The gospel set for this Sunday (Matthew 25.1–13) is another difficult parable. This time it’s the one about the ten young women who fell asleep and ran out of oil for their lamps.
Here it is enough to focus on one point that the story is emphasising. I think it’s pointing out that we don't know where and when we will see signs of God's empire appearing. In the time when Jesus lived and the gospels were written, the Roman Empire was in charge. Empires then and now work on top down thinking; that is, they tend to value the successful. And are not concerned with everybody else. They promote dualistic thinking.
Jesus spoke about God’s empire. He was concerned for the people on the edge of society. The people left out by empires like the Roman one. He spoke about the last being first. He spoke about the poor inheriting the earth. But his way of thinking was never easy, and over time the church adopted the “normal” way of thinking and largely forgot what Jesus said.
Of course. there have always been exceptions. But since the time of Constantine, the institutional church has gone along with the Empire way of thinking. Dave Tomlinson presents a different view. “The kingdom of God does not exist simply among religious people. Wherever the disadvantaged are empowered, wherever justice is practiced, wherever the excluded are brought in, wherever friendship conquers prejudice and suspicion. Wherever beauty is treasured and imagination liberated, or when truth is prized regardless of whoever speaks it – there is the kingdom of God”.
I am writing this at my brother’s house in Sicily. We have it because our ancestors were part of the British Empire. They made a lot of money buying and exporting the products of Sicily but most of the money went back to England or to the USA leaving nearly everyone in Sicily very poor. And to remind us that we were part of the British Empire the young Queen Victoria and Prince Albert preside over the main sitting room. I hope that now we contribute more to the local economy when we come here.
Christopher
