21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Five of them were foolish. 

Jesus calls the five virgins in this parable “foolish,” but it’s not the only time he uses that word to describe someone. In his parable of the rich fool, Jesus tells of a man who builds a larger barn to store his extra grain, only to die suddenly and leave it all behind (Luke 12:16-21). And at the end of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that anyone who listens to his words but does not act on them is “like a fool who built his house on sand” (Matthew 7:26).

The biblical authors used the words “fool,” “foolish,” and “folly” quite often, especially in the Wisdom literature, where “fools” are often contrasted with those who are wise. As one proverb puts it, “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are safe” (Proverbs 28:26).

The people in the parables above clearly lacked the wisdom to anticipate the consequences of their choices. That’s why Jesus told these stories: he wanted us to know how important it is that we consider the full spiritual impact of our decisions.

God doesn’t want us to go through life like these “foolish” people. Our free will allows us to make a myriad of choices. But we should make every important decision with our eyes open, testing it against our ultimate goal in life: to please the Lord and to abide in him, both now and forever. When we do that, we are acting wisely, not foolishly.

Are you facing a decision right now? If so, ask yourself, “Will this choice bring me closer to God? Will it help me get to heaven?” We can’t predict the future, and there’s no guarantee that we will always make the right choice. But the more we think about the spiritual consequences of our decisions, the more likely we will end up like the five wise virgins: ready to greet the Lord whenever he comes.

“Lord, give me the wisdom to consider all my choices with you in mind.”

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 10-12
Matthew 25:1-13