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My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

One of the saddest experiences in life is to prepare for something important but discover, when the moment arrives, that we are not ready. Imagine a person invited to a wedding who dresses beautifully, buys a lovely gift, and makes every preparation, but forgets the one thing necessary to participate in the celebration.

In today's Gospel, Jesus concludes with a powerful warning: "Therefore, stay awake, because you know neither the day nor the hour." This parable reminds us that Christianity is not simply about belonging to a Church, attending Mass, wearing religious articles, or knowing our prayers. It is about preparing our hearts every day for an encounter with God. The important question is not whether we have a lamp, but whether our lamps have enough oil.

The first reading from the Book of Wisdom tells us that wisdom is radiant and unfading; she is easily perceived by those who love her and found by those who seek her. Wisdom does not wait for us to discover her accidentally; she invites us to seek her. This is the wisdom that helps us distinguish between what is temporary and what is eternal, between what pleases the world and what pleases God. We may spend our lives gathering material possessions, pursuing positions, seeking recognition and struggling for earthly success, yet sometimes forget to prepare our souls for eternity. We may have money in our bank accounts but emptiness in our hearts; we may have beautiful houses but broken relationships; we may have successful careers but neglected spiritual lives. True wisdom, therefore, teaches us to put God first, to forgive those who hurt us, to love our neighbors, to care for the vulnerable and to live with integrity. The oil in our lamps is found in these daily acts of faith, prayer, charity, forgiveness, and obedience to God's commandments. Let's not allow the busyness of life to extinguish the light of our relationship with God.

In the second reading, St. Paul addresses the fear and sorrow surrounding death. He encourages the Thessalonians not to grieve like those who have no hope, because we believe that Jesus died and rose again. St. Paul reminds us that our Christian hope is greater than the grave. The same Jesus who died and rose again will come to gather his faithful people to himself. However, this hope should not make us careless about how we live. Rather, it should inspire us to live each day meaningfully, knowing that our earthly journey is preparing us for eternal life. 'Make peace while you have time, love while you have the opportunity, forgive, and serve God faithfully while your hearts are still beating.' We should never postpone goodness until tomorrow, because tomorrow is not promised to anyone.

Do not wait until the bridegroom arrives before you begin to prepare your lamp. Parents, keep your lamps burning by raising your children in the fear of God. Young people, keep your lamps burning by choosing what is right even when the world celebrates what is wrong. Married couples, keep your lamps burning through patience, fidelity, sacrifice, and forgiveness. