Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, 4 but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 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.’ 10 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. 11 Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ 12 But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
In today's Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of ten young women waiting to welcome a bridegroom to his wedding celebration. In the wedding customs of that time, attendants could accompany the bridegroom in a procession to the wedding feast. Their lamps provided light for the celebration. Jesus uses this familiar setting to teach His disciples about being prepared for His return.
The ten young women represent those awaiting Christ, who is the bridegroom. All ten have lamps, and all expect to participate in the wedding feast. However, five are wise because they bring additional oil, while the other five fail to prepare for a possible delay. When the bridegroom takes longer than expected, all ten become drowsy and fall asleep. Their sleep is important because it shows that the difference between wisdom and foolishness is not remaining physically awake, but being prepared when the bridegroom arrives.
At midnight, an unexpected announcement awakens everyone. The bridegroom is approaching, and the young women prepare their lamps. The five foolish women discover that their lamps are going out because they have insufficient oil. They ask the wise women to share, but the wise explain that there may not be enough for everyone. While the foolish women leave to purchase more oil, the bridegroom arrives, and those who are ready enter the wedding feast with him.
The oil has a deeper meaning within the parable. It is commonly understood as representing good works that express a living faith. Earlier in Matthew's Gospel, Jesus teaches that the good deeds of His disciples should shine before others and give glory to their heavenly Father (Matthew 5:14–16). The oil therefore points to a life shaped by faith, love, mercy, and obedience to God's will. These good works do not purchase salvation; they are the fruits of God's grace received and lived through faith.
This understanding also explains why the wise women do not share their oil. Jesus is not teaching that generosity should be withheld. Rather, He illustrates something that cannot be transferred from one person to another. Others can teach, encourage, and help a person grow in faith, but they cannot live that person's relationship with God or fulfill that person's responsibility to respond to His grace. Spiritual preparation develops through a life of faith expressed in love and good works.
The parable reaches its most serious moment when the foolish women return and find the door closed. They call out, “Lord, Lord, open the door for us!” (v. 11). The bridegroom answers, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you” (v. 12). His response recalls Jesus' earlier teaching that entering the kingdom requires more than calling Him Lord; it requires doing the will of His heavenly Father (Matthew 7:21–23). The closed door reminds us that our earthly life is the time God gives us to respond to His grace and prepare for eternal life. At death, this opportunity comes to an end, and each person stands before Christ in the particular judgment, where his or her life and response to God's grace are judged. The wedding feast represents the joy of eternal life in communion with Christ, while the closed door reveals the seriousness of being unprepared to meet Him.
Jesus concludes, “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (v. 13). Because all ten women fell asleep, His command concerns spiritual watchfulness rather than physical sleeplessness. In the preceding chapter, Jesus likewise teaches that His disciples must remain prepared because the time of His coming is unknown (Matthew 24:42–44). Watchfulness means living faithfully throughout the time of waiting, rather than attempting to determine when Christ will return.
The expectation of Christ's coming is also a source of Christian hope. St. Paul assures believers that those who have died in Christ will share in His victory and be with Him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18). The bridegroom's arrival therefore points not only to judgment but also to the fulfillment of God's promise of eternal communion with Him. The wise women illustrate a faith that remains prepared through the ordinary responsibilities of life, sustained by God's grace and expressed through enduring love.
Lord Jesus, strengthen our faith and help us remain faithful to You throughout our lives. Guide our thoughts and actions by Your grace, so that we may be prepared to welcome You with joy when You come. Amen.
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Sources and References
- The New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2011. Matthew 25:1–13 and accompanying notes; Matthew 5:14–16; 7:21–23; 24:42–44; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18.
- Hahn, Scott, and Curtis Mitch. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010. 53.
- Casciaro, Jose Maria, general editor. The Navarre Bible: New Testament, Expanded Edition. Dublin: Four Courts Press; New York: Scepter Publishers, 2008. 133–134.
- Brown, Raymond E., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, editors. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990. 668, §143.
- Aguilar Chiu, Jose Enrique, et al., editors. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. New York: Paulist Press, 2018. 959–960.
- Collins, John J., Gina Hens-Piazza, Barbara Reid, OP, and Donald Senior, CP, editors. The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. London: T&T Clark, 2022. 1225–1226.
- Mitch, Curtis, and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010. 318–320.
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