church would not have us be unaware…about those who have fallen asleep, so that we may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. (cf.  II)  Awareness of the "Last Things," as we used to call them, beginning with this month of the “Holy Souls” ending this year with the First Sunday of Advent with its own focus on things that will end.  Stay awake, then, for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Bridegroom will come (cf. G)  Who lives and reigns world without end.  Amen.

 

Intercessions (Joe Milner)

For the Church: that we may have a spirit of readiness so that we can respond to God’s presence and invitations at any moment.

For the gift of Wisdom: that God will give us insight and understanding through our daily experiences so that we may value and nurture those things which will sustain us into eternal life.

For the grace of fidelity: that we may faithfully follow Christ each day of our life, acting justly, loving tenderly, and walking humbly before God, and thus keep our light burning until Christ comes.

For Wisdom for the President, for the members of Congress, and for the Supreme Court: that God will inspire them in their decision making and give them insight into the real causes of the problems before them.

For all who must wait, for those facing surgery, for parents of sick children, for those in prison, for lovers who are separated: that God will strengthen, comfort, and sustain them.

For the poor, the refugees and the malnourished: that God will open supplies for them and our hearts to the needs of all our suffering sisters and brothers.

For all who have experienced violence or terrorism: that God will heal their pain and free them to live life fully.

For understanding of the marvels of creation: that the Spirit will give us wisdom to care for and protect the earth and all it creatures.

For all with terminal illness who are waiting to meet the Lord in death: that they may have courage and hope in God's love for them.

For all who are grieving the death of a loved one: that God will wipe away their tears, be a sustaining presence for them, and heal the pain of separation in their hearts.

Brighten your Church, O God, with the promise of your kingdom and waken our hearts to its light. Bid us hasten with faith undimmed to greet the bridegroom’s return and to enter the wedding feast.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (ICEL; 1998)

Offertory Antiphon

Offertory Hymn

 

Wisdom comes from God and with God it shall remain
Like the sand of the seashore or the drops of the rain
Or the days of eternity
Who can number these, who can explore
Heaven's height or the depths of the sea
Before all things were created
Wisdom came to be

The beginning of Wisdom is the awesome fear of God
Which is formed in the faithful in their mother's womb
With devotion from of old
She inebriates with her finest fruit
And fills our house with food
Her garland is the fear of God
Her blossoms peace and good

Communion Antiphon

Closing Hymn

 

The bridegroom will be coming
in the middle of the night,
And happy will those virgins be
whose lamps are burning bright;
But woe to those dull servants,
whom the Master will surprise
With lamps undimmed, unburning,
and with slumber in their eyes.

Beware, my soul, be watchful,
lest slumber bring you down
And in the sleep of death you fall,
to lose the golden crown.
But stay awake, be sober,
with a watchful eye; and thus
Cry "Holy, holy, holy God!
Have mercy upon us!"

That day, the day of fear, will come;
my soul, persist in toil,
So light your lamp and feed it well
and make it bright with oil.
For no one knows how soon may sound
the cry at eventide:
"Behold, the Bridegroom comes! Arise!
Go out to meet the bride!"

Beware, my soul, beware, beware,
lest deep in sleep you lie
And, like the Five, remain outside,
and knock and vainly cry.
But watch and keep your lamp undimmed,
and so with Christ put on
The glorious wedding robe of light,
the glory of the Son!