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“…THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE...” John 17:11 Living the Prayer of Jesus through Racial Sobriety Matthew 25:1-13 The fourth Sunday of Wisdom deals with the terrible fate of the foolish virgins. This parable gives a different perspective on the wise teachings of Jesus than in our previous gospels in which the teachers are battling one another. The virgins are without education, simple and innocent. But the challenge to the simple and the innocent is that of responsibility. Each one of us are responsible for our readiness to participate in the banquet of life. Just as the Pharisees, Sadducees, chief priests and elders have the responsibility of leadership, the virgins have the responsibility of membership. Both leadership and membership are called to be ready to respond to the bridegroom’s call no matter what our status is within the faith community. In our efforts for better race relations everyone has a part to play, not only church and civil leaders, but each one of us are to be ready at an instant when Christ appears in a different skin, gender or class other than ourselves. In these occasions our innocence or simplicity is no excuse. Our responsibility is to have the oil of a ready heart to light the way of others to the banquet of the kingdom.
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