Oil For My Lamp
Oil For My Lamp
The parable Jesus tells in this week’s Gospel reading gave me fits for years. For years, I kind of beat my head against that parable to no avail.
I mean, its tone is very urgent and its conclusion quite shocking, but its “therefore” just seems rather mundane and esoteric…and candidly, a real challenge to preach compellingly. “Be prepared. You don’t want to get caught without “oil” for your lamp (or “gas for your Ford”, or “wax for your board”. BTW if this makes any sense to you at all, you’re welcome for the ear worm).
Anyway, something I was witness to thirteen years ago—early June, 2010—gave me some profounder insight into what I believe we can take away from it…what’s at the heart of what Jesus was saying. And there’s nothing mundane or esoteric about it at all. It’s gritty and embodied.
See you Sunday.
Steve+
This Sunday:
1309 Bay Ridge and Membership Updates
Operation Christmas Child boxes due
Second Sunday Sandwiches—following worship
Redeemer Vestry—following SSS
Thanksgiving Dinner at Harbor House
We have been invited to participate in providing a Thanksgiving meal for the Harbor House community in Eastport—our future neighborhood(!) Lord willing. Commitment is preparing an item for the meal and delivering it to Eastport UMC between noon and 2PM Saturday, November 18. You can participate by signing up here.
Other Important Events:
Sunday, December 3—Membership Sunday
Sunday, December 10—Redeemer Annual Meeting
Sunday, December 24—Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols
Monday, December 25—Christmas Day Holy Communion
Sunday, December 31—Fifth Sunday Potluc
photo credit: Gadiel Lazcano on Unsplash
