Reading: Wisdom 6:12–16, 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Matthew 25:1–13
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
One of the greatest mistakes we can make in life is to assume that we shall always have tomorrow. We postpone prayer because we think we shall pray tomorrow. We postpone forgiveness because we think there will be another opportunity. We postpone doing good because we think there is still enough time. We postpone our conversion because we imagine that we can always change later. But life teaches us that tomorrow is never guaranteed. Opportunities come and go, time passes, and sometimes the things we intended to do remain unfinished. Today’s readings invite us to reflect on one important question: If the Lord were to come today, would He find us ready? The central message of today’s liturgy is that we must live with wisdom, faith, hope and spiritual preparedness. We are called not simply to wait for the Lord’s coming but to prepare ourselves through the way we live every day.
In the first reading, the Book of Wisdom tells us that wisdom is radiant, unfading and readily available to those who seek her. This is a beautiful message because it reminds us that wisdom is not reserved for the educated, the wealthy, the powerful or the elderly. Wisdom is available to everyone who sincerely seeks God. But we must understand the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge teaches us how to make a living, but wisdom teaches us how to live. Knowledge can help us acquire wealth, but wisdom teaches us how to use that wealth responsibly. Knowledge can make someone successful in the eyes of the world, but wisdom makes someone pleasing in the eyes of God. Today, many people are educated but lack wisdom. We have people who know how to build houses but do not know how to build peaceful families. We have people who know how to make money but do not know how to share with the poor. We have people who know how to use modern technology but struggle to use their time in prayer and service. True wisdom begins when we put God at the center of our lives. The reading tells us that Wisdom is found by those who seek her. This means that our relationship with God requires commitment. We cannot expect to grow spiritually if we never make time for prayer, the Word of God, the Eucharist and acts of charity. Dear friends, let us ask ourselves: What am I seeking in life? Am I seeking only money, recognition, pleasure and success, or am I also seeking the wisdom that leads to eternal life?
In the second reading, St Paul addresses one of the most painful experiences of human life: death and the loss of loved ones. He encourages the Thessalonians not to grieve like those who have no hope. Notice that St Paul does not say that Christians should not grieve. Christianity does not forbid tears. Jesus Himself wept at the tomb of Lazarus. We grieve because we love. We feel the pain of separation because the people we love are precious to us. However, Christian grief is different because it is accompanied by hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again. Therefore, death does not have the final word over those who belong to Christ. For a Christian, the cemetery is not simply a place of sadness; it is also a place where we proclaim our faith in the resurrection. The grave is not the final destination of a believer. Our hope is that we shall be reunited with Christ in eternal life. This reading challenges us to reconsider how we live and how we face death. Sometimes we live as though this world is our permanent home. We become so attached to possessions, positions, wealth and earthly achievements that we forget our eternal destiny. We spend years building beautiful houses, but how much time do we spend building our relationship with God? We worry about our physical appearance, but do we also care about the condition of our souls? St Paul reminds us that our future is in God’s hands. Therefore, let us live faithfully, love sincerely, forgive generously and serve humbly, knowing that our final hope is to be with the Lord forever.
The Gospel presents us with the parable of the ten bridesmaids who went out to meet the bridegroom. Five were wise, while five were foolish. All ten took their lamps. All ten waited for the bridegroom. All ten became tired and fell asleep. But there was one important difference: the wise ones brought extra oil, while the foolish ones did not. When the bridegroom finally arrived at midnight, those who had prepared themselves were ready to enter the wedding feast. The foolish ones, however, discovered that their lamps were going out. This parable teaches us a powerful lesson: It is not enough to begin the Christian journey; we must also persevere until the end. Notice that the ten bridesmaids had something in common. They all belonged to the wedding celebration. They all had lamps. They all expected the bridegroom. In the same way, we may all come to church on Sunday. We may all carry rosaries, wear religious medals, participate in Church activities and call ourselves Christians. But the important question is: Do we have enough oil in our lamps?
What does this oil represent? The oil represents our personal relationship with God, our faith, our love, our good works, our prayer life, our forgiveness and our perseverance. It is the oil of a heart that remains faithful even when life becomes difficult. It is the oil of a person who continues praying even when prayers seem unanswered. It is the oil of a husband or wife who remains committed to the marriage even when challenges arise. It is the oil of parents who bring up their children in the fear of God. It is the oil of a young person who chooses what is right even when friends encourage what is wrong. It is the oil of a Christian who forgives those who have offended him or her.
My dear brothers and sisters, one important detail in this Gospel is that all ten bridesmaids fell asleep. Even the wise ones slept! This teaches us that being prepared does not mean living in constant fear or anxiety. Rather, it means living faithfully every day so that whenever the Lord comes, we are ready to welcome Him. The foolish bridesmaids wanted to borrow oil, but they discovered that preparation could not be transferred from one person to another. This is a very important spiritual lesson. Your mother’s faith cannot replace your personal faith. Your father’s prayers cannot take the place of your own relationship with God. Your wife’s commitment to God cannot substitute for your own commitment. Being a member of a Christian family does not automatically make you spiritually prepared. Each one of us must personally respond to God’s invitation. We must build our own relationship with Christ. And Jesus concludes the parable with a warning: “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” In other words, do not postpone your conversion. Do not postpone reconciliation. Do not postpone doing good. Do not postpone your return to God. The time to prepare is now!
My dear brothers and sisters, the message of today’s readings can be summarized in three important words: Wisdom, Hope and Preparedness. The first reading teaches us to seek God’s wisdom. The second reading teaches us to live with hope because Christ has conquered death. The Gospel teaches us to remain prepared because we do not know when the Lord will come. Let us therefore not be Christians only by name, but Christians in our daily actions. Let our lamps shine through kindness, forgiveness, honesty, generosity, faithfulness and love. Let our homes become places of prayer, our families become schools of faith, and our communities’ become witnesses of God’s love. Above all, let us never forget that the greatest preparation for meeting Christ is to live every day in friendship with Him. One day, the bridegroom will come. May He not find our lamps empty. May He find us faithful, loving and ready to enter the eternal wedding feast. And when that day comes, may we hear those beautiful words of welcome: Come, enter into the joy of your Lord.
May the Lord grant us the wisdom to seek Him, the faith to trust Him, the hope to await Him and the grace to be ready when He comes. Amen.