MATTHEW 25:1-13 KEEP YOUR LAMP BURNING
Year A, Friday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
In today's Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom. All ten become tired and fall asleep, but only five have enough oil to keep their lamps burning when the bridegroom finally arrives. The message is simple: we cannot borrow someone else's faith, prayer, or relationship with God. We must prepare our own hearts and keep the lamp of faith burning.
The life of Saint Augustine gives us a beautiful example of this journey. For many years, Augustine searched for happiness in places that could not satisfy the deepest longing of his heart. His mother, Saint Monica, prayed patiently for him, but eventually Augustine himself had to open his heart to God's grace. When he finally encountered Christ, his life was transformed. His famous words, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You,” express what he discovered: nothing in this world can fill the space in our hearts that belongs to God.
Perhaps today's Gospel invites us to ask ourselves: Is the lamp of my faith still burning, or am I simply living on the faith I had yesterday? Faith needs to be nourished through prayer, the Eucharist, Scripture, forgiveness, and daily choices to follow Christ. We cannot wait until a crisis comes to begin preparing our hearts. Like Augustine, we may have wandered, delayed, or searched in the wrong places—but God's grace never stops calling us home. Let us keep our lamps burning, so that whenever the Lord comes, He will find our hearts awake and ready to welcome Him.
With Love and Prayers
Your Co-Traveler