Understanding the Word

By Dianne Bergant, C.S.A.

Israel’s wisdom tradition is a compilation of the insights gleaned from reflection on life experience. The book of Wisdom makes a bold claim, namely, that  Wisdom is perceived by those who love her, found by those who search for her.  Actually, one’s love of and search for Wisdom are evidence that one is already  wise. It should be noted that while people search for Wisdom, Wisdom is also  in search of them, moving through the highways and byways of life. Those who  find Wisdom find peace and security, meaning and fulfillment. And once she has  been found, one will be able to see her everywhere. 

The concern of early Christians over the death of some of their number suggests that they believed that living the new life in Christ would exempt them  from physical death. Thus they questioned both the authenticity of the faith of  the deceased and the trustworthiness of this new life. Paul seeks to encourage  those struggling with the death of a loved one and with questions of faith. He  explains that those truly joined to Jesus are delivered from the power of death,  for not even death can separate them from the love of Christ. Finally, at the end  of time, all believers will be decisively joined with the Lord. 

The parable of the ten virgins is told against the background of Palestinian  wedding customs. Several features of the parable mark its end-of-time character.  The most obvious are the banquet itself and the idea of waiting in darkness for  an event to occur without knowing exactly when it will come to pass. The difference between the virgins is their preparedness. Half of them made provision  for the possible delay of the bridegroom, the other half did not. This parable  recounts the passage from the present age to the age of fulfillment. One is either  ready to cross that threshold, or one is not. Jesus’ exhortation is simple but  strong: Be alert!

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