11/4/16 My Monologues & Musings : The Wise and Foolish Virgins (Mt 25:1-13)
Dear Jesus, the Risen Lord,
Thank you for your thought provoking parable.
It reminds me of the presence of both the Wise as well as the Foolish Virgins in me. They are a part of me, though most of the time it is the Foolish Virgins who very much alive and kicking in me.
Thank you, Jesus, the Risen Lord, for reminding myself of their influence in my daily life and in my activities.
My Musings ….
“Dear Foolish Virgins,
You must have been terribly sad, upset, and angry as you weren't allowed even to enter the chamber of the bridegroom. Though you had spent so much time and energy to get ready and wait for the bridegroom, finally you were utterly disappointed, right? You were outrightly told by the bridegroom himself that he doesn't even know you all! This must have been a rude shock to your ears, wasn't it?
How did you all end up in such a miserable plight?
Could I listen to your Musings?
Musings of the Foolish Virgins
“Yes, we were indeed totally shocked to be denied entry into the chamber of the bridegroom.
How could he ever have told us so outrightly,
that he doesn't even know us?
Isn't he the one who invited us?
We were only a bit late.
That's all, right?
We were late because:
Those proud and the so called Wise Virgins didn't care to share some of their oil with us?
Why couldn't they?
Weren't they selfish?
Doesn't he know, had they shared a bit of their oil,
we too could have been in the chamber?
To be honest, at least some of us, if not all,
Are prettier than some of those so called Wise ones!
So many say and we too do think so!
We wonder whether they are truly wise?
For sure, they are street smart.
They are mean too and selfish to the core!
We do hate them..
We do envy them ..
Well, the above feelings were our initial reactions.
After the initial shock and denials,
We began to reflect as what had gone wrong?
And did we end up in such wretched state?
It is very easy to blame others,
Especially the Wise ones,
For their refusal to share a bit of their oil.
As we began to make an objective introspection,
It has been becoming more a more clear to us :
It is we ourselves who are responsible for our sorry fate!
We got to take the blame for ourselves.
The buck starts and stops with us.
It has becoming clearer to us that,
It’s due to our attitude towards our own life,
Which has landed us in our present unenviable state.
We didn't care to carry oil with us.
Sure, we did all the rest..
We got ready to come..
We did come with our lamps.
We did wait.
We did want to enter the chamber.
But why on earth were we so careless to miss the oil.
The lamps we had..
We did brush and spruce them up..
Well,
However beautiful and shiny our lamps might have been,
It's of no use to have them without oil in it to burn, right?
Why did we not think so?
We wonder:
Were we that foolish?
Or
Were we careless?
Isn’t this attitude of being careless has been our trait?
Or
Were we lazy to collect and carry the oil with us?
Or
Were we over smart and fooled ourselves in believing:
We would be able to get around the Wise Ones,
And convince them to share a bit of their oil?
Or
Were we in the denial of having the importance of oil?
Maybe, there's a bit of all the above factors,
Which inevitably has landed us in this sorry stay!
It has becoming more and more clear:
That we are to blame Ourselves for our present fate!
And not anyone else!
It's Our Fault! Our Fault! Our Grievous Fault!
We got to change some of our attitudes and ourselves!
And we shall…
We shall learn from our costly mistakes.
We shall not give up.
We will keep praying and hoping and above all,
We shall keep our lamps and the oil ready for the next opportunity!”
Thank you dear Foolish or rather Careless Virgin for your very introspective musings. .
Guess, what?
Me too had been in similar situations as you all are!
Yes, I too can trace in myself:
All above factors which had contributed to your present pathetic plight.
Many a times I too have failed to take the oil along.
And kept blaming everyone else for my failures!
I shall keep learning from my lost opportunities and Costly Mistakes!
Thank you, Foolishly Careless Virgin-Friends!
Dear Jesus, the Risen Lord,
You know very well that I have been a very Foolish and Careless priest ending up being a Prodigal Priest.
I want keep returning to you ..
With a well spruced up Lamp of my life and with the Oil of Grateful and Foot Washing Love in it,
I shall keep waiting!
