According to Jesus’ parable, what makes the foolish virgins “foolish” (Matthew 25:1-12)?
Their failure to bring their own supply of oil with them to greet the bridegroom represents a self-indulgent insistence to living. Sadly, some think they do not have to work for their own oil; that a pinch of anyone else’s oil will burn just as nicely in their own lamps. Their attitude is, “why worry about self-care and soul-care when we can manipulate others to get what we want when we want it.”
In God’s Kingdom, there are no spiritual freeloaders.
When the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ comes for me, no one else can look in to His eyes for me – no one else can speak to Christ for me.
- Wedding Banquet = heaven
- Bridegroom = Jesus
- Lamp = our soul (either burning brightly or not burning at all)
- Oil = divine grace (God’s Presence and Power)
Foolish ones offer souls as hollow as the empty lamps. They are trying to deceive the Beloved God with fake love.
Our moment of death will be marked by we have done during our lifetime, how we sincerely tried to imitate Jesus in our daily living – or did didn’t. That alone is what we will have to offer God. At that moment, no substitutions are possible. Fake love will be exposed for what it is – counterfeit self-interest. In contrast, real and genuine love will be praised and rewarded by God.
In the last verse of today’s Gospel, Jesus suddenly turns His attention from the parable to the listeners in the immediate present. Jesus so deeply desires us to avoid the catastrophic failure of the fool-hearty ones.
Jesus lovingly exhorts us to, “Stay awake!” (v. 13). Hear the desire of our blessed Lord for us to begin right now to accumulate oil in anticipation of our ultimate encounter with the Divine Bridegroom.
