November 8, 2020 Matthew 25:1-13 This Gospel story is horrible. These foolish bridesmaids just can’t get it right and the consequences are dire - like wailing and gnashing of teeth dire. It reminds me of the most recent iteration of my anxiety dream where I am running into church late - without time to put on my robe or print my sermon - and I can’t make my way to the front - and Oran fires me on the spot. Nothing like this has ever come close to happening and yet I can’t tell you how often I have this kind of dream. Today’s Gospel parable is like my worst anxiety nightmare. And it feels a little too realistic at this moment in our national life. Here we are just a few days post-election. I intentionally recorded this sermon on Tuesday, so I wouldn’t know the results yet. So I don’t yet know who wins and who loses. (Maybe you don’t either!) But I do know that either way it goes, unless we can change things fast, we are going to be stuck in this Gospel story like quicksand.