The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
These ten all set out with a good goal, and with some preparation as well. They were all different from those who couldn't be bothered to attend the king's feast. They were, all ten of them, apparently eager to meet the bridegroom. Yet something set apart five of them as wise and five of them as foolish.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
The five who were wise were wise because of their prudent preparations. They were spiritual preppers for whom unforeseen events were not enough to prevent them from shining with the light they needed when the time arrived. The five who were foolish were foolish apparently because of their imprudent assumptions. And what assumptions? That everything would be quick and easy. They were not prepared for the long delay of the bridegroom. This delay affected all ten, but not equally.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
Many Christians are like the foolish virgins. We expect that from the time our lamps are first lit to the coming of our bridegroom will be short, easy, nothing but smooth sailing. We do not count the cost of building the tower, or assess whether our small army is up for the fight (see Luke 14:25-34). Then, when the rubber meets the road, we feel as though we have been abandoned by the bridegroom and our lights go out. We are instead meant to be ready for the delay, and to know that we have not been abandoned even when night begins to fall. We are meant to trust that the bridegroom will come, in his own timing, yes, but inexorably. Jesus therefore says, "the one who endures to the end will be saved" (see Matthew 24:13).
All are forced to recon with the bridegroom's delay. It is enough to overcome all of us in sleep. But if we expect it we can prepare for it, making ourselves ready to relight our lamps as soon as we awaken. The weakness of our human frame is a limitation, but one that can be transcended by the aid of heavenly grace, making us ready to shine by the works that we do, to glorify the bridegroom. For the light of our lamps is not just any generic good works, but good works by which we look for and welcome the presence of the bridegroom when he comes.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
'Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.'
But the wise ones replied,
'No, for there may not be enough for us and you.
We would, of course, share if it could help. But we can't give up our own longing for the coming of the bridegroom in order to give it to someone else. We can't actually be accursed and cut off for the sake of another (see Romans 9:3). If we gave our desire for Jesus away we wouldn't be able to see him or be recognized by him when he came. If others only received that desire from us second hand, because, suddenly, it seemed important, it would be too dim a light to avail for them. They need a light of their own, a desire that originates in their own hearts.
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Spiritually, we are called to stay awake. Even if, due to our human limitations we fall asleep, we may remain spiritually prepared. Even, in fact, if we sleep in death, our spiritual light may be ready, if we persevere, to make us ready to meet the bridegroom.
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep,
so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,
so too will God, through Jesus,
bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
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