The metaphor of OIL
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November 10, 2023Our parable this weekend tells a story which could have happened at any time during the time of Jesus and which could still happen today. Since a wedding was a great occasion, the whole village lined up at the sides of the road to wish God’s blessings on the bride being taken in procession by her groom to her new home. The invited ones would join the procession, which started from the bride’s house and moved to the groom’s house, to take part in the week-long celebration of the marriage. Since the bridegroom might come to the bride’s house unexpectedly, the bridal party had to be ready at any time, with accompanying virgins (bridesmaids in our day), carrying lighted torches and jars of reserve oil. Five of these virgins neglected to bring reserve oil, and so had to run to the dealers to buy some. They missed the arrival of the groom’s party, and so, lost their chance to take part in the celebration. They lost not only the opportunity of witnessing the marriage ceremony, but also of participating in the week-long celebration that followed.
This parable has both a local and a universal meaning. The local meaning is that the foolish virgins represent the “Chosen People of God” who were waiting for the Messiah but were shut out from the Messianic banquet because they were unprepared. The universal meaning is that the five foolish virgins represent those who fail to prepare for the end of their lives. What matters is not the occasional or the last-minute burst of spiritual fervor but habitual attention to one’s responsibilities before God. At the final judgment, there will be no depending upon the resources of others, no begging or borrowing of grace. There are certain things we must win or acquire for ourselves for we cannot borrow them from others. Close relationship with God is the most important thing.
Literally, our text answers the question, “What shall we do while we wait?” The answer is: “Make sure you have enough oil for your lamps!” Scripture scholars of the past and the present have reflected on what this oil symbolizes, and they have arrived at different, but related, views. Perhaps, the best explanation is that the oil stands for our personal relationship with God who is the Source and Power behind our good deeds. This relationship is not something that one can attain overnight or borrow from someone else as the foolish virgins attempted to do. This “state of grace” is something we must receive from God in a closely personal way.
The metaphor of “oil” refers to the way we do (or do not) live the virtuous life that God freely empowers us to live. You cannot “borrow” these virtues at the last moment; you must “live” them everyday. These Gospel words are very sobering, and they remind us that we can never use the excuse, “But no one told me.” We know what God wants us to do. We need to remind ourselves that when much is given, much is also required.
