The Holy Hieromartyr Hierotheus, Bishop of Athens; Our Venerable Father Francis of Assisi.
1 Corinthians 14:20-25; Matthew 25:1-13.
Read Matthew 25:1-13
The parable of the ten virgins reminds us that the life of faith is a journey toward a wedding banquet. Christ, the Bridegroom, comes suddenly and we do not know the hour. Our Lord concludes: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matt 25:13). This vigilance—nepsis in Greek—is a hallmark of Eastern Christian spirituality.
St. John Chrysostom sees the “oil” of the wise virgins not merely as external virtue, but as the interior gift of mercy and zeal: “Here … charity is called oil, and virginity light; we must keep the oil always full, that the flame may not be extinguished.” (Homily on Matthew) In other words, to live the Christian faith, it must be sustained by a heart aflame in love. The foolish virgins lacked that inner reservoir, and their lamps failed at the crucial hour.
St. Cyril of Alexandria notes that the foolish virgins are not condemned for failing to know doctrine but for failing to live it: “They had lamps, but no oil; they had faith, but lacked the love that gives it life.” Faith that is not nourished by works of love will sputter when the Bridegroom draws near.
As Eastern Catholics in North America, we live between two times—between Christ’s first coming and His return. Each Divine Liturgy, every prayer, every bow before the icon, every act of mercy for Jesus’ sake is one more tending of our flame. We do not know the hour, so we must not defer the “buying of oil.” Let us then train ourselves, like the wise virgins, never to drift into drowsy complacency, but to keep lamps trimmed, hearts open, and watchful for the Bridegroom’s coming.