It's the first Sunday of Advent, and the Gospel reading comes from Matt. 25:1-13.  It's the parable of the 10 virgins who were waiting for a bridegroom to arrive late one night. Each had a lamp. Five brought extra oil, and the other five didn't.  As the oil burned low, the five foolish virgins who had no extra oil had to go out to the merchant. While they were away, the bridegroom arrived. By the time they got back, the feast had started and they were locked out. No one would let them in.

I've always had problems with this parable. Why couldn't the five wise virgins share some oil? Why couldn't the foolish virgins just send out one of their number for some oil? For that matter, why did they need oil? Couldn't they just wait in the dark?

It's not meant to be taken literally, this parable.  The point of this story is that time passes.   For practically everything, there comes moment when it's too late.  We have to be alert, aware, waiting for the moment, living in the moment, prepared and ready for the grace that God brings to us.   We must, as Jesus says at the end of the reading, "Watch, therefore." Otherwise, the moment comes and we are asleep, in the dark, our resources exhausted.  Things can pass us by, and they do.

The New Testament reading comes from 2 Pet. 3:1-10.  Peter teaches us in this passage to be patient: in the eyes of God, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day.  But that doesn't mean things are not happening.