From our Pastor’s Desk

Dear Family:

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins. Two weeks before the Season of Advent, a time to prepare and be aware of the Second coming, this parable places us in that position of anticipation. Preparedness, as shown by the five wise virgins who brought enough oil in case of any unforeseen eventualities during the wedding. The other five were called foolish by the Lord for neglecting their responsibility of seeing to it that they will have lighted lamps when the groom comes. But there is something more in this parable.

The sole purpose of our earthly life is to live with the fullness of Life for all eternity. Earthly life is a preparation to achieve this goal and this preparation must be done with alertness and attentiveness. Some of us may be caught unprepared and be left outside knocking at heaven’s door begging consideration and forgiveness. The response of the bridegroom reveals a very important aspect of faith, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.”

Do you know the Lord Jesus? The question really asks if you have a “relationship” with Him. We may know a lot about Jesus but we may not know Him experientially. It is a lot different hearing about a person than meeting the person. In the same way, following God’s commandments is not enough. We also must have constant communication and encounters with the Lord. Prayer is one good form of encounter and communication.

A lot of our experiences do not need knowing people. We do not need to know presidents of insurance companies to get our benefits. We do not need to know personally the president of our nation to be served by the government. We do not need to know sports officials to play a sport. In other words, we can receive benefits and participate in events without knowing the leaders and heads of companies.

But this is not the case with our faith. Knowing God and be known by Him is a requirement. Knowing God better certainly can begin by reading Scriptures and trying them out in our lives. That way, we can know the veracity and effectiveness of His words. Prayer places us face to face with God and give us the opportunity to talk to Him and listen to Him. We know how important is communication in human relationships. Much more with God. Being in the presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar in perpetual adoration is the best way to create that relationship with Him.

His will is vital to our salvation. It is unfortunate that we usually seek God’s presence mostly when we are in need, in trouble, or a desperate situation. That is not a healthy relationship. It is a relationship, a knowing out of need. We must relate to God in season and out of season, in good and bad times, for better for worse, or in sickness and in health. His presence gives us assurance and reminds us of our call to holiness.

As a priest, I had experienced that so many times. People usually call or visit me when they need my ministry. I had accepted that, of course. But few would come just to share time with me. My function is how I am defined. Rarely, I get a call just saying, ‘How are you?” We do the same with God. So, do not be surprised if and when we knock on heaven’s door we will be asked, “Who are you? I do not know you!”

We are like the wise and foolish virgins in today’s gospel. We do not know the arrival time of Jesus, the bridegroom. Therefore, Jesus says, “Stay awake, for you do not know neither the day nor the hour.” Stay awake means stay awake in prayer, stay vigilant, stay watchful and alert against the deceits of the Evil One and his agents. We need God’s wisdom to stay awake and be ready for our personal end of time.

The parable of the ten virgins also teaches us the need to think ahead and plan ahead in a positive way. This rule of positive thinking ahead and planning ahead concerns not only for eternal life but every aspect of our existence. It is foolishness, and anyone’s regret who disregards this rule. We need to remain firm on what is right and not sway to what is wrong. The foolish virgins’ request represents those suggestions that put pressure on us to follow the path of sin. The request represents trials and temptations that come our way, capable of swaying us away from the right course of action to the wrong course of action. The parable encourages us to be wise and courageous enough to withstand such pressures and to decline such requests. It is an unhealthy attitude to be a pleaser (a person who has an emotional need to please others often at the expense of his or her own needs or desires).

The Lord in this parable demonstrates to us that we all have received the basic help we need to realize our common goal as sons and daughters of God. Remember that the ten maidens were all virgins, a sign of the equal opportunity which God, the impartial Judge, has bestowed on each and every one of us. This basic gift of God accounts for “the desire for God that is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God man will find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for.”

This basic stature which God has bestowed on us to know, love and serve Him and as such live with Him in eternity does not exclude our indispensable human effort which must be lived in the disposition of attentiveness and alertness. The Lord Jesus is the fullness of God’s gift to us and of God’s revelation to us. In Him is contained everything we need to achieve the innermost goal of all creatures to be with their Creator for all eternity. Anything that is not in Him is nowhere else! He is the only Way to our destination and only in walking with Him do we receive the wisdom that keeps the light of God aflame in us.

May our daily search for the face of God in His Son Jesus Christ inspired by the gifts of the Spirit of Wisdom keep us constantly alert, attentive and ready to enter into eternal communion with Him who made us for Himself to be One Body, One Spirit, One Family! Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Katharine Drexel, Saint Michael the Archangel, St. José Gregorio Hernández, Pope Saint Pius X, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Charbel, pray for us.

Yours in Christ!
Fr. Omar