“TODAY THE MARRIAGE FEAST”
Saint Matthew 25: 1-13
Last Sunday: 22 November Anno Domini 2015
Father Jay Watson SSP
The science and physics behind rapid oxidation—FIRE, and all refractory and illumination principles of light from torches and oil lamps aside…there is no light without Christ.
“And God said, let there be light; and there was light.” [Gen 1.3]. That light was but an emanation from, a creation of, He Who is Light—The Son of The Father—“Light of Light” and one with The Father. Jesus: “that was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” [Jn. 1.9].
Every clay oil lamp that existed when The Lord told this parable, heard by Saint Matthew and recorded by Saint Matthew, needed a reservoir of oil a wick, and a burning flame to produce light to see. Again, mechanics aside, the whole point is that one must see. One must believe. One must have faith in the coming Bridegroom.
There are ten virgins because ten is a number of completion and fulfillment. It was the number of God’s Commands written in Adam’s heart at creation—spoken to him and his own virgin bride by the mouth of The Son. It was the number corresponding to the Torah written by The Lord’s own finger on the two stone tables given to Moses. Five also is significant in that there are five books from the same Moses containing the full counsel of God’s Word—both killing Law and Light giving (i.e. Life giving) Gospel.
To be wise is to be a believer. The knowledge of God, i.e. to have been given faith to trust in The Lord’s Person and Work, is to have wisdom. The Psalmist said: “the fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” [Ps. 110.10] Thou shalt have no other god before Me says Adonai—The Christ—and to explain, the Reformer mining the truths of the Hebrew Scriptures explains: “we should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” [SC] Trust Jesus’ imminent return. Be alert, be ready, and be waiting faithfully. How so? By trusting His truth—the reality of Who He is and what He’s done; that’s He’s at the door. Hold on to The Light which is Himself. Hold and guard this Light which is His Word and His Word attached to His chosen and sanctified earthly means.
There is no magic “infused” grace as a substance like oil. Jesus’ Love and Forgiveness, His Mercy which unlocks you from death and hell, isn’t a substance which you can purchase. Absolution of sins and the promise of everlasting heavenly bliss are not a liquid that you can rub on, bathe in, drink, or store up for yourself. The Groom Who is coming has already come. Jesus Who is almost here visibly in His final Advent came two millennia ago to obey and die in your place. Jesus who is almost here visibly as the returning Bridegroom is Here this morning as the invisible Groom. His Grace is in His Word and in that same word of “loosing” when it’s attached to water, bread, and wine.
Put away the things you do in darkness. “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” writes the Apostle, “but rather reprove them.” [Eph. 5. 11] Cease from unbelief and weak faith in your Groom’s promise of return. All will sleep the sleep of earthly death, but you are never to slumber in apostasy and rejection of your Lord’s Word. He has given you your vessels and will reform them perfectly as glorified bodies at His return. He has given you the oil of Life in His Light and Life. He has made you chaste and spotless virgins to be meet and salutary as His precious Body the Holy Church. Even as The Word made the first virgin bride to be the Church for its head—Adam, so too The Lord has recreated all of you as virginal as His ever Virgin Mother who represents and icons the pure and unblemished Church. This company of The Saints—The Holy—is now counted, reckoned Righteous and Holy to be a worthy Bride to He Who is the Lamb without blemish, the Groom of Grace Amazing.
His Wisdom makes you wise. His Holy Spirit fills you through your ears with His Words: I love you; I forgive you; I strengthen you; “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
His obedience to the stone tablets was the forming and making of your imperishable lamps—bodies made for eternity. His blood draining at Calvary fills you up with the oil of His Blood of sustaining faith and the cooling water of life. He opens the door to His feast by having already opened the door of your heart when the Holy Ghost created faith at the font. It’s all His actions; all His gracious workings in you. You can never buy the “oil” for Jesus shed His precious “oil” free and abundant.
“That He might sanctify and cleanse [you] with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present [you] to Himself a glorious Church not having spot, or wrinkle, (i.e. virgin) or any such thing; but that [you] should be holy and without blemish.” [Eph. 5. 26-27]
“The King’s daughter shall be brought unto the King; the virgins, her companions that follow her, shall be brought…[He has made you] the holy city, New Jerusalem…prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband. Hallelujah!”
In the Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost
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