Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” (Matt 25:1–-13)

The wise virgins are those who, having taken an opportune moment for action while in the body, initially prepared themselves to meet the Lord. But the foolish virgins, who were careless and negligent, had concern only for the circumstances of the moment. Forgetful of God’s promises, they carry no hope of the resurrection in themselves. Because these foolish virgins could not go out to meet the bridegroom with lamps unlit, they implored the ones who were wise to share some of their oil. The latter responded that they could not give them any because perhaps there would not be enough for everyone. In other words, no one should be supported by another’s works and merits. It is necessary for each of us to purchase oil for his own lamp. The wise virgins urged the foolish to go back in order to buy oil, even if the latter would be late in obeying the commandments of God. They intended to make themselves worthy by having lamps lit for their meeting with the bridegroom. While they were waiting, the bridegroom made his entrance. Together with him the wise virgins, now ready with their lighted lamps and veiled, entered the wedding feast. In other words, the wise virgins entered into heavenly glory at the very moment of the coming of the Lord in his splendor. And because there is now no longer an opportunity for repentance, the foolish run, pleading that the door be opened to them. But the bridegroom answered them, “I do not know you.” For the foolish did not come to render service to the one arriving, nor did they present themselves at the sound of the blowing trumpet, nor did they remain with the wedding party as it entered. Rather, they procrastinated, and they lost the opportunity for entering the wedding feast.

Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew 27.5

The Lord indicates that the devil sows weeds among sleeping people, namely, among those who through negligence are overcome by their infidelity as by a kind of lethargy and fall asleep in respect to the divine commands. The apostle says concerning them, “For they who sleep, sleep at night, and they who are drunk, are drunk at night. But let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us be wakeful and sober.” Surely those foolish virgins about whom we read in the Gospel were weighed down by their lethargy and infidelity. Since they did not take oil for their vessels, they were unable to meet the bridegroom. Hence the devil, this enemy of the human race, is always extremely zealous to sow weeds among the wheat. But he who watches for the Lord constantly with a faithful mind, once the sleep of infidelity has been banished from him, will not be preoccupied by this nighttime sower.

Chromatius, Tractate on Matthew 51.1