The Parable of the Ten Virgins

What is this parable?

Long ago in Palestine, weddings often went on into the night. Young women would take oil lamps and go out to meet the bridegroom and walk with him into the house of the feast. Jesus uses this custom to teach his disciples to be always ready and waiting for him to come again.

The story

Jesus says: “Five of them were foolish and five were wise.” (Mt 25:2). The foolish ones brought their lamps but no oil; the wise ones brought flasks of oil as well. The bridegroom was late, and all ten grew drowsy and fell asleep (cf. Mt 25:3-5).

At midnight there was a cry: “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” (Mt 25:6). The foolish ones asked for some oil, but the wise ones told them to go to the merchants and buy some. While they were away buying it, the bridegroom arrived; those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. When the others came back and called at the door, it was too late (cf. Mt 25:8-12).

On the card, the three young women standing apart with their lamps gone out stand for the group of foolish ones.

What does Jesus want to teach you?

All ten of them fell asleep, so the difference was not who stayed awake longer, but who had got their oil ready. That oil cannot be borrowed at the last minute: no one can answer God’s call in your place. Each person has to get ready through the way they live. Jesus will come again, and each of us will also meet God at the end of our life. Whoever lives ready is not afraid, but glad, like someone going to a wedding feast.

A lesson for you

• “Top up the oil” in your lamp every day: pray morning and evening, do one good deed, be honest.
• When you do something wrong, do not put it off; ask God’s forgiveness and go to confession.
• Do not leave doing good until the last minute, like studying right before a test.