Stay Awake! Be Ready!
Have you ever been caught short? Caught offguard, Caught unprepared? We can all probably yes to these questions at one time or another. We have also learned, often the hard way, of the consequences.Jesus today tells a parable that speaks of readiness, preparedness, vigilance, and responsibility. The words that Matthew uses to describe the two different groups of virgins who were given a task (foolish and wise) gives us a clue to the outcome of the story. Those who were ready fulfilled their responsibility and were welcomed to the feast. Those who were unprepared found themselves locked out in the cold!You might wonder about the wise virgins, and why they didn’t share some of their oil. The point of the story is that there are some things you just can’t share, some responsibilities people must take on themselves. You can’t rely on your mother’s faith to get you into the Kingdom.
YOU have to be awake and ready! Like the wise Virgins who prepared and were ready for the Wedding Banquet, so we are called to constantly Stay Awake and Be Ready!