Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
- Katie Bak, Sr. Director of Admin & Facilities
As we move deeper into the school year, many of us feel the pace quicken. Calendars fill, responsibilities multiply, and it can seem as though there is always one more task demanding our attention. At the same time, the Church begins to draw our attention toward a season of waiting and preparation. Long before Advent arrives, this Sunday's readings remind us that wisdom is found not in doing more, but in being ready. Wisdom tells us that wisdom is available to those who seek it, while the Gospel's wise bridesmaids are prepared when the bridegroom arrives. Their readiness was not a last-minute effort but the result of habits formed long before the moment came.
As parents, teachers, ministers, staff, and more, we often spend our days pouring ourselves out for others. Yet these readings invite us to ask whether we are tending our own lamps. The "oil" that sustains our vocation cannot be borrowed from someone else. It is nurtured through prayer, reflection, meaningful relationships, gratitude, and time spent reconnecting with the purpose of our work.
As we enter both a busy cultural season and liturgical season, may we resist the temptation to simply rush from one obligation to the next. Instead, may we make room for wisdom, remain attentive to God's presence in our daily work, and keep our lamps burning brightly for those entrusted to our care.
As you enter a new week, I encourage you to consider:
What is the "oil" that keeps your lamp burning, and how intentionally am you making time to replenish it?
In the midst of the busyness of this upcoming season, where is God inviting you to slow down, pay attention, and prepare your heart rather than simply complete tasks?
May we continue to support one another as a community that is not only productive, but also faithful, hopeful, and ready for the work God places before us.