Reflection
Jesus’ parable about the wise and foolish virgins contains an important lesson for our prayer and reflection today. This parable applies to everyone, no matter where we might be in our spiritual life.
Let’s begin with the imagery of the parable. The two primary characters used to describe the kingdom of heaven are the maidens, those desiring to be brides, and the bridegroom. Through our Baptism, each of us are part of the Church, the ultimate bride of Christ. Christ is the bridegroom who we desire. Jesus is the One who will eventually come and call us to take us to the wedding feast in heaven.
Like all ten maidens, we all desire to see Christ one day. Yet we don’t know when that time will come. Our time of waiting is our time here on earth. Our faith, the light of Christ, is our spiritual lamp. The time and attention we give to developing and growing our faith in God is the flask of oil that will sustain us until He comes. Will our lamp of faith shine bright for all to see? Will we be ready to meet the Lord when He comes?
We prepare for many things in this life. Our preparation is always directed toward a goal, event, or skill that will help us achieve a desirable result in life. These “earthly” preparations help us develop virtues that also serve us well in our spiritual growth. Patience, wisdom, understanding, humility, fortitude, and perseverance are virtues that we must spend time developing. These virtues are gifts of the Holy Spirit, necessary to help us grow spiritually. Developing these virtues, when focused on our relationship with God, also help us grow in another gift of the Holy Spirit - Fear of the Lord.
Fear of the Lord is a healthy reverence for all that we have been given by God and increases our desire to grow ever closer to Him. As we grow in this virtue, we overcome the fear of death. Our lives become a journey of patiently waiting to join the Lord in our heavenly home. But there is much to be done on our earthly journey. We must keep our lamps, our personal light of Christ, burning brightly until our Bridegroom arrives! We fill our spiritual flasks of oil by growing in virtue and by loving and serving the Lord and each other.
Let this song help your reflection today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5Cbe547NPU
Today’s Question for Prayer and Reflection
When the Lord Jesus comes to lead you to his heavenly banquet will you be ready to hear his voice and follow?