A few we weeks ago, on a Sunday, a lone gunman stormed a worship service and massacred 26 people as they sang in the First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs, Texas.

Then on the following Tuesday morning a vehicle crashed into a classroom in Greenacre, here in Sydney. Two little boys were killed. Meanwhile, an 82 year old woman died in a Carlingford Court car park on Tuesday afternoon, possibly hit by a car.

In Yemen 7 million people were currently on the brink of starvation as essential aid supplies were blocked by a Saudi-led coalition. In North Korea some 20 million people are living on the brink as Kim Jong-un faces off with the USA. Meanwhile on 11th November we were reminded of the tragic consequences of war as between 9 and 13 million people died in the 1914-1918 conflict.

Life is full of tragedies. The truth of the matter is that any of us could be ambushed at any time by circumstances that bewilder us, disrupt us and even lead to death.

Now I don’t wish to be a prophet of doom. But in the midst of so much teaching and so many deeds that warm our hearts, Matthew’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus also had some rather unsettling, confronting things to say.

The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids is no exception. Here five young women are admitted to a wedding ceremony while the door is shut in the face of five others. The reason why? – the five others were distracted. They were preoccupied and side-lined. They were not attending to the most important matters of life!

It’s naïve to suggest we are somehow insulated from the kind of tragedies that impact the world. Jesus never says this.

Rather, the point of today’s parable is that we must always be prepared for what lies ahead, no matter what the situation or circumstances.

So, don’t be deflected by trivial things that simply side-track you. Don’t be conned by a growing secularism that wants to consume you. Don’t spend your days suggesting God no longer matters or that there isn’t enough time for God in your busy schedules. You are just kidding yourself!

When we take our eyes off the main game we are left exposed to blind alleys and dead ends – just like those bridesmaids who left the scene to find some oil.

In a world hit by sudden, unexpected tragedies, be prepared, watch and pray – and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the One who really matters!

Rev John Barr