Light the Lamps
[Hymn of the Bridegroom, Holy Tuesday]

by Virginia M. Kimball, S.T.D.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

You who have shut the Kingdom of Heaven

against these tender souls. … Do not be called

teachers, for One is your Teacher, the Christ. ^{Matthew 23:13}

Rachel weeps for her children, and our mothers

wail for sons and daughters lost to perversion.

But are we, too, ready for the banquet?

Do we forgive, do we pray, remembering to hope?

For now, Christ comes soon … and laments,

sending his mother to teach us wisdom’s sense. 

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you killed the prophets

and stoned those sent to you. How many

times I yearned to gather your children,

as a hen gathers her young under her wings,

but you were unwilling! ^{Matthew 23:39}

Are we willing now?

The midnight hour has passed,

and the Light enters in.

Can we forgive, can we hope,

can we believe?

Is our lamp lit in the night?

Heaven’s realm is like ten young women,

waiting for a glimpse of the bridegroom.

Five were foolish and five were wise.

The foolish had no more oil, finding soon

the long darkness could not be filled

with longing. Only the wise who planned,

patiently - waiting with flasks of plenty

to light their lamps,

they awoke and entered in. ^{Matthew 25:1-13}

We wait as the bridegroom comes,

warm with the love of his mother,

crouched beneath the folds of her protection,

like chicks nestled under the wings of a hen.

She is the one who waits with us,

soothing our anger, our hurt, our loss …

embracing too, for us,
the glory of the cross.