Five of them were foolish and five were wise

9 AUGUST (Mt 25,1-13)

When I read this parable of the Gospel and others like it, I always wonder: why is a so clear, limpid and unambiguous word, which came out of the most sacred heart of Jesus, distorted to the point of contorting it, denying the truth contained in it? Why do we reach this point and when? The answer comes from the wise and learned knowledge of the modes necessary for the Word of Jesus to be understood.

The Word of Jesus is said in the Holy Spirit, that is the Spirit of communion between Christ and his Father. Jesus in the Holy Spirit draws the truth of the Father, his will, his righteousness, faithfulness, charity, love, mercy, piety and transforms them into a Word to be communicated and also into gifts of grace to be offered to man for his salvation. The Holy Spirit is also the communion between the disciples and Jesus Christ. If the disciple does not draw the truth of Christ, and all the other gifts that are the very life of Christ, never might he give it to his brothers. This work of taking and giving can only happen in the Holy Spirit. When the disciple is devoid of the Holy Spirit, he is also without his knowledge and wisdom, his intellect and knowledge, so that even if he reads the Word of Jesus, he does not possess its heart and without the heart of Jesus never might his Word be understood in fullness of truth.

The communion with the heart of Christ the Lord in the Holy Spirit is not only necessary, it is essential for the understanding of the whole Gospel. Without this communion, the Gospel for us remains a sealed book as to its truth, and we carry it in our thoughts that are totally false. So that let us have Christ say what he never said. However, we have everything pass as if he were the one to have said it. And this is the true deception with which we serve our brothers and sisters. We say words drawn from our hearts and make them pass as if they were the word of God. The Word of Jesus will always be submitted to the passion of its falsification operated by people in whose heart the Holy Spirit does not dwell. They are hearts of falsehood and deceit.

“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.

Eternal joy, given by the Lord to his faithful and obedient servants, is both a gift and a fruit. It is a gift because no human work might ever earn it. Nobody will inherit heaven through the sweat of his heart, his soul, of his own body and of his own spirit. It is a most pure gift from the Lord. However, this gift must also be a fruit. It must be the fruit of an active faith in charity. Faith without works is in all a lamp without oil. Oil and lamp must be one thing, not two. The light is given by the lamp and the oil together.

We can help us in this with a very simple example. The Holy Spirit is also by a most pure gift of God. However, it is also the fruit of Christ and of his passion and death on the Cross. In fact, it is from his pierced and battered, torn and dead body, that he comes out to flood the whole earth. Even today it is like this. He is both a gift of God and the fruit of the Christian pierced on the altar of the charity and love for his Master. Out of this unity of gift and fruit, the Spirit is not poured out.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints, convince us of this truth.