"Jesus said to his disciples, 'Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is God's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom."
This is how our Gospel begins this weekend - very positive, very comforting. God WANTS to give us and IS giving us the Reign of God. But, then we hear about being dressed for action, having your lamps lit, and being prepared. There is an urgency to be ready for the Master's return (it seems like this reading would fit perfectly at the beginning of Advent).
All, or almost all, of the greatest theologians and spiritual thinkers throughout the centuries have said the same thing. The primary focus of the spiritual life is to be alert, or aware of the many ways that God comes to us in our everyday living. In the parable of the wedding banquet which we hear today the Master is pleased with those who are alert and waiting for his return.
One of the things that keeps us from seeing the Kingdom of God in our daily living is fear. One thing which fear does is cut us off from so many other people, or cultures, or ideas. We build fences to keep people out, we don't go to certain places, we refuse to learn new things. And so we don't see or hear or encounter anything new that might challenge us to grow in understanding, or let go of some prejudice.
Just one example of this might be the issue in NYC regarding the building of a mosque and Islamic Center near Ground Zero. As you have probably heard many think this is an abominable idea and an insult to the victims and families of 9/11. But, for others who recognize the Islamic religion as one of the world's great religions and not simply a bunch of terrorists, this is an opportunity for growth and reconciliation.
But, the question is where do I need to be more alert, more awake, more watchful? Where do I allow fear to block the coming of the Kingdom in my life? Perhaps before we go to sleep at night we could ask ourselves, "Where did I encounter God today? Or where did I block the possibility of encountering God today?"
"Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is God's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom."
-Sister Rosemary Riggie
Sisters of St. Mary of Namur . 241 Lafayette Avenue . Buffalo, New York 14213 . (716) 884-8221