Gospel Lectio Divina for the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time - November 12, 2023
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
READ
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
'Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.'
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.'
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.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!'
But he said in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.'
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour."
MEDITATE
Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
The oil in the flask can be seen as a metaphor for the vigil we keep as we wait for Jesus’ return. It seems logical to move on if you’ve been waiting for too long for someone to come. Personally, I would not wait until midnight for someone. I may have not only fallen asleep if I had to wait that long. I may have just gone home and gone to bed, giving up altogether. But those who wait vigilantly for the Lord are sustained by the hope that he will eventually come, and indeed he always does.
What is our vigil really about, then? This is an interesting meditation on the spiritual life. While I am waiting for the Lord’s second coming, I am also waiting for him in my personal life. I am waiting for him to answer prayers, which he does. I am waiting for him to show the way, which he does. I am waiting for him to show me heaven on earth, which he does. But he only comes when I persevere in patience. Psalm 27:14 tells us:
“Wait for the LORD, take courage;
be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!”
I can read the Scriptures as prophecies of things that will take place for all of humanity, but it is important to remember the Bible’s relevance to my own spiritual journey as well. When I wait upon the Lord, he always comes through. He is faithful to those who are faithful to him. And to those who are not faithful to him, he is just.
'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
It may seem like the wise virgins are being inconsiderate. After all, the others are only requesting some oil. But pay attention to how they request it. We don’t know their exact demeanor or tone, but it seems as if they are practically demanding the oil. This parable is about being prepared for when the Lord comes, but perhaps it’s also simply about good manners. Maybe if the foolish virgins simply asked for the oil politely, the wise virgins would have been more willing to spare some. Humility and kindness go a long way. If the foolish virgins simply admitted their fault and asked the wise ones for some oil, they may have received some. But pride often blinds us from seeing common sense.
‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’
Jesus’ parables are full of beautiful metaphors. It’s hard to say what the oil in the lamp really represents, but I like to think of it as integrity. Those who fill their lamps with oil are those who not only profess the Christian faith, but fill their hearts with genuine love of Christ and fill their lives with virtue. They do not simply say “Lord, Lord” for all to hear, and do not simply go to church for all to see. Their faith fills their innermost being and illuminates them from within.
'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Isn’t God’s mercy always available to us no matter what, no matter when we ask for it?
Yes, it is available whenever we ask for it, but we have to ask for it. The foolish virgins did not ask for mercy. They just wanted to be let in, but they were not humble before the bridegroom in their request. It’s important to be humble in all matters, but especially when we are requesting something from someone. Perhaps, even at the eleventh hour, if they admitted their foolishness and asked for forgiveness, the bridegroom would have let them in. Our Lord is merciful to those who ask for his mercy, but he is also just to those who do not accept his mercy.
God does not strong-arm us into submission. He created the universe, and in doing so he made certain rules to govern it. The just punishment we receive for our wrongdoings is the natural result of our refusal to listen to God. Refusing to listen to God is refusal to listen to reason. God is the most reasonable ruler. His morality is common sense. The moral law he tells us to follow is as solid as a rock. There is no way to go against it without hurting ourselves in some way.
PRAY
Lord,
I wish to live a life full of your love. It is the oil that brings light to my life. Without it I am empty, lackluster, cold and dark. Give me the courage to wait upon you by continuing to fill my life with prayer, the sacraments, and good works. These things, I know, will keep my lamp lit. You are the light at the end of this valley of death. Help me to make you my end, not just a means to obtain peace and comfort. I want to desire you and only you, for you are the only one who can truly fulfill all my desires. Help me to see death as gain, and to not fear the pain. I want you to be my anchor and my North Star as I journey through this valley of uncertainty. Give me hope in this life for the next. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
LISTEN
God will always leave the light on for us to see when we are ready to come home. He expects the same fidelity from us. Waiting upon the Lord is an essential, inevitable part of the spiritual life. Many of us will experience dark nights of the soul before sensing the Lord’s presence. He has his reasons for making us wait at different times in our lives. We’d be wise to trust him, and to listen. But if we try to listen without having genuine love for him and without living a life of virtue, then we will not recognize his voice when he is near. We will be like the virgins who had no oil, and our lives will remain dark even after he reaches out to us. He is the light, but with no oil in our lamps we will have no way to keep that light with us. So let’s remain vigilant as we wait patiently for the Lord.
Kilby is a freelance writer from New Jersey and managing editor of Catholic World Report. He received his undergrad degree in humanities and Catholic culture from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. In addition to working with the Knights of the Holy Eucharist (knights.org), he has served as a journalist for Princeton Packet Publications, and the Trenton Monitor, the magazine for the Diocese of Trenton. Some of his published work can also be found in St. Anthony Messenger, Catholic Herald (UK), and Catholic World Report. For the latter he is managing editor. Find more of his writing at ramblingspirit.com
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