Fr. Bob's Reflection for the Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Guest Post

We have the familiar story of the ten bridesmaids. It is a somewhat complicated story, but its message is simple: they were unprepared. They lacked foresight. They were waiting for the groom to arrive. He was late, which was not uncommon in those days. There were no clocks or watches; time was measured by the sun, and after dark, it was anyone’s guess how much time had passed. Eventually, their lamps ran out of oil. It was a mistake that could easily have been avoided. They should have known better. And when they finally realized they needed oil and went out to buy it, it was too late. By the time they returned, the door was closed, and they had missed the wedding. I think most of us can see ourselves in that story. We have all missed opportunities that could or should have been seized. We have made mistakes that, looking back, we realize could have been avoided. A mother once told me, “I wish I had spent more time with my children when they were young. I wish I’d had the foresight to pay more attention. Now they are grown and gone from home.” How many of us can relate to that? We look back and think, “If only I had thought ahead. If only I had done things differently. How different life might have been.” Sometimes our choices have serious consequences for ourselves or for others. We may look back with regret and recognize that our actions caused pain or grief. We repent on the basis of hindsight, wishing we could go back and change what happened. So often, we are like those in the bridal party, trying to buy oil when it is too late. And yet, my friends, life is not a blind alley. All the sins human beings can commit have already been committed. We have seen them throughout history, from the pages of Scripture to the evening news. It is painful when people hurt one another, and it can seem as though we never learn from our mistakes. The bridesmaids in the Gospel could not reopen the door once it was closed. There are moments in our own lives that we cannot recover, and opportunities that, once lost, will not return. We may even look back on our school days, our relationships or our family life and wish we had made better use of the time we were given. But we do not have to live in the past. We are here. We are alive today. Some opportunities are gone, but others are still waiting for us. Let us learn from the past without becoming trapped by it. Let us recognize the opportunities before us now – to love, to forgive, to help, to listen, to make amends and to do what is right. The door to the wedding is not yet closed for us. It is still wide open. We may look back on our lives and remember the opportunities we missed. But we do not need to miss the next one – if only we use a little foresight. Yours in Christ, Fr. Robert Warren, S.A. Spiritual Director