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“FIRST IMPRESSIONS” 32nd SUNDAY (A) November 8, 2026 Wisdom 6: 12-16; Psalm 63; 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18; Matthew 25: 1-13 By: Jude Siciliano , OP
Dear Preachers:
This parable doesn’t sound very Christian, does it? Didn’t Jesus teach us to provide for the need, to take what we have and share it with those who have less? Jesus taught us about sharing in other ways, too. Remember the parable of the Last Judgment, when Jesus separates the sheep from the goats? The sheep were those who fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and visited those in prison. The goats did none of these things and, as a result, were cast away. We know that parable – but this isn’t that parable. Jesus has something else to say to us here.
What an unusual parable! What is all this about ten virgins carrying lamps and waiting for the bridegroom? And why does he arrive at midnight to claim his bride? That doesn’t sound like any of our church weddings, does it?
In those days, fathers arranged marriages and signed the marriage contracts. Sounds like a business deal, doesn’t it? Where’s the romance?
Once the contract was signed, the bride remained in her family home for a year or more, until the groom came to take her to his home. The ten young women would have been friends and relatives of the bride’s family. Along with the bride, they would process to the groom’s house, where the wedding feast would begin. Now that sounds like a wedding!
But the parable raises still more questions. Where would those five unprepared maidens find oil to buy at midnight? Jesus has something to say to us, so let’s allow him to tell the story in his own way. Our task is to listen, learn, and gain wisdom for our lives.
What is wisdom, anyway? Is it another name for knowledge? Does having wisdom mean knowing all the answers or earning honors in school? Does it mean making a fortune on the stock market?
A woman I know who teaches religious education was consulting the books on her desk to find a definition of wisdom. She decided to turn to an expert for a fresh perspective: her eleven-year-old daughter. The girl replied, “Wisdom means knowing right from wrong. A wise person knows what is right and does it.”
It sounds as though she had been reading this parable!
Back to the parable. Five maidens recognized what the occasion required and came prepared. The other five faced the same occasion but failed to prepare. They let time slip away. They thought, “Someone else will take up the slack.” The moment of truth seemed far off.
But in the parable, the opportunity eventually passes. The time for making a decision is gone. The time for taking action has passed.
All ten maidens were imperfect. All ten fell asleep. Like us, they were fallible. We, too, doze off and let things slip by. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, those closest to Jesus fell asleep.
So this parable is a grace for us. It is a wake-up call. It challenges us to reflect and gives us time to make changes. It asks us: What steps do I need to take to be ready for the unexpected? What must I do now, before life surprises me?
The truth is that we are neither completely foolish nor completely wise. Both are part of us.
The wise part of us says, “There is something I have been wanting to change in my life.” Or, “There is someone who needs my help – a sick person, someone in prison, or a hungry person who comes looking for food.” Or perhaps, “There is something troubling me, and I need to seek counsel and direction.”
That is the wise part of us speaking. Wisdom calls us to act. Remember what the eleven-year-old said: “A wise person knows what is right and does it.”
The foolish part of us delays. It procrastinates. We say, “There is still time to make that change,” or, “I can always seek advice later.” We tell ourselves, “Someone else will step in and take care of that problem.”
There is time. There is someone else.
But perhaps there isn’t. The challenge comes at midnight, at the darkest hour. A crisis catches us by surprise, and suddenly there is no time to make up for what we have neglected. In the parable, the foolish maidens return after the opportunity has passed, only to find the door locked. It is too late.
Can you hear the sound of that door shutting and locking?
Remember the religious education teacher’s daughter who said, “A wise person knows what is right and does it”? Her mother went back to her and asked, “How does a person become wise?”
The girl replied, “I guess you have to ask God for it.”
We cannot buy wisdom, nor can we find a book that guarantees we will acquire it simply by reading its pages. Yet we urgently need wisdom throughout our lives. We are constantly called upon to make choices and act in situations that can be confusing and difficult.
Without wisdom, we can make serious mistakes. Without wisdom, we may fail to recognize God’s presence in our lives.
Wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit. God is not stingy with this gift, nor does God withhold it to test whether we deserve it. Wisdom is available to us through prayer and openness to God’s guidance. We need it whenever life challenges us – when, in the middle of the night, we hear an unexpected knock at the door and must decide whether and how to respond to the need or challenge before us.
Click here for a link to this Sunday’s readings.
“Resplendent and unfading is wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her”
---Wisdom 6:12
Sometimes I think that people today do not seek after wisdom as much as they did in the past. For Christians seeking wisdom, one must read the signs of the times, be open to various opinions, ponder informed views, and then discern the best path, one that Jesus would have taken. For instance, annually, the week before Thanksgiving is National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (11/15-21, 2026) and was first held at Villanova University in 1975. This year, more than 700 colleges, high schools, and community groups across the country will come together during this week. This event is promoted by the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, an organization committed to ending hunger and homelessness by educating, engaging, and training college students to directly meet individuals’ immediate needs while advocating for long-term systemic solutions. Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week ; About Us | National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness
In seeking wisdom over the problem of hunger and homelessness, this is a time to question why we have hungry and homeless people in our midst, then, share our compassion, and work toward a world where no one must experience hunger or homelessness. The wisdom of Jesus is one of compassion and solidarity with the poor. Furthermore, wisdom says, “Being hungry and/or homeless is not a crime.”
Let us begin our journey to create a world free of hunger and homelessness with these words from Pope Leo XIV: We cannot aspire to a more just social life if we are not willing to rid ourselves of the apathy that justifies hunger as if it were background music we have grown accustomed to, an unsolvable problem, or simply someone else's responsibility. We cannot demand action from others if we ourselves fail to honor our own commitments. By our omission, we become complicit in the promotion of injustice. We cannot hope for a better world, a bright and peaceful future, if we are not willing to share what we ourselves have received. Only then can we affirm — with truth and courage — that no one has been left behind (8). Visit to the FAO Assembly (16 October 2025)
Wisdom teaches us that we can make a better way.
To help with hunger and housing ministries at our parish, contact : socialconcern@hnojnc.org
Barbara Molinari Quinby , MPS, Director Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC
Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. “Faith Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home. From today’s Gospel reading:
[Jesus said to his disciples] "Therefore, stay awake, For you know neither the day nor the hour."
Reflection:
Our daily routine can be shattered by the unexpected and sudden demands life puts on us and our loved ones. Will we be ready to respond? It depends on how well we have tended to our "oil" supply.
So we ask ourselves:
POSTCARDS TO DEATH-ROW INMATES
“Someone who says, ‘I’m against abortion’ but says, ‘I’m in favor of the death penalty,’ is not really pro-life.”
---Pope Leo XIV
Inmates on death row are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each week I am posting in this space several inmates’ names and locations. I invite you to write a postcard to one or more of them to let them know that: we have not forgotten them; are praying for them and their families; or whatever personal encouragement you might like to give them. If the inmate responds, you might consider becoming pen pals.
Please write to: Women on death row
Females are housed at NC Correctional Institution for Women 1034 Bragg St, Raleigh, NC 27610
“First Impressions” is a service to preachers and those wishing to prepare for Sunday worship. It is sponsored by the Dominican Friars. If you would like “First Impressions” sent weekly to a friend.
If you would like to support this ministry, please send tax deductible contributions to:
Fr. Jude Siciliano , OP Holy Rosary Priory 3600 Travis St. Houston, TX 77002-9591
Make checks payable to: Dominican Friars. Or go to our webpage to make a secure online donation: https:/www.Preacherxchange.org/donations.htm First Impressions Archive
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