And the award for “Miss Congeniality” goes to all five of the “foolish bridesmaids!”
They were stellar!
If I had been one of them, I would have made the suggestion that we share a lamp…combine our oils…and walk two by two…
And if that didn’t work, I would have convinced the “other four” to become “party crashers” along with me…
I would have banged on “that door” until I received satisfaction…Heck, I would have “disrupted” the entire wedding celebration if need be…
I would have made sure that every guest knew – that we would have “more than enough” olive oil – “IF” the bridegroom had not been DELAYED. It was HIS FAULT not OURS.
We, too, were more than ready to eat and drink and dance the night away…
We never thought we would be “disinvited” and “locked out!”
They would let us “enter” or die of “personal embarrassment and shame.”
Those girls were congenial… (I tell you) all of them.
They were nice. But more than nice, they understood that there was also more that they “could have done.”
Maybe they were a little unprepared, but they (were at least,) cordial about it. They did not cause a scene. There was no drama created!
And just so you know, the Greek word for “foolish” is mor’ os…and it could be rendered as: non-sensical, clueless, absurd, brainless, dull, stupid or foolish. It is from this root word – that we get our word “moron.” Thus making these young bridesmaids – moronic.
You do realize that the Biblical age for marriage was around twelve and half or thirteen years of age…for a girl…if not younger…
Euuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…
The Bridesmaids could have been conceivably younger, ten, eleven, twelve.
And the “BrunHilda Award” as Miss Kinga calls it – would go to the five “wise” bridesmaids who “refused to share.” They refused to “care.” They knew they were going “into” the party and that was seemingly all that mattered, to them.
I imagine them running around with smug grins on their faces, raising their glasses and winking to their “foolish compatriots” from the warmth and the jollity of the ballroom.
Some relatives they were…they were like “borderline-bully’s…”
We are in and you are out, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. We are “included” and you are “excluded,” nah, nah, nah, nah…
I could see them saying, “sorry girls” and closing the drapes…and laughing…they “taunted” the other girls!
I tell you, they were just plain “mean!” I am surprised the bride put up with the likes of them!
The Greek word used for “STAY AWAKE” or “KEEP AWAKE” can also be interpreted to mean, “stay alert, be engaged, for there is a task to do!”
None of the girls should have fallen asleep…there is always something to do while you wait.
The parable of the “Ten Unnamed Women” characterizes Christianity as being a “waiting religion.”
We are waiting on the promises of our God.
We are anticipating God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven.
We are expecting the return of Jesus.
Ours is a religion that calls on us to be “faithfully ready.”
And we are to be prepared seeing as “no one knows the time or the date.”
But in the meantime, in the in between time…there is always stuff for us to be doing…
And so we pass our faith along to our children and to our grandchildren. We rely upon one another and upon the best of our traditions to sustain us when doubt and fatigue proves overwhelming.
We forgive one another…we attempt to love one another, we keep the great commandment, we study the scriptures, we are attentive to the word, we baptize people into a new identity and we share a common meal together – to recognize the sustenance that God provides. We worship IN community.
These things aren’t mere rituals or time- fillers. They are meant to sustain us and strengthen us – until Our Lord comes again.
Faithfulness must also consist of serving others, especially those who are poor or oppressed or on the “outside looking in.” Feeding the hungry…clothing the naked. Donating blood!
There is always more stuff to be done. We are to be “actively waiting.”
Amen.