Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour

31 AUGUST (Mt 25,1-13)

Faith and works are one. The works are the fruit of faith that animates, rules, and moves our lives. A faith that does not bear every work according to its nature, is surely dead. It is very similar to a dry tree. As the fruits attest to the vitality of the tree, so the works show the vitality of our faith.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called “the friend of God.” See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (James 3,14-26).

The five foolish virgins, have faith, but it is not capable of producing light. Theirs is exactly like a lamp without oil. The oil is what, getting consumed, generates light. So it is the faith that living according to the fullness of truth in us, produces works of eternal life. Jesus always warns us against the temptation of a sterile faith; that is, of that faith which is just a set of abstract truths, outside of us, but that do not produce any fruit of good in us and through us in the others. It is not the truth that saves us. On the contrary, it is charity that becomes flesh, life, blood, and action in us.

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 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.’ 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. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

One can also have a rationally perfect faith. He can know word by word all the books of Scripture from the Old and New Testament, can memorize all the theological systems of two thousand years Christianity. This science does not save him. The science of God’s truth saves when it is converted into our daily lives. The thoughts of God is known in order to live according to his will.

Never might the fruit of a tree of faith be donated, offered to another tree for its eternal salvation. Charity is in helping the tree to bear fruit. This charity must also come to the point of offering our whole lives for the other person. However, never might the other be saved due to our fruit. The oil of salvation must be personally produced by every believer. Do we always have time to produce this oil? Jesus tells us that he can come at any moment. Then, the door closes and one can no longer enter the hall of the eternal banquet. This is the most pure truth of the Gospel, today canceled, destroyed, and rendered vain even by a theological thought that declares eternal salvation for all, without any need to produce works according to the truth of faith.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels, and Saints teach us the true faith.