NOVEMBER 8, 2026 FATHER HENK VAN MEIJEL S.J.
We are coming very much to the end of the liturgical year and end times readings. And especially our Gospel reading is very much about being ready, being ready when the time comes, when God calls us, being ready that we have our relationships in order, that everything is in order and to make sure, especially in relationships, that we have done our best.
Sometimes relationships don’t work out, but as long we have done our part, and it’s so important to do our part. It’s, of course, up to the others how they respond to our invitation. But it’s so important, especially as we look towards the end of our own lives, to have everything in order. And it’s so important that we also will have a peaceful death, and also, wisdom comes in that.
Wisdom in the first reading, it’s beautiful. I love the book of Wisdom, and it’s not chronologically, but it has different themes. And so, the gift of wisdom: how do we retain that wisdom? How do we get that wisdom of Christ? And it is of the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and it is spending a lot of time in silence and reflect on our actions and to learn from our own actions.
One of the beautiful tools for this is the Ignatian exam, where we look back over the last 24 hours and kind of we look at it. What went good? What did not go good? In my relationships, was I as loving as I should be? And if I was not as loving as I should be, what am I going to do to repair it? It is so important to look at that.
And actually, in the 12-step movement, Alcohol Anonymous and so on, addiction anonymous, sex anonymous, they call it taking daily inventory. Same thing, different words, but it’s gently looking at ourselves.
Praying, we have our verbal prayers. We have the rosary and all of that, which is very important. But this self-reflection, it is so important as we move forward, especially in our relationships and our families.
But it’s a two-edged sword. If I go around and I say I’m wise, I probably am full of pride. Even if I think it and not say it, I’m full of pride. Let someone else say if I’m wise or not, but wisdom, it is really a gift of the Holy Spirit, and we have to pray with it.
There is such thing as having book knowledge. I can have a PhD in theology and still don’t have wisdom. It is really interesting. And sometimes I see it that someone has all the book knowledge and they can tell me all kinds of facts and still make lousy decisions in their own lives.
To make good decisions, wisdom is also about asking advice, asking advice of those around us or loved ones, of course, but also people who are known to be wise people and to really wear down their doorsteps and receive that gift of wisdom. It is so important to pray with, and when we have that wisdom, then we also will look forward to our death.
We are not afraid of dying, and St. Paul in 1 Thessalonians, in our second reading today, was very much touching on that. We don’t grieve like the unbelievers. We don’t grieve like the unbelievers. When God is calling, we gladly come. And we will not be hanging in there, trying to live to the last breath we can or the last experimental medical procedure. When God is calling, we know we’re ready to come.
But it takes a lifetime of self-reflection and praying and of course, as I said at the beginning, to be in touch with our loved ones, the people we have worked with and so on and to be open to God and to be one of the wise bridesmaids who were prepared and not like the unwise bridesmaids who were not prepared and did not bring anything extra in case the bridegroom did not come.
So, again, on this 32nd Sunday, as we move towards the end of the liturgical year, I invite you to take some time to really reflect on your own life journey with God. Is there something in our life, in our relationships what has to be fixed? Is there something I should talk about maybe with a confessor or a spiritual director? Is there something that I can make things perfect so if God calls that I’m open and ready like one of the wise bridesmaids? Amen.