Not to miss you again!
Dear Jesus, the Risen Lord,
I bring before you:
Everyone of my loved ones.
Everyone of my enemies who were and are.
Everyone who loves as well as hates me.
Everyone whom I love and whom i hate.
Everyone who helps me and who don't.
Everyone whom i have lead astray.
Everyone who is sick and needs healing.
Everyone who is in despair and needs hope.
Every priest who is in need of prayers.
Everyone who has met with me!
Oh, Jesus, My Lord and My God,
I thank You,
I thank the Father,
I thank the Spirit,
For Your Unsolicited gift of life for me!
For Your Uncountable blessings for me!
For Your Unlimited Patience with me!
For Your Untold Forgiveness for me!
For Your Unflinching faith in me!
For Your Unfailing Hope in me!
For Your Unconditional Love of me!
Amen
JoAchen
Joachenmonologues@gmail.com
Monday, 11th April 2016
These Reflections are neither pure scientific exegesis nor are they any highly theological explanations. They are a sort of devotional musings and monologues mainly meant for my personal renewal and spiritual growth. They are a part of my journaling….
I am a near seventy year old Pallottine priest from India. I consider myself to be a "prodigal priest in process," trying to make my pilgrimage back to the Home of the Heavenly Father guided by His Son and the Holy Spirit, aided by the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, and inspired by Thomas the Apostle and by Vincenzo Pallotti, "the apostle of Rome." Despite my academic studies in Indian Philosophy (India), Sacred Scriptures(Rome), Psychology (USA) and Teaching and Parish Ministries at home and abroad, I have yet to do a lot more and work on myself much more for my spiritual growth and personal maturity. As I lag behind, I strongly feel the urge and need to grow spiritually and wholistically. I need to start almost every day anew. I keep on counting the innumerable blessings which the Lord keeps showering on me for the last near seventy years and I keep on recounting my manifold sins and failures with a contrite heart.Trying out a semi-secluded way of life, I find myself perched on a Hilltop Shrine. Dear Reader, I keep holding you in my daily prayers and request you to do the same for me.Thank you!
Dear Jesus, the Risen Lord,
Thank you for your thought provoking parable.
It reminds me of the presence of both the Wise as well as the Foolish Virgins in me. They are a part of me, though most of the time it is the Foolish Virgins who very much alive and kicking in me.
Thank you, Jesus, the Risen Lord, for reminding myself of their influence in my daily life and in my activities.
My Musings ….
“Dear Foolish Virgins,
You must have been terribly sad, upset, and angry as you weren't allowed even to enter the chamber of the bridegroom. Though you had spent so much time and energy to get ready and wait for the bridegroom, finally you were utterly disappointed, right? You were outrightly told by the bridegroom himself that he doesn't even know you all! This must have been a rude shock to your ears, wasn't it?
How did you all end up in such a miserable plight?
Could I listen to your Musings?
Musings of the Foolish Virgins
“Yes, we were indeed totally shocked to be denied entry into the chamber of the bridegroom.
How could he ever have told us so outrightly,
that he doesn't even know us?
Isn't he the one who invited us?
We were only a bit late.
That's all, right?
We were late because:
Those proud and the so called Wise Virgins didn't care to share some of their oil with us?
Why couldn't they?
Weren't they selfish?
Doesn't he know, had they shared a bit of their oil,
we too could have been in the chamber?
To be honest, at least some of us, if not all,
Are prettier than some of those so called Wise ones!
So many say and we too do think so!
We wonder whether they are truly wise?
For sure, they are street smart.
They are mean too and selfish to the core!
We do hate them..
We do envy them ..
Well, the above feelings were our initial reactions.
After the initial shock and denials,
We began to reflect as what had gone wrong?
And did we end up in such wretched state?
It is very easy to blame others,
Especially the Wise ones,
For their refusal to share a bit of their oil.
As we began to make an objective introspection,
It has been becoming more a more clear to us :
It is we ourselves who are responsible for our sorry fate!
We got to take the blame for ourselves.
The buck starts and stops with us.
