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“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those young women got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. Later the other young women came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. POINTS FROM A SERMON BY ST. AUGUSTINE - · This parable relates to the whole Church – ten virgins are all members.
- · Such souls have the Catholic faith and have carried out good works in the Church of God.
- · Number five relates to the body’s five senses.
- · The ten are called virgins because they have not sinned through the five senses.
- · They have lamps, by reason of their good works.
- · The oil for lamps signifies the virtue of Charity – true love in the heart.
- · The ten virgins know the Groom is coming and are seeking his second coming.
- · The Bridegroom delays – to allow the fulness of time to unfold.
- · The virgin’s sleeping is their natural death in the body.
- · Midnight is the unknown hour for the day of judgement.
- · The trumpet calls all to rise from their graves.
- · The five wise virgins carry the oil of Charity in the vessels of their hearts.
- · The five foolish virgin’s hearts are only filled with pride.
- · The oil of the foolish virgins is the praise of others, people of rank, sellers of flattery.
- · Now in death the foolish virgins have no one to peddle them praise.
- · The five wise virgins are of good conscience with hearts of Charity, yet they do not presume to judge themselves.
- · The time for mercy is now – a time to repent before Bridegroom comes.
- · Then comes the time for judgement – too late for repentance – meaningless empty lamps.
- · Thus did the Gospel close; Watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour. But if we are all to sleep, how shall we watch? Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with hope, watch with charity, watch with good works; and then, when you shall sleep in your body, the time will come that you shall rise. And when you shall have risen, make ready the lamps. Then shall they go out no more, then shall they be renewed with the inner oil of conscience; then shall that Bridegroom fold you in His spiritual embrace, then shall He bring you into His House where you shall never sleep, where your lamp can never be extinguished. But at present we are in labour, and our lamps flicker amid the winds and temptations of this life; but only let our flame burn strongly, that the wind of temptation may increase the fire, rather than put it out.
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