This parable is not about wedding customs or about staying awake at night. The bottom line is being prepared to meet Christ. How often do we find ourselves poorly prepared like the foolish virgins? Perhaps there are a few college alumni present who can relate to this story of a foolish freshman.
The night before his first final exam, this student, who believed that he always worked best under pressure, finally got out his books and notes at 10:00 and began to study. He was doing well—reviewing his notes and highlighting certain passages in his textbooks. Around 2:00 in the morning, he fell asleep at his desk. When he woke up, he was stunned to discover he was an hour late for class.
Grabbing his pen, he ran to class. There he desperately explained to his professor what had happened. As one would expect, the teacher wasn’t sympathetic and just said, “Well, do what you can with the time you have.” Needless to say, when the grades were posted, he didn’t pass.
Highlighting on the custom of his time, Jesus tells the story of ten virgins, five of whom he called foolish for not being prepared. Unlike those who were wise, they did not have sufficient oil for their lamps to last through the night. Caught short-handed, they had to fetch more oil elsewhere and while they were gone, the bridegroom arrived.
In the early years of the Church, many believed that Jesus, as the bridegroom, would soon return in majestic glory. The end times were near. By the time Paul wrote his letter to the Thessalonians, many early Christians had died and hope of Jesus’ return in glory was beginning to fade.
Realizing that the return of Christ was not eminent prompted Matthew to write his gospel for future generations. He included the parable of the ten virgins to caution his readers that like the bridegroom, Jesus was delayed in coming. We do not know when Christ will return in majestic glory but we must be prepared when the moment arrives.
It may seem strange to you that the wise virgins refused to share what oil they had with their foolish counterparts. After all, that sounds selfish, but Jesus is speaking of something that couldn’t be shared. If we see the “oil” as our good deeds and acts of love, that explains why the wise virgins couldn’t share what they had with the foolish virgins. The oil we use to light our lamps comes from our good deeds and acts of love, from being good stewards.
Such a life asks us to share our gifts of time, talent and treasure. Yes, the parish benefits from these gifts, but more importantly, we are concerned about the person you are becoming. The parish ultimately exists for the sake of your eternal salvation and we want you to be prepared for the day you take your last breath by living this life well.
Like the wise virgins, we have “oil” in our lamps. If we practice stewardship, we will have the generous, humble and open hearts, which the Lord requires of us. But if we keep putting off what really matters, Jesus may one day say to us, “I do not know you.” As the foolish virgins and freshman learned too late, each person has the responsibility to be prepared, for someday there will be no second chance.
When we strive to live unselfishly and care about the needs and interests of others as well as our own, our chances of being a member of the heavenly family will be granted. If we are vigilant, thus mindful of our responsibility before God to be good stewards of what we have, we will grow in kindness and compassion. That is truly being prepared.