Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

- Matthew 25:1-13

In the past several readings, Jesus has been talking about the destruction that is to come in Jerusalem (which will include the destruction of the temple), and also the time of His Second Coming, the end of the age. This discussion began with a question from His disciples. In yesterday's reading, Jesus returned to the themes of leadership that He has emphasized throughout the chapters of Matthew's gospel that follow the apostles' confession of faith. He who would be greatest among them must be a servant to all, especially in this period in which we await His return. Jesus asked, "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?" The servant shall be rewarded who feeds the household and takes good care of it while the master is away, and upon his return finds it so. "But," Jesus said, "if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom." Jesus begins a parable about this time in which we await our Bridegroom and His return. Of course, the Church has often been likened to a bride. My study bible says, "The Old Testament prophets portray the covenant between God and Israel as a marriage covenant. The marriage will finally be consummated when the Bridegroom returns at the end of the age and the righteous form a wedding party to go forth to meet Him. The Bridegroom represents Christ in His Passion, who dies out of love for His Church (Eph. 5:25-27)."

"Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps." For modern readers, it may be necessary to understand the kind of lamp Jesus is talking about. It is an oil lamp, in which a wick would float. The flame would then burn the fuel of the oil, staying lit atop the oil in the lamp. Traditionally, these lamps are filled with olive oil, and to this day one can still see devotional lamps in Orthodox and other churches, and also burning in home altars before icons. The word for oil here in the text means "olive oil." But in sound, it is almost identical to the word for "mercy." So, there is a context here for the parable, and it is the mercy we receive as we show mercy. What is the fuel with which we keep our own spiritual lamps burning in preparation for the wedding feast, and for our bridegroom? Olive oil is also an anointing oil, Christ the Anointed One, and the mercy poured out upon us by the Spirit likened to this anointing oil.

"But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept." My study bible has an interesting note on this verse: "That the wise virgins also slumbered and slept suggests that once prepared, a person rests as needed."

"And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'" My study bible says that this part of the story illustrates the fact that "spiritual preparedness cannot be conveniently given or borrowed." I think it also tells us about the things that come first, the things we must not neglect nor delay in our lives. Rest is essential, but first things come first. We keep our lamps burning through a constant contact with the pool of mercy, so to speak -- through prayer, through the seeking of God's grace and will for us, and the practice of mercy and love in our lives.

"And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." Ultimately, the parable illustrates the urgency of practicing what He has taught, fulfilling His commands, seeking out God's grace and mercy through the Spirit, as the "first things" we keep in mind in our lives. Again, as with so many of His warnings in these recent readings, the bywords are watchfulness, mindfulness, awareness of what we are to be about.

We must be prepared for the return of our Bridegroom. Again, Jesus repeats, "You know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." There is an urgency here, we must not delay nor put off that which we can do today. We need mindfulness to seek out God's pool of mercy and grace and to share that in the world. This comes especially through prayer. It is this with which our lamps are lit and burn brightly. Earlier in Matthew's gospel, Jesus made an analogy between His followers and the light of a burning lamp. He said, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." In this parable, we are taught about the fuel in the lamp. We are to engage with the Spirit, the grace of God's mercy poured out for us all. In this way we prepare for His Second Coming. We seek that grace and mercy for ourselves, and we share it with the world as the Lord leads us to do. In the Eastern Church, God is compared to the sun in God's essence, and grace as the energy of God, showing forth as the rays of light the sun gives. Jesus also teaches us to cast light to others by keeping our lamps burning. Let us never forget the fuel for our flame, the connection we need to grace and mercy, and its source the Spirit we seek in relationship and prayer, to be at work in us and through us. Let us keep first things first!