A parable predicting the end of time!

This Sunday's Gospel reading should be taken as a clear-cut warning from our Lord Jesus Christ to all the faithful. It is one of the so-called apocalyptic parables that teaches us two important Christian beliefs, that there will be a Last Judgment and this will happen with the second coming of Christ. So no one can say that they didn't hear the warning bells!

You will find this story dubbed The Parable of the Ten Virgins on Matt. 25: 1-13. 1 Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them. 4 But the wise brought flask of oil with their lamps. 5 Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 At midnight, there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out and meet him! 7 Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise ones replied, 'No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.' 10 While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. 11 Afterwards the other virgins came and said, 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!' 12 But he said in reply, 'Amen, I say to you. I do not know you.' 13 Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour." This parable was an easy one to decipher! Perhaps you may want to know what's the importance of a lamp that has to be brought by the virgins? We all know that the lamp was used by the virgins to light the way to the wedding feast. But in the Jewish context, the lamp also represents the sanctuary lamp, a light that signifies the presence of God. This is why when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed; you will always see a lighted lamp. Without the lamp, it would seem that the Lord isn't present there.

Open your Bible to Exodus 20: 20-21 and hear the Lord God give instructions to Moses for the use of the lamp. "20 'You shall order the Israelites to bring you clear oil of crushed olives, to be used for the light, so that you may keep lamps burning regularly.'21 From evening to morning Aaron and his sons shall maintain them before the Lord in the meeting tent, outside the veil, which hangs in front of the commandments. This shall be a perpetual ordinance for the Israelites throughout their generations." Thousands of generations later, Jewish and Christians alike still use lighted lamps in their sanctuaries or altars.

Back to the ten virgins… This parable really gives us two sides of a team; five of the virgins were called 'foolish', while the other five were called 'wise'. I'm positive that all of us would rally with the good or the wise virgins. They were like good Girl Scouts prepared for the any untoward incident, which in this case was clearly a predictable one; that there was a big chance that their lamps would run out of oil as no one knew the exact time when the bridegroom would arrive.

Of course, the other virgins were the 'foolish' ones. I'm sure no one would bat for them; after all, they were totally unprepared to meet the bridegroom and when he did come in the dead of the night, their lamps had their wicks and oil totally burned out. And since the wise virgins did not spare them their oil for fear of all of them running out of fuel, the foolish ones had to rush to the merchants to get new oil for their lamps. When they got their oil, they went back and banged on the door, but the bridegroom said in reply, "I don't know you!" They were just too late!

So the moral of this parable is clear: It may take awhile to await the coming of the bridegroom, so we have to prepare ourselves this early. God knows how the world has long awaited the second coming of the Messiah and Judgment Day, which almost every doomsayer you'll meet in a street corner is crying out "Repent" predicting the second coming of Christ or the end of the world. But he still hasn't come. So when will we really know?

Please read Luke 21: 7-11 "7Then they asked him, 'Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?' 8 He answered, 'See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them! 9 When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.' 10 Then he said to them, 'Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.'"

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