How Much Oil Is In Your Lamp?

In Matthew’s Gospel today Jesus offers the allegorical parable of the ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom who “was long delayed.” At midnight, five of the wise virgins “trimmed their lamps” to meet the bridegroom and enter into the wedding feast which Paul says in today’s Letter to the Thessalonians is “the Lord Himself.”


Our messiah has come and will come again. Will we be wisely prepared with the “oil” of our life’s good works? Or will we be left out like the five foolish virgins who had insufficient “oil” only to hear the bridegroom say, “I don’t know you.” Matthew’s parable today about the timing of the parousia (Jesus’ second coming) is asking that question. Will we be ready?


Some early Christians lived with concern about how soon Jesus was to return for fear of the end times approaching. Our lives are distanced from Paul’s time of the early Christian’s impatience and concern of Jesus’ return. Over the years cultural and world events have given spiked concerned interest and even fear for the end times coming soon. Our faith is to be lived in hope not fear trying to forecast the end of times. We should instead ask ourselves are we living, serving and believing in the Christ of our faith with our oil lamps filled.


We are to inventory our gifts and talents going forth using them by word and example no matter the day. Jesus is the hope to light our path wherever we go. It is with a smile of hope we seek balance and clarity to continue forward filling our lamps with the oil of our good works.


I find endless opportunities to fill my lamp with the oil of good works whenever and wherever I am to offer kindness, a smile, prayers, a kind word, assistance, support, or just a presence to care. Then I ask myself ... how much do I answer the opportunities to fill my lamp?


... to the poor, the stranger, the lost, the pained, the ill, the immigrant, the Jews, the poor and those of different faiths, ethnicities, appearances, or ideologies, or the homeless, the homebound, the handicapped, the sexually abused, the infirmed, the dying, the suffering, the mentally compromised, the lonely, and policemen, first responders, military men, the over-worked, and Padre Serra parishioners, to PSP staff, charities, Pro Life and the Church, to priests, nuns, teachers, the unemployed, or those who have hurt us, to drivers in a highway hurry to cut us off, to others challenged to find a parking space, or those needing to cut in line at the checkout stand, or to Sharon, Kelsey, Adrian, Jennifer, grandkids, siblings, and Maddie, to the environment, trash collectors, custodians, elected officials, and to on/off freeway ramp flower merchants, fieldworkers, nurses, hospital workers, doctors, St. Vincent de Paul and Emmaus Men ... the list of opportunities is endless but I find hope expressed in an Enya song ... 


                “My life goes on in endless song
                         Above earth’s lamentation
                                I hear the real, though far-off hymn
                                That hails a new creation.” 

What opportunities do you have to fill your lamp with the
oil of your good works? Ask yourself ... how full is your lamp?


Siempre Adelante,


Deacon Jack Redmond

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