Gospel Passage:  Mt 25:1-13

 

Jesus told his disciples: "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise replied, 'No! There will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

 

Introductory Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I believe that you are here calling me to prayer. I believe in the reality and strength of your love, poured out for me. I trust that I can enter into this love now through prayer and find all the courage I need to seek you actively. I love you Lord. May this prayer prepare me to later receive you more intimately in the Eucharist. May this prayer serve as well as a sincere act of my love for you.

 

Petition:  Lord, prepare my heart for Love.

 

1. Called to Meet the Bridegroom 

 

God became man to encounter each one of us in a human way. Yet the encounter is not distant, brief or superficial. It is intimate; God presents himself as a bridegroom. He is the reason for joy and celebration. The 10 bridesmaids represent the bride, sharing in her joy. Their sole mission is to greet and accompany the bridegroom into the wedding feast. No one can take their place. How seriously they take their role will determine how well they fulfill it. The Church is Christ's bride. Like the bridesmaids, must I not have a deeper understanding of Christ and his love for the Church, if he is to be my joy and reason to celebrate?

 

2. Life Is a Preparation

 

It seems terrible to me that someone could appear before God and offer Him as the product of 80 years of life, what he could have perhaps produced in only 20 or 40 (Letter, Time and Eternity, March 10, 1993), reflects Legionary of Christ founder Fr Marcial Maciel. Time is one of Gods most precious gifts. Once lost, it can never be restored. We realize that the most important moment of life is in fact the moment of death. Yet, that last hour will be in some way the result and summary of all the hours we have lived until that moment. Every moment is a preparation to meet the Lord who loves us and has given his life to win our salvation. We will not be able to improvise when the moment of truth comes. Each act of faith, trust and love -- every effort to sacrifice and do Gods will -- establishes a relationship with the Bridegroom.

  

3. Does He Know Me

 

What words could be more desperate than, Lord, open to us? And what more tragic than I do not know you? The Bridegroom certainly knows the bride, the one for whom he has given his life. But he knows us in love, what his love calls us to be. So he cannot know us only if we fall out of love. Our disposition then while we await the Bridegroom which sums up faith, hope and love is gratitude. The Lord, who loved us first, will look to find a grateful heart that has been transformed by the graces of baptism, repentance and charity. A grateful heart does not forget him. Not a day goes by without a loving remembrance and acts of thanksgiving. Little wonder he left us the Eucharist, the thanksgiving sacrament, through which to prepare for his coming.

  

Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord, you know me in my efforts to love you each day. Inspire me with your Eucharistic sacrifice so as to know how to give myself totally in love. Help me to anticipate your coming by finding you in each person on my path. May I never fail to prepare my heart to love you and share the joy of your Kingdom. Reveal to me the depths and qualities of your love so that I can prepare to give you a ready, sincere and worthy response.

 

 Questionnaire

 

1. What describes the disposition of my heart, gratitude or indifference?

 

2. My life is a search to know and love Christ, to be with him. How ready, open and surrendered will my heart be at the last moment of my life? Will I still want to greet him?

 

3. What can I do daily to prepare my heart to meet Christ in the Eucharist?