Daily Reflections

November 6, 2011
ARE YOU READY?

The wedding ceremony in the Jewish culture is a very elaborate celebration and often drawn out. Normally, the celebration would occur in the house of the bride’s father. The virgins, unmarried young women, would keep watch for the bridegroom’s arrival. At a moment’s notice, they should be ready to inform the bride of his arrival. The torches were long poles with oil-drenched rags on top. Charred ends of the rags were cut and trimmed. One needed to have plenty of oil to keep it burning, usually replenished every 15 minutes.
The whole point of the story is that we must keep watch and stay awake because we do not know when the Lord will come again. The bridegroom is late in his arrival and so naturally, the virgins fell asleep. They all became drowsy. When the call of the bridegroom’s arrival came, there was much panic. Trimming their lamps, the foolish ones realized they had no more oil left. They sought favor from the others but the wise virgins were in a predicament because it would mean they too would be lacking. When they hurried off to the merchants in the middle of the night, they returned with the door closed on them. The trouble was that they were not ready.
We must always be vigilant and keep the oil in our lamp burning. Every one of us has a responsibility to keep our torches (faith) lit with the oil (charity). By our good deeds, we will meet the Lord as soon as He arrives and takes us to Himself. The oil is the charity, the love expressed in faith through our actions. It would be a terrible thing to find at the Lord’s coming the door closed on us. Once locked, it cannot be opened. The great shame is that these women were there all along, waiting. It was because of their unprepared resources that they missed out. If only they had the resources, the joy would have been theirs to celebrate. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL

Reflection Question:
How are you keeping the oil burning?

Lord, I pray for the grace to be vigilant, watchful and waiting for the hour of Your coming. Amen.

St. Barlaam, pray for us.