trim your wick

Hosea 2:16-22; Ps 45 Listen to me daughter, see and bend your ear; Mt 25:1-13

Quote from a graphic novelist Satrapi, "Image is an international language. The first writing of the human being was drawing, not writing. That appeared much before the alphabet. And when you draw a situation — someone is scared or angry or happy — it means the same thing in all cultures. You cannot draw someone crying, and in one culture they think that he is happy. He would have the same expression. There's something direct about the image. Also, it is more accessible. People don't take it so seriously. And when you want to use a little bit of humor, it's much easier to use pictures."

Writing in pictures is an amazing way to grab the attention of the reader and also get the message across...

As it is often remarked pictures tell a thousand words, and pictures do not lie.

Perhaps this is why Jesus uses so many parables, stories that involve images.

They grab our attention and while holding us close the message comes through loud and clear.

so goes the gospel for the feast of st. cecilia

"The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, taking their lamps brought no extra oil, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps..."

Picture the scene. Ten virgins all in a row with their lamps full aglow. They all seem ahppy and cheerful except five of them seem to be looking at the other five's flask with a bit of a "I new I forgot something" expression on their face.

What good is a lamp without oil, a flashlight without batteries?

Then the cry came out, "Behold the Bridegroom! come out to meet him!"

Then chaos ensues as the foolish discover their error.

"The ten virgins got up and trimmed their wick and the foolish said, "give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out."

Frantic and bewilldered the foolish five beg and plead, down on their knees.



Don't you just hate when that happens. When you come unprepared and find yourself left out in the dark.

"The bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked."

Picture it in your mind. The wise vrigins, with their wicks all trimmed and the lamps full ablaze with big smiles on their faces prancing into the dining all, this chamber filled with musical notes floating in the air and a sense of cheerfulness that emanates from their faces. Even their gowns are full of color and sprite.

Then the door is locked, with a huge pad lock barring any ill prepared visitors or guest from passage.

The five foolish are frantically running trying to find some oil before it is too late. They trip and fall over each other; They are trying to outdo each other in getting to the first salesman available. They are bargaining and haggling all the while the clock is ticking and time is running out.

Then they arrive only a second too late and on the outside looking in, those foolish virgins are weeping with big crocodile tears falling to the ground extinguishing their lamps one by one that lie at their feet. the big pad lock bars their entrance and finalizes their fate. They missed it; they were too late.

Then the last strip of the graphic scene comes to a close with the pronouncement, "Stay Awake, for you know niether the hour nor the day."

Now don't you wish you had those extra batteries. Don't you want to go out be ready and alert.

Isn't that the point of it all!

trim your wick and fill your flask and let charity be the task at hand.