It has becoming clearer to us that,
It’s due to our attitude towards our own life,
Which has landed us in our present unenviable state.
We didn't care to carry oil with us.
Sure, we did all the rest..
We got ready to come..
We did come with our lamps.
We did wait.
We did want to enter the chamber.
But why on earth were we so careless to miss the oil.
The lamps we had..
We did brush and spruce them up..
Well,
However beautiful and shiny our lamps might have been,
It's of no use to have them without oil in it to burn, right?
Why did we not think so?
We wonder:
Were we that foolish?
Or
Were we careless?
Isn’t this attitude of being careless has been our trait?
Or
Were we lazy to collect and carry the oil with us?
Or
Were we over smart and fooled ourselves in believing:
We would be able to get around the Wise Ones,
And convince them to share a bit of their oil?
Or
Were we in the denial of having the importance of oil?
Maybe, there's a bit of all the above factors,
Which inevitably has landed us in this sorry stay!
It has becoming more and more clear:
That we are to blame Ourselves for our present fate!
And not anyone else!
It's Our Fault! Our Fault! Our Grievous Fault!
We got to change some of our attitudes and ourselves!
And we shall…
We shall learn from our costly mistakes.
We shall not give up.
We will keep praying and hoping and above all,
We shall keep our lamps and the oil ready for the next opportunity!”
Thank you dear Foolish or rather Careless Virgin for your very introspective musings. .
Guess, what?
Me too had been in similar situations as you all are!
Yes, I too can trace in myself:
All above factors which had contributed to your present pathetic plight.
Many a times I too have failed to take the oil along.
And kept blaming everyone else for my failures!
I shall keep learning from my lost opportunities and Costly Mistakes!
Thank you, Foolishly Careless Virgin-Friends!
Dear Jesus, the Risen Lord,
You know very well that I have been a very Foolish and Careless priest ending up being a Prodigal Priest.
I want keep returning to you ..
With a well spruced up Lamp of my life and with the Oil of Grateful and Foot Washing Love in it,
I shall keep waiting!
Not to miss you again!
Dear Jesus, the Risen Lord,
I bring before you:
Everyone of my loved ones.
Everyone of my enemies who were and are.
Everyone who loves as well as hates me.
Everyone whom I love and whom i hate.
Everyone who helps me and who don't.
Everyone whom i have lead astray.
Everyone who is sick and needs healing.
Everyone who is in despair and needs hope.
Every priest who is in need of prayers.
Everyone who has met with me!
Oh, Jesus, My Lord and My God,
I thank You,
I thank the Father,
I thank the Spirit,
For Your Unsolicited gift of life for me!
For Your Uncountable blessings for me!
For Your Unlimited Patience with me!
For Your Untold Forgiveness for me!
For Your Unflinching faith in me!
For Your Unfailing Hope in me!
For Your Unconditional Love of me!
Amen
JoAchen
Joachenmonologues@gmail.com
Monday, 11th April 2016
These Reflections are neither pure scientific exegesis nor are they any highly theological explanations. They are a sort of devotional musings and monologues mainly meant for my personal renewal and spiritual growth. They are a part of my journaling….
I am a near seventy year old Pallottine priest from India. I consider myself to be a "prodigal priest in process," trying to make my pilgrimage back to the Home of the Heavenly Father guided by His Son and the Holy Spirit, aided by the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, and inspired by Thomas the Apostle and by Vincenzo Pallotti, "the apostle of Rome." Despite my academic studies in Indian Philosophy (India), Sacred Scriptures(Rome), Psychology (USA) and Teaching and Parish Ministries at home and abroad, I have yet to do a lot more and work on myself much more for my spiritual growth and personal maturity. As I lag behind, I strongly feel the urge and need to grow spiritually and wholistically. I need to start almost every day anew. I keep on counting the innumerable blessings which the Lord keeps showering on me for the last near seventy years and I keep on recounting my manifold sins and failures with a contrite heart.Trying out a semi-secluded way of life, I find myself perched on a Hilltop Shrine. Dear Reader, I keep holding you in my daily prayers and request you to do the same for me.Thank you!
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