THE WISDOM OF THE WISE

HOMILY OF THE 32TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A

Wisdom 6:12-16, 1Thes 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13

In our today’s gospel, the Lord taught us the importance of timely preparation and the significance of wisdom in our life journey.

There were ten virgins; five were wise and five foolish.

“For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; the wise took flasks of oil with them.” The bridegroom came in the midnight at the hour they never expected. It was dark and they needed light to see the bridegroom.

• Wisdom helps us to project into the future.

It helps us to weigh all our actions.

It entails good planning.

It teaches us that, it is not everything that we can achieve at the eleventh hour.

• Our life contingencies are not stereotype.

Our life script is not written only in black and white

The wisdom of the wise is in the ability to survive in all situations.

The foolish virgins were living on the maxims of “ceteris paribus” “All things being equal”

They never put other life exigencies into consideration.

They were expecting the bridegroom at a set time.

• We know real men when things are going tough.

We know who is who when it is no longer the game as usual.

Paul said, “I have learnt the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in him who strengthens me.”

Wisdom helps us to manage our resources.

If you give a precious stone to foolish person, he will throw it into the bush.

• More so, wisdom helps us to moderate our sense of generosity.

While we do not kill our sense of charity, we must not, on the altar of sympathy, allow the negligence of others to kill our life goal.

It is the person who is standing that can help those lying down to stand.

“But the wise replied, Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.”

We must learn to know the appropriate time to say yes or no.

Above all, salvation is personal.

We cannot buy virtues or borrow character. It is meant to be acquired with determination and discipline.

Jesus is our Eternal Wisdom. Those who seek him diligently cannot never miss out on the day of their visitation. They will never be stranded in life.

May we not take God’s grace for granted. And may we ever be ready at any time the Lord beckons on us. Amen.