Reflection for Sunday – November 8, 2026

Sue HowardSunday Readings Homilies

Readings: Wisdom 6:12-16; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13 
Preacher: Sue Howard

I write this reflection on the eve of the mid-term elections.

Elections that could determine the political landscape for the next 2 to 3 years or more. The right of women to vote, included in the Constitution barely over 100 years ago, is in peril as there is a movement by right wing extremists to return to the one vote per household and for the man to cast that vote. It sounds preposterous, doesn’t it? I pray that the wisdom of God might enter into the hearts and minds of all voters.

What does this have to do with our scripture readings today?

In Matthew’s Gospel regarding the Ten Virgins, (a descriptor for all young women) we find that half of them were prepared, and half unprepared. Those who were prepared were ready to usher in the Bridegroom—Jesus—who would teach a new way of life for all of humankind for the salvation of the world.

Here’s the important part—it was up to the young women to bring this message, this new life to the world!

In the Gospel, preparedness was simple—some oil for their lamps, lamps to illuminate and magnify the message of salvation.

I think it’s interesting that Matthew chose women to do this. In doing so he raises up the vocation of women to be the messengers of the faith! This message dovetailed with the first reading from Wisdom that depicts wisdom as the female counterpart to the Holy Spirit, offering the same gifts, and serving to amplify the power women hold to bring peace and harmony to all the peoples of the world.

As our Bishop encourages us to pray for vocations this month you may want to add the vocation of women preachers and ministers, ordained or not!

How do we prepare our young women to be the ones who are ready to welcome the task of ushering in the Kingdom? The Kingdom of God that is visible and functioning in the world today.

I feel exceptionally blessed that I was raised by a college educated mother who worked her whole life for the betterment of girls and women. She made sure all of us girls had plenty of life skills, extracurricular activities to broaden our experience of the way other people lived, Camp Fire Girls (similar to Girl Scouts), Church activities, and a well-rounded education. She taught us to be independent and responsible for ourselves and thoughtful of others. She was also the Director of Camp Fire Girls for Monroe County and the Director of the Children’s program at the former ABW, Alternatives for Battered Women, now called Willow.

The Camp Fire Girls motto was similar to the more familiar Girl Scout motto: to be honest, fair, friendly, helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, responsible for what I say and do, to respect myself and others, to respect authority and use resources wisely, to make the world a better place, and to be a sister to every girl scout. Wow!

These are the girls who are going to be prepared. These are the girls who will not only carry oil for their own lamps but a little extra for the ones who couldn’t afford enough oil or by circumstances beyond their control were unable to procure enough oil. But it takes dedicated parents, guardians and teachers to make this happen. And it takes a society that values the wisdom and dignity of all women.

Scripture depicts wisdom as a gift that roams around looking for a soul to enter. She waits at the gate at dawn with all solicitude, caring deeply about everyone’s health, safety and comfort. She wants to have a relationship with people, real people, all people.  As she enters the worthy souls she provides a deeper kind of faith, one in tune with the truth, one that will create a spiritual resilience that can survive the test of time.

Over the next few weeks, from All Souls through Advent, we hear the scripture readings associated with the end times. Our end time in this human life, and the end time of the cosmos when Christ will come again. We all would benefit from a healthy dose of wisdom to nourish our souls and strengthen our desire to enter into a closer relationship with God. So that we can pass on that light to the generations to come, the light of faith to those yet to be born.

Sue Howard
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