The wise and the foolish and the age to come

Readings for the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary time

The ancient world is a different place and a different time. The ancient Christian understanding of virginity is in sharp contrast to the modern take. Virginity in our Catholic tradition is a complete self-giving for the sake of the kingdom. In the western world, practices surrounding virginity have become subject of criticism and ridicule. A modern feminist critique argues that women are shamed for having sex and men are rewarded for it. Whatever truth there was to that seems to be fading as the culture shames virginity in anybody. But the biblical sense of virginity, especially as used in today’s Gospel, is about something else entirely. It is not just about abstinence, it is about the future, the eschaton.

Modern celibacy and virginity
Scripture and our Catholic religious traditions describe a purpose in the intentional and voluntary practice of celibacy and virginity directed towards the kingdom of heaven. Jesus clearly lived a celibate life, although you might not know that if your sole source of information is modern culture. Matthew’s gospel offers Jesus’ teaching on voluntary celibacy.

Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.” Matthew 19:12

“For the early Church Fathers, the voluntary renunciation of marriage was far from bizarre, or unnatural, much less unbiblical. It was a sign in this life on earth of the future resurrected life in which there will be no marriage. Death and reproduction belong to this world, not the next according to the Lord.” The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Virginity in the New Testament
The ancient world is a different place, a different time and a different way of thinking.  The perpetual virginity of Mary, an ancient biblical understanding, has clear New Testament roots. When the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary announcing the Lord’s birth, she responded, “But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” Luke 1:34  They have the same force as the English words “I do not smoke.” Just as someone who says “I do not smoke” means “I do not smoke (presently), nor do I have any intentions of smoking (in the future),” so Mary’s words mean “I do not have sexual relations (presently), nor do I intend to have relations (in the future).” Pitre, Brant James. Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary (p. 105). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

On the other hand, when Joseph’s relationship with Mary is discussed in Matthew, the scripture states that he did not “know” Mary “until (Greek heōs) she bore a son” (Matthew 1:25) The Greek word “until” (heōs) simply describes a certain period of time, and does not imply anything about what happens afterward. Consider this examples from Matthew’s Gospel, in which the word “until” (Greek heōs) clearly does not imply a change afterward include, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until (Greek heōs) I put your enemies under your feet.’ ” (Matthew 22:44) So afterwards, is Jesus no longer at the right hand of God? Also consider, “Jesus came and said to them…“Lo, I am with you always, until (Greek heōs) the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)  Does he abandon his disciples at the end of the age? No.

Modern difficulties with the early Church’s understanding of virginity ‘for the sake of the kingdom’ separate the modern reader from the New Testament, driving a wedge between the text and our understanding. The Gospel this Sunday is a case in point.

Matthew 25:1-13—The Parable of the Ten Virgins
In Jesus’ day, a bride was first “betrothed” to her husband but she continued to live with her family. In the parable, the ten virgins are waiting for the bridegroom to come and claim his bride and lead them to the wedding feast. Jesus is the Bridegroom (see Mark 2:19) fulfilling God’s ancient promise to join himself forever to His chosen people as a husband joins his bride (see Hosea 2:16–20). We were “betrothed” in Baptism (see 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:25–27) and are called to lives of holiness and devotion until he comes for us. Revelation 19:7–9; 21:1–4). Jesus reminds us not to hit the snooze button if he is delayed. We need to keep our souls’ lamps filled with the oil of perseverance and desire for God– virtues that are extolled in today’s First Reading and Psalm.  If we do this, we will be wise and the oil for our lamps will not run dry (see 1 Kings 17:16). We will perceive the Bridegroom, the Wisdom of God (see Proverbs 8:22–31, 35; 9:1–5), claiming us for the heavenly banquet the Eucharist prefigures. So, our takeaway is “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:13)

Why are there ten virgins, five wise and five foolish. God’s people can be either wise or foolish, prepared or unprepared. There are five virgins who are wise, according to St. Augustine, because we have five senses. The wise protect their senses from pollution of the eyes, ears, touch, smell and taste. These are the way we learn and our formed. According to Augustine, the wise don’t abuse their appetites or irrationally indulge themselves. That behavior darkens our minds. Augustine also wrote that the virgins have lamps by reason of their good works. Of these good works the Lord says, “Let your works shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven” (Matt 5:16).

Virginity and celibacy are still practiced, although inconsistently in the modern Church. You may have heard that the Vatican report about ex-Cardinal McCarrick will be released Tuesday. Truth telling is often painful. Fundamentally, his failures are failures related to his celibate commitments, and most probably, his abuse of his position in the Church. Amongst our clergy are wise and foolish virgins. St. John Paul, who appointed McCarrick cardinal, would be more disappointed in all of this than most. He wrote in his apostolic exhortation[i] Pastores Dabo Vobis,

The priest is called to be the living image of Jesus Christ, the spouse of the Church. Of course, he will always remain a member of the community as a believer alongside his other brothers and sisters …, but in virtue of his configuration to Christ, the head and shepherd, the priest stands in this spousal relationship with regard to the community.… In his spiritual life, therefore, he is called to live out Christ’s spousal love toward the Church, his bride. (John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Formation of Priests in the Circumstances of the Present Day [Pastores Dabo Vobis], no. 22)

Some of our priests and bishops have been very unwise would be virgins.

Women who consecrate themselves to God as virgins and renounce marriage for the religious life are spouses of Christ. The beautiful words from the Catholic rite of consecration to a life of virginity, spoken by the bishop are:
 

[Lord,] among your many gifts you give to some the grace of virginity. Yet the honor of marriage is in no way lessened. As it was in the beginning, your first blessing still remains upon this holy union. Yet your loving wisdom chooses those who make sacrifice of marriage for the sake of the love of which it is the sign. They renounce the joys of human marriage but cherish all that it foreshadows. (Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity, Prayer of Consecration, no. 24)

Both virginity, celibacy and marriage point towards the kingdom of heaven. Every Christian, whether single or married, man or woman, priest or virgin, monk or nun, husband or wife is caught up in the “great mystery” of the love of God for his people, the Divine Wedding. The scriptures are not modern documents. Understanding the New Testament through ancient Jewish eyes reveals the marks of the spousal love of Christ for each and every one of us. Pitre, Brant James. Jesus the Bridegroom (p. 165). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.


[i] An apostolic exhortation is a teaching document written by the pope. More formal means of teaching are apostolic constitutions and encyclicals.