[00:00:02] Hello, my name is Sally Moriarty-Flask. Welcome to: From His Word to Our Hearts, my weekly Bible Study podcast. Together we will explore the readings to be proclaimed at the Catholic Mass on Sunday, November 8, 2026, the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
This week's episode is entitled: Be Wise, and that title reflects a common theme in this week's readings because they are all about being wise, seeking wisdom, and avoiding ignorance. That is not a goal we ever fully attain, but one we must seek out every day.
As we journey through the readings this week, consider the following:
Jesus' Parable of the Wise and Foolish Maidens - like a number of parables we've heard recently - raises our hackles because we think, wrongly, that Jesus is being unfair. But all of the parables we hear, as we approach the end of the Liturgical Year, focus on judgment in order to remind us that we must watch for the coming of the kingdom. So, how do we pursue wisdom in the midst of the demands of our complicated and messy daily lives? How do we seek the wisdom Jesus expects us to attain?
Let's begin in prayer:
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for the words of Sacred Scripture, for they remind us that our destiny is to become citizens of your heavenly kingdom. Help us to seek the wisdom we need so that we are prepared for the coming of your Son, whether at the end of our lives or the end of time. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[00:02:07] Now that we've opened our hearts in prayer, let's listen to what God is telling us in the Scriptures. Our Gospel this week is from Matthew 25: 1-13.
“[Jesus told his disciples this parable:] ‘The kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For 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, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise. “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.” And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.” Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.’”
[00:03:44] After last week's brief foray into an earlier part of Matthew's Gospel for the Feast of All Saints, we have now returned to a much later portion of Matthew's Gospel… and because All Saints fell on a Sunday this year, we missed the Gospel for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, so it may seem like we've walked into the middle of a conversation. And in some ways, we have because we lost the continuity of our Gospel narrative. So, let's remedy that. If we think back to the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, just two weeks ago, Jesus was confronted by the Scribes and Pharisees asking which commandment was the greatest. Jesus' answer: to love God and love neighbor, summed up the Law and the Prophets rather than forcing Jesus to highlight one command out of hundreds… which was the intention of the Scribes and the Pharisees. If we had observed the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time last week, we would have heard Jesus warn his disciples and the crowds gathered in the temple to be wary of the Scribes and the Pharisees and to NOT follow their example… that in fact, we should be wary of anyone who is not true to the ideals they espouse publicly, anyone who does not practice what they preach… which is an important and very necessary warning.
This week, we catch up with Jesus after he has left the temple… after, in fact, he has left the city of Jerusalem… and he has resumed teaching his disciples - this time on the Mount of Olives. Now, as Jesus led his disciples out of the city, he foretold the destruction of the temple… and when they were finally alone - when the crowds had finally dispersed - the disciples asked Jesus when that would happen… when the destruction of the temple would take place. In response to their question, Jesus resumed teaching in parables. So, let's rejoin the narrative and listen to what Jesus is saying to his disciples…
[00:06:31] “The kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens”
The NAB says: virgins - ten virgins. The words maiden and virgin are similar, but they do not mean exactly the same thing. The word virgin simply describes a woman who has never had sexual relations without providing any further information about her age or marital status, while the word maiden narrows that definition by indicating that the woman is also young and unmarried. So for this parable, the word maiden is a better choice. And understand that the bride herself would be inside waiting for the arrival of her bridegroom; these ten maidens are the bride's attendants and are tasked with greeting the bridegroom and escorting him into the feast. And in this parable, these maidens represent the community of believers. And we are told that these maidens…
[00:07:39] “took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.”
This parable puts us at a bit of a disadvantage because we simply don't understand marital customs in biblical times. So, let me provide some background. The first step in the process of arranging a marriage would have been a formal betrothal where the parents of the future bride and future groom agreed that their children would marry at the proper time. After the betrothal was formalized, the bride and groom were considered to be legally wed, and a divorce was the only way to end that arrangement.
During the betrothal period, the bride continued to live with her family and the groom (depending on his age at the time of the betrothal) either continued to live on his own or lived with his family. If the betrothal took place when the bride was still a child, sufficient time had to be allotted for her to grow and mature before the wedding; if the betrothal was arranged when the bride was of marriageable age, she would still have to live with her family for at least a year before the wedding… on the one hand, to prove (outwardly at least) that she was virginal - that she was pure. On the other hand, from a purely practical standpoint, it allowed the bride and her family time to assemble her dowry - to put together things like linens, dishes, clothing, and furnishings that the bride would bring into the marriage and use to establish her own household. During that same time, the groom would also be preparing a home where his bride will come to live, as well as accumulating an appropriate bride price - the goods that he will respectfully give to the bride's family when he and his betrothed finally celebrate the wedding feast. When the betrothal period ended, the groom would claim his bride, bring her to the home he had built for her, and they would celebrate a week-long feast in honor of their new union.
