Are you prepared?

In the parable of the Ten Virgins, we see 5 wise bridesmaids well prepared to wait on the bridegroom while the other 5 foolish ones were inadequately prepared. The sensible ones made all the effort to take flasks of oil for any eventuality while the other 5 took very little care, were negligent and indolent.

In explaining the parable of the Ten Virgins, Fr. Martin told a story of a king and a jester. The king had given a sceptre to the jester and challenged him to find a greater fool than himself. Years had passed and the king on his death bed explains that he would be going on a long journey and was never to return. The jester returns the sceptre to the king after finding out that the king was not prepared for this long journey away. The king turns out to be the greater fool because he had not made any preparation for this journey. Similarly Fr. Martin explained that we have to be prepared in our lives for our heavenly home at any time.

Fr. Dom explained that we are responsible for our own destiny. If we do not do what is necessary to take care of our souls, we can exclude ourselves from the Kingdom of God.

We are the caretakers of our souls. If we do not nourish our souls with prayer, love, mercy and all the necessary care, we may lose our souls and it will be too late. We cannot blame our circumstances, our spouses, our community or our priests.

It is our responsibility to nurture says St. Augustine, just as we clothe our bodies, we need “to clothe our souls with the garment of faith” or “our souls will be naked to oblivion”.

Pope Francis has warned that a soul attached to material desires is in danger “In today’s social environment, many young people are in danger of having their souls stolen if they follow ideas and lifestyles that only satisfy material desires and needs”.

St. Augustine teaches us that we need to “Set aside a time, a lot of certain hours to the welfare of your souls” and just as we “take care of your body as if you were going to live forever” we need to “take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow”. – SR