At midnight, there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 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. -Matt 25:6-9
Friends, God is good, all the time. An excellent approach to help us understand the ten virgins' parable is to begin asking some questions. Did the wise virgins selfishly act towards the foolish ones by refusing them the oil? I don't know what you think, but here is the related question, why didn't the foolish virgins stay without their lamps, knowing that five of them had their lamps to serve the purpose of giving light to the room at the arrival of the bridegroom.
These questions lead us to discover that the issue here transcends moral and physical circumstances; it's not about right or wrong action or not helping someone in need. It is deeply spiritual and relational, and one does not form a relationship for another person.
The parable’s circumstances come from Jewish marriage customs, but in the context used by Jesus, it explains the great day of Christ's coming. The details of the story are that ten virgins had started together to go and meet the bridegroom. The bridegroom tarried in arriving and in the meantime, five of them lose the light from their lamps. Their request for supply from the wise ones for their lamps never works out, causing them to miss the bridegroom's arrival and eventually the opportunity to be with him as they intended.
In the spiritual sense, it refers to Christ and the Church. Christ is the bridegroom, the bride is the collective Church, and the virgins are its members. The lamp is the faith and the light of Christ entrusted to us at baptism, and the oil is God's grace received equally at baptism. Now let me take you back to the baptismal ritual of giving a lighted candle to parents and Godparents of an infant being baptized or to an adult.
The Priest says to them, "Receive the light of Christ;" then he continues, “this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. This child of yours has been enlightened by Christ. He/she is to walk always as a child of the light. May he /she keep the flame of faith alive in his /her heart. When the Lord comes, may he/she go out to meet him with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom.” How then, may we keep the light of Christ burning all our life and still not run out of oil? Here are must suggestions:
Come to Mass: The Mass is a rich source of oil of God's grace to us. Making time to join others to celebrate is inspiring, encouraging, and beautiful. It makes you realize you are not in the holy enterprise alone. The world and its target on our faith easily quenches our faith. So, joining other believers to worship is a major support.
Receive the Eucharist. The Eucharist nourishes and sustains us. It is viaticum (food for the journey) not only for those who are dying, but also for all of us on our journey to meet the bridegroom.
Seek God’s wisdom in his word. You see, there are a set of books in the bible called wisdom literature. These books offer practical lessons concerning any life situations. If you will make time to study the books, you will receive instructions about how you may live to keep your light burning. We need God's wisdom to keep us awake to the world that seeks to quench the light of Christ within us.
Go to confession. I love the sacrament of reconciliation. And listen, we don't have to make the world deceive us into thinking that the sacrament has outlived its time and purpose. No! It is there to keep us from slippery slopes, from being casual about sin. Respect Church rituals. The content of our faith and celebrations are not put together or applied haphazardly or randomly. They require careful appreciation and practice. Becoming casual about them will amount to quenching our lamp. Bing deeply rooted in it will sustain us.
Prayer blessings:Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.