That is precisely where we find ourselves in this Parable… the betrothal period is over and the ten maidens are awaiting the arrival of the groom so that the wedding feast can finally begin. However, things don't go quite as smoothly as everyone would hope…
[00:10:40] “Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.”
Jesus isn't demeaning any of these maidens by calling them foolish - remember they represent the faithful, they represent us! Nor should we assume that we are part of the group Jesus calls wise… sometimes we are, but not always.
[00:11:05] “when the foolish [maidens] took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.”
Jesus isn't really talking about lamp oil at all - just as the wedding garment he talked about a month ago wasn't a new set of fancy clothes. The oil represents the good works we do in the world. And we have only to think back to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 to understand that. Because that is where Jesus says: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
[00:11:58] “As the bridegroom was delayed,”
That did happen, preparations did sometimes take longer than anticipated. So, when the bridegroom was actually approaching, a trumpet blast or a loud cry would alert the bride to her bridegroom's arrival. Now, Jesus isn't talking about just any old groom here, he is talking about himself. He is the bridegroom and by now we are well aware that his coming has been delayed. In Matthew 24, which recounts events from earlier in the day, Jesus warned his disciples: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” So, because of the bridegroom's delayed arrival…
[00:12:59] “[the maidens] all slumbered and slept.”
Which means that, as we wait for Jesus’ return, we all have to go on living our lives… we go to school, we buy houses, we get married, we have children, we have careers, we take vacations, the list goes on and on. But in the midst of the events in our daily lives, we should also be doing good works! We should be volunteering our time to help others, we should be generous with the good things we have, we should be kind and compassionate, we should care for the sick, the vulnerable, the immigrant, and the earth - our common home. If we need a list of things we should all be doing, we'll hear one on the Feast of Christ the King in two weeks when the Judgment of the Nations from Matthew 25 will be our Gospel! And while Jesus is delayed, that doesn't mean he's not coming… although we often live as if that is the case.
[00:14:19] “But at midnight there was a cry,”
Midnight represents the end of the day… the time when most people are asleep or, at the very least, preparing to go to sleep. It's not a time we expect anything new or exciting to happen. In fact, it's the time we LEAST expect something momentous to happen. Nevertheless, in this parable, that IS when the bridegroom arrives, and for a very specific reason. Because remember, Jesus told his disciples that no one knows the day or the hour! So, at midnight, what cry did those ten maidens hear?
[00:15:07] “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.”
In other words, whenever the time comes - we will be called to meet Jesus… from our earthly lives or from eternity.
[00:15:24] “Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps.”
The types of lamps that these maidens would have been carrying are unfamiliar to us in our modern times, so I will include a picture of them on my Instagram this week just so you can get an idea of what they actually look like. But they were clay pots filled with olive oil that had a wick in them.
Any wick requires trimming in order to produce a larger flame. So, the maidens trimmed the wicks of their lamps so they could provide sufficient light to guide the bridegroom to meet his bride.
[00:16:05] “And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’”
Every time we hear this parable, we expect the wise maidens to share their oil with the foolish… but that's just not possible! Because remember, Jesus isn't talking about oil at all! He's talking about good deeds… and we cannot give our good deeds to another person. Those who have been living the Gospel, those who have been just, loving, ethical, moral, and righteous, cannot give those things to others. We each have to accumulate those things for ourselves.
[00:17:03] “But the wise replied, ‘Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’”
The wise maidens aren't being selfish or unkind… it is a simple fact that each person is responsible for accumulating their own good deeds in this life! And what the wise maidens are trying to tell the foolish ones is that there may still be time for them to do at least a few good deeds on their own. The bridegroom isn't here yet, so there's still time. We can't give you our oil - the good deeds we have done in our lives - but we can offer you the practical advice that you should go do some good deeds on your own and wish you the best in your own efforts!
[00:17:57] “And while they went to buy,”
In other words, while those foolish maidens are out frantically trying to do good works, at the last second…
[00:18:09] “the bridegroom came,”
Jesus doesn't have to wait for us to be ready for him, nor will he! It is our responsibility to always be prepared for his return.
[00:18:27] “and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast;”
So, those wise maidens - those who had lived their lives according to Jesus’ teachings as they are recorded in the Gospels - they entered the marriage feast, meaning the kingdom of heaven.
[00:18:49] “and the door was shut.”
