Mysteries of faith are doorways always open to us; the Holy Spirit beckons us to enter, introspect, and pursue divine truths.
God’s word is unchanging and eternal, so this quest, too, is forever and ongoing.
Christmas invites us to ponder anew the miraculous event of Jesus’ birth. The arrival of God with us, born to Mary and Joseph in a manger, was the fulfillment of a prophetic promise generations in the making. Likewise, the nourishment we savor in the nativity points us to yet another glorious promise: Christ is coming back.
“Therefore keep watch,” Jesus said, “because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come … The Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.1”
The subtle genius in Jesus’ teaching is how He fluidly blends the figurative and literally very specific. His parables make room for critical thinking and prayerful counsel as we seek divine meaning, and even the precision of His word choice leads us to discern.
Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven, at Christ’s return, to 10 bridesmaids who took their lamps in preparation for a wedding.2
“Five of them were foolish, and five were wise,” Jesus said.
For the sake of discussion, we’ll jump quickly to the conclusion of Jesus’ parable and reveal that when the wedding doors finally opened, only the wise were allowed to enter.
So, what might Jesus be specifying that we study?
What is the difference between wise and foolish?
As Jesus also said, “Wisdom is justified by her children,” let’s look to Mary’s example of a wise way of being.
When Gabriel announced that she was chosen as the vessel of God’s promise, Mary pondered aloud, testing the integrity of this messenger of the spirit. Once assured the intentions were pure, Mary said yes to God not in blind submission but impeccable preparation. She humbly accepted the role of a servant, in fulfillment of His word, and Mary’s song of praise sparkles with distinct knowledge of God’s character and what He spoke to the originators of our one true faith.3
The wise store up knowledge of God’s word, which is not only pleasant to the soul but also providentially protective. It produces a moral compass that sheds light on the right path and shepherds us to remain focused and attentive to the Holy Spirit’s movement.4
Mary did not know exactly how God would call her, or for what, but she was absolutely ready when He did. So from her perspective of trust, surrender, and preparedness, we can better understand the foolish foil as impulsive and scheming. Faithless hearts are prone to chaos and disruption.5
Without a bedrock of truth on which to anchor, why would a forever promise mean anything beyond the temporal?
The magic of Christ’s birth is the hope that blossoms from belief, the faith that tells us, this moment – no matter what it looks like – is connected to love everlasting. After all, it was the ‘wise men’ who followed a star and found Jesus.
