November 6, 2011 Cycle A
The Scouting Organization of America has done a splendid job in formation of our youth. Two of our parishioners could do well to speak here today with their personal testimony and shared experience. Rik Bergethon has served as scout leader and diocesan liaison to the movement for years. He has many rich experiences in his scouting career. The other I might mention among some of our other young people is a senior in high school. Damian Bordenave has spent the past summers up at Camp Jackson teaching and leading young men in the skills of living in the wilderness. He recently completed the project to be an Eagle Scout. Our congratulations to him.
The Boy Scout motto, “Be prepared,” has importance in our scripture reflection today. As the scouts know there’s some practical items of getting ready such as not allowing your matches to get wet when you’re camping, and even carry even fresh batteries, or perhaps a lesson from my own dad of having enough kerosene for the lamp when you’re out in the woods. These activities and others underscore that motto to “Be prepared.”
Getting ready for a wedding may not seem like having much to do with camping, but as understood in Christ’s day the culture of the day mandated that one would be prepared since the groom may arrive at any time.
A closer look at our Gospel shows us that the women went to the wedding reception unprepared. At least some did. All of them had oil in their lamps when they began. Early in the evening there was no noticeable difference between the wise five and the foolish five. Moreover they all became weary and tired and took a nap while waiting for the party to begin when the groom would arrive. Then the only difference between the women unnoticed at first is that some carried a spare vial of oil. Maybe the so called foolish girls didn’t carry an extra vial of oil because it was expensive. Who knows? They all took a nap. They were snoozing. Waiting for the bridegroom to show up. As late as he was they wondered if it was going to happen. Some would say those other five should not have been snoozing, they should have been shopping for some candle power.
That brings me to an aspect to reflect on today: Do we need candle power? A parish with candle power is a Church that shows and glows. It is a Church that shows up and it has the candle of preparation. The spade work has been done. The foundation has been built. The ground work is finished. The plans have been drawn up. Everything needed for the success of the mission has been gathered. A Church with candle power has its candles. It shows up with candles that are ready, the wicks trimmed.
But it also glows. It has both the candle and the flame. It has an external source of power that gives all the prior preparation its explosive and enlightening energy. A glowing parish is one which is more than a mere candle. It’s more than a pillar of paraffin that’s apt to melt in a puddle if a heat source is inappropriately applied, rather than a torch that lights the way. Such a Church is a parish which prays, a parish which studies, a Church which worships, a Church which remembers the Sacraments, a parish which offers praise and thanksgiving.
Today as we come to reflect on our own involvement in this parish community at Christ the King, I invite you to consider lighting a candle offering your candle power by making a monetary commitment for the coming year. This past week I spoke to you about the needs of the parish in these difficult economic times. We need to be like the scouting motto taught us, not people who are left in darkness, but positive individuals who have lit our candles. For we are excited about the way that the light shines forth for others to also catch the light of Jesus Christ through our mission, through our worship, and through our common prayer.
This weekend we are passing out the new calendars for 2012 and the theme this year in the calendar is on “Stewardship as a Way of Life.”
One of the written monthly reflections says the following, “Stewards give their first fruits to God – not as payment for gifts received, but in gratitude for gifts given. Stewards know that in order to receive a gift the giver must be acknowledged. To use the gift in the way the giver intended is the highest form of gratitude.”
Each and every one of us are called to be wise stewards of the gifts that God has shared with us. We are asked to return to God through our faith community financial support so that we might truly be about keeping the mission and the Gospel of Christ alive in our day. We need to exhibit more candle power ourselves so the parish truly is a parish that lights the way for others to find our Savior and our Lord.
I came across this statement by the Dalai Lama. He was asked one time about what surprised him most about humanity. He answered in this manner, “Man surprised him the most, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health and then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present. The result being that he has not lived in the present or the future. He lives as if he is never going to die and then dies having never really lived.” It speaks to us about humanity living in darkness, not filled with candle power, not filled with wisdom of preparation and planning.
I invite you today to fill out the pledge cards before you so that you can join us in this opportunity to support our parish community for yet another year.
The lamps must be lit for we are called to be candle people who help to refuel, rekindle, and recharge the soul lamps of those people whose flames might be flickering around us.
Thank you for your support!
Amen. Amen. Msgr. Tom Adrians, Pastor Christ the King