That phrase carries such dire finality. It is a stark warning that we always have to be ready. But at the same time, it reminds us that being ready is a choice… that it's up to us. It's a reminder that there are eternal consequences to how we live our lives. There will be eternal separation between those who are in the kingdom and those who, for whatever reason, choose not to be. But make no mistake - that is also a choice!
[00:19:37] “Afterward the other maidens”
The foolish maidens, the ones who waited until it was too late to try and accumulate a lifetime of good works. They…
[00:19:50] “came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’”
Those foolish maidens expected the bridegroom to ignore their negligence, just as every person who dies unprepared for judgment expects Jesus to give them a free pass to heaven. That's not how this works… we're told that's not how this works… that is the message we hear repeatedly in the Gospel.
[00:20:25] “But he replied, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’”
The words: “I do not know you” mean that Jesus had no experience with those people who are now calling out to him… that no relationship ever existed between Jesus and those who did not believe in him or prepare for his coming. Back in chapter seven of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus addressed this very thing, saying… “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Then I will declare to [those others] solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’” Those foolish maidens did say: Lord, Lord - expecting to be admitted, but Jesus - the bridegroom - replied to them: I do not know you. Jesus is saying that he does not know those who do not seek him out in this life, who do not establish a relationship of faith with him while they can. Those words are stark and uncompromising, but we need to hear them. We need to be reminded that there are eternal consequences to how we live our lives every day. Then Jesus concludes this parable, saying…
[00:22:10] “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
The NAB says: “Therefore, stay awake” rather than “Watch therefore” - either way, it means that we cannot passively just sit back and wait… that we must act, we must be prepared. No one can do good works and have them be attributed to another. Our mission, as Christians, is to welcome Jesus - our bridegroom - with our lamps lit by the good works we have accumulated throughout our lives, no matter how long it takes, even if it takes a lifetime! So, we must be wise like the maidens who brought their oil with them. We must be wise and stay alert in the midst of our complicated and messy lives. It won't be easy, but we still have to try.
[00:23:18] That takes us to our First Reading which is from Wisdom 6: 12-16.
“Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her. He who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for he will find her sitting at his gates. To fix one's thoughts on her is perfect understanding, and he who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care, because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths, and meets them in every thought.”
The Book of Wisdom is found in both the Catholic and Orthodox Canons of Scripture, but not the Jewish or Protestant Canons, although it is part of the apocryphal or deuterocanonical books in the Protestant Old Testament.
This book dates to somewhere between 100 and 50 BC; it was written in Greek by an unknown but well-educated Jewish author, probably living in the city of Alexandria. It incorporates Jewish religious themes but mixes them with Greek literature and philosophy. At times, the text seems to imply that Solomon was its author, especially chapters 6-9 (which is where our passage this week originates), but it was written long after Solomon's death. In fact, this book is sometimes erroneously called the Wisdom of Solomon… although some scholars have suggested that is done simply to lend credibility to the text. So, let's explore this passage from the Book of Wisdom…
[00:25:34] “Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her.”
God's Wisdom is always personified as female, and the author suggests here that encountering Wisdom is akin to catching a glimpse of a loved one.
[00:26:01] “She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.”
Meaning that Wisdom is eager to BE known… that she places herself where she can easily be discovered as soon as someone begins searching for her.
[00:26:22] “He who rises early to seek her”
The NAB says: “at dawn” and dawn signifies the end of night and darkness and the beginning of light, goodness, and truth. So, those who seek Wisdom as the light rises above the horizon…
[00:26:44] “will have no difficulty, for he will find her sitting at his gates.”
Walls provided safety and protection in biblical times, whereas gates suggest access and freedom. So, when people embarked on a journey, they often agreed to meet at the city's gates. When the author says that Wisdom can be found sitting at the gates, he is suggesting that Wisdom is ready to accompany whomever seeks her out.
[00:27:23] “To fix one's thoughts on her is perfect understanding, and he who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care, because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths,”
All of that means having Wisdom is good… possessing wisdom brings about a number of advantages… and the phrase “appearing to them in their paths” is another way of saying that Wisdom is revealed in different ways at different stages in our lives.
[00:28:06] “and meets them in every thought.”
Every idea, every inspiration, every new connection we make involves wisdom… and God's divine wisdom helps us mere humans get a brief glimpse of God's point of view. We may not always be able to articulate what that point of view is, but we can always feel it!
And to understand what I mean by that… think of a piece of music that touched your heart and perhaps moved you to tears… think of a painting that was so beautiful or so compelling it took your breath away… or think of a poem or a quote from a book that gave your mind wings and carried your thoughts to new heights. THAT is what happens when our limited human consciousness connects in some small way to God's divine wisdom. It is the wisdom of God that we connect with in those moments that help us stay alert to the kingdom in the midst of our chaotic and complex lives.
