Can I faithfully entrust myself to the unknown with the certainty of God’s goodness?

 
Reading: Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. Matthew 25:13.
 
Good morning, happy, Friday, and many blessings my dear family.
 
In the Gospel (Matthew 25:1-13) reading today, Jesus tells his disciples the parable of the ten virgins.  This is a parable that is familiar to most of us.  The ten virgins took their lamps and went out to wait for the coming of the bridegroom.  Jesus tells us that five of these virgins were foolish and the other five virgins were wise.
 
The custom at the time of Jesus was that the bridegroom typically took off to party with his friends after the wedding. Then late in the night, the groom would come and collect his bride.   When the bridegroom finally appeared, the custom was for the bridesmaids to light the way to his house with lamps.
 
Jesus’ version is a bit different. At midnight, the virgins were awakened when the sentinel cried out: “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out and welcome him!”  Immediately, all ten of the virgins went out to meet the bridegroom.  However, five of the virgins had not anticipated that the bridegroom would dally or party so long.  Foolishly, the virgins had not brought any extra oil for their lamps; thus, when the bridegroom finally arrived, their lamps no longer had any oil in them.  There lamps were dark; they could not escort the bridegroom to his bride!
 
Now the other five virgins were wise and prudent women.  They had planned well and brought along some extra lamp oil, just in case it was needed.  Thus, they could escort the bridegroom to the bridal chamber.
 
Today’s Gospel invites us to ask ourselves: Am I wise or foolish?  Or am I a bit of both, depending on the circumstances?  Within us, we each have a wise person and we all have a foolish person within us.
 
Remember, the foolishness of the five was not only that they forgot to bring extra oil, but because they assumed the exact time that the groom was going to come. This gospel also helps us to focus on the here and now. It helps us to learn to live totally in the present, to seek and find God there. If we can do that, then all the rest will take care of itself. Whether the Groom arrives early or late, it will not matter as he has been constantly part of my everyday life.
 
I ask myself: Who am I in the parable? Am I willing to wait on God even when I don’t know how long it will take? Can I faithfully entrust myself to the unknown with the certainty of God’s goodness? Do we have our lamps lit? Are we prepared and alert? Or has our oil been used up and our lamp dark?  Or perhaps we have fallen asleep? Talk to Jesus about these things.
 
Blessings,

Fr. Luis+