[00:29:40] That takes us to our Responsorial Psalm, which is Psalm 63, and the refrain is:
“My soul thirsts for you, O God my God.”
[00:29:53] And here are the verses:
“O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where no water is.”
“So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your merciful love is better than life, my lips will praise you.”
“So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name. My soul is feasted as with marrow and fat, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips.”
“I will think of you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.”
[00:30:58] This Psalm is an Individual Lament, attributed to David. It was most likely written while David was in the wilderness of Judah, fleeing from a rebellion incited by his son Absalom in an attempt to usurp David's throne… which is why in that first stanza he mentions a dry and weary land without water. This Psalm expresses David's intense desire for God despite literally running for his life.
In the second stanza, David talks about seeing God's glory, meaning the Shekinah glory that is visible when God is present to his people.
In the third stanza, David compares the spiritual fulfillment he experiences in praising God (even in the wilderness) with the bodily appeasement provided by a rich and lavish banquet.
And in the fourth stanza, David's words suggest that he cannot sleep peacefully in the wilderness, so he meditates on God instead. In that final stanza, when David says he sings for joy in “the shadow of your wings” - he is most likely referring to the wings of the cherubim stretched over the top of the Ark of the Covenant as described in Exodus 25.
The Ark of the Covenant was of course lost during the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC. I do, however, have a picture of a replica of the Ark that I will post on my Instagram this week. That picture will give you an idea of what the wings of the cherubim looked like that were outstretched over the cover of the Ark.
[00:33:03] That takes us to our second reading, which is from 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18.
“[W]e would not have you ignorant, [brothers and sisters], concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
This is the third of four passages we hear from 1 Thessalonians this fall. I said previously that there should have been five passages, but we lost one because of All Saints. And if you think back a couple of weeks, you may recall that this letter is the first written text from the New Testament, composed by Paul during the winter between the years of 50 and 51 AD. Paul, and indeed most of the early Church, fully expected Jesus to return very soon… during their own lifetimes even. And in this passage, Paul is assuring the Thessalonians that there is no reason for them to worry about any loved ones that die before Jesus’ return, before the Second Coming. That concern may seem overblown to us two millennia later, but it was vitally important at the time. To our modern way of thinking, death is just another fact of life and grief is unavoidable, but Paul's words remind us that our grief - even today - should always be tempered by our hope in the resurrection of the body… the knowledge that we will follow where Jesus has already gone. I also want to mention that there is both a shorter and a longer version of this reading. Both versions begin in the same place, and I will point out the end of the shorter version when we reach it. I do hope that all parishes choose to use the longer version, but we're going to hear the whole thing regardless of what you may hear at Mass this weekend. So, let's listen as Paul reassures the Thessalonians that they need not fear death…
[00:36:16] “[W]e would not have you ignorant, [brothers and sisters], concerning those who are asleep,”
The NAB translates that as “unaware” rather than ignorant… and Paul uses asleep as a euphemism for death. So, Paul says… don't worry about those who have died, not even those who've died before Jesus’ return. And why does Paul not want the Thessalonians to worry?
[00:36:44] “that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.”
Paul means that those who do not believe in Jesus or his Resurrection often grieve without hope. Belief in the resurrection of the body begins with Jesus, because if a person doesn't believe in Jesus and in his Resurrection, they have no reason to trust that we will all be raised from the dead. We do believe in Jesus, and we know that his Resurrection was real… so when we grieve the loss of a loved one, it is always in the hope of the resurrection of the body.
[00:37:33] “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again,”
Remember Paul was a contemporary of Jesus… Paul likely knew who Jesus was… Paul may have encountered Jesus at some point in Jerusalem… Paul knew that Jesus Died on the Cross… and Paul knew that Jesus’ Resurrection was real because he encountered the Risen Jesus on the road to Damascus… that was a reality for Paul! And because of his witness, because of the witness of all of the Apostles, we do believe in Jesus… we are able to believe in Jesus… and we know that his Resurrection was real.
[00:38:26] “even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.”
That is where the shorter version of this passage ends. And Paul is assuring the Thessalonians that physical death is not the end… even if that physical death occurs before the Second Coming. And while that raised significant concerns among the early Church, it's become the norm for us. But Paul is assuring everyone, the Thessalonians and us, that Jesus will lead all those who have died to God, his Heavenly Father.
[00:39:09] “For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,”
The Second Coming… and remember, the Church expected that to happen soon.
[00:39:23] “we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.”
Paul is saying that if Jesus were to come the very next day, those who are alive wouldn't get a free pass to the front of the line, that they wouldn't get first dibs on heaven. That may sound a bit flippant, and perhaps that is - on some level - what Paul intended. Nevertheless, his overall message is don't worry… No matter how long it takes - we'll all get there.
[00:40:01] “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven”
Paul is attempting to describe the Second Coming, and he's using Acts as a starting point. Remember, Acts 1 describes two men dressed in white garments who say to the disciples that Jesus will return in the same way he went up into heaven. So, Paul relies on that bit of information to craft his statement.
[00:40:35] “with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.”
Those are all images having to do with gathering people together and inspiring courage… a cry of command was described in 1 Samuel 17, where King Saul's soldiers issued their battle cry as they gathered to engage the Philistines in battle; an archangel's call reminds us of the words Michael the Archangel spoke to Daniel to bolster Daniel's confidence and encourage him to be brave and that's from Daniel 10; and then in Numbers 10, God instructs Moses to make two silver trumpets to summon the people. So, Paul wove all of those images together to inspire courage and confidence in the Thessalonians. And for our purposes this week, those should all remind us of the cry that the bridegroom is coming in Jesus’ Parable. Here in Thessalonians, Paul wants to assure his audience that…
[00:41:52] “the dead in Christ will rise first;”
And with those words, Paul repeats his assurance that those who have already died won't be left behind in the Second Coming. Not only will they not be left behind, Paul’s saying, they get first dibs, they get to go to the front of the line.
[00:42:19] “then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them”
That is Paul's way of saying that the bonds Christians share are so strong and so deep and so lasting that even death cannot break them… even physical death cannot separate Christians from each other or from God, because those bonds are based in Christ and forged in Baptism. So, we will all be gathered…
[00:43:01] “in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air;”
That imagery is based in part on the words recorded in Acts 1, but it also suggests that these events will not take place at a specific physical location, but rather they are trying to describe a divine reality that transcends mere human awareness.
[00:43:29] “and so we shall always be with the Lord.”
Paul means that God is always close to his people, no matter the circumstances in which they find themselves, whether they are still living their earthly lives or have already experienced physical death. That echoes Jesus’ response to the Sadducees when they questioned him about resurrection. Remember, he said in Luke 20: “That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the [burning] bush … he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
[00:44:14] “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
All too often we think of grief as being a bad thing… something we just need to get through, get past, get to the other side of… but grief isn't bad! It is difficult, it is something that must be endured, but it is also necessary. When we grieve the death of someone, we are acknowledging just how important that person was to us, and that the place they occupied in our lives and in our hearts is now empty. We need to allow time for that wound to heal, time to come to terms with that absence in our lives. And that's what grieving does.
Everyone experiences grief, so it's something we all understand. That very human experience of grief, united to our shared belief in Jesus’ Resurrection, gives us the perfect starting point to comfort one another as we grieve. And that is exactly what Paul means.
[00:45:46] This week's Parable and, in fact, all of the Parables we hear as we approach the end of the Liturgical Year, focus on judgment in order to remind us that we must be wise, watchful, and prepared. But that isn't always easy to do - when the dishes need to be washed, the laundry is piling up, the diapers need to be changed, and the bills need to be paid.
So, how do we pursue wisdom in the midst of our complicated, messy, and chaotic lives? How do we keep ourselves ready for Jesus’ return? It's not easy, but we still have to try.
And when we look for God, even in our messy moments, especially in our messy moments, we realize that he is always with us and always trying to remind us that we belong with him in heaven.
So, the next time something unexpected makes us smile - like a messy toddler giving us a big sloppy hug… a rainbow appearing after a thunderstorm… an out of the blue text arriving from a friend just to share a laugh… or a song that lifts our spirits when we're sad… those are all God reminding us - using the people and things around us and the chaos and messiness of our world - that he loves us and wants us to be with him forever.
That is precisely the wisdom Jesus expects us to attain!
[00:47:44] If you would like to reach out to me with questions or comments, send me an email at
[email protected]
Thank you for spending this time with me and until next we meet, may God shower his blessings upon you like a soft and gentle rain, and may he hold you safe and secure in the palm of his hand.
From His Word to Our Hearts is produced by SFS Audio Solutions.
The content of the show was assembled by me, Sally Moriarty-Flask.
Our music was composed by Jimmy Flask and is used with the permission of the composer. All rights reserved.
Information regarding references used in preparing the exegesis for this podcast is available upon request.
Thank you for listening and God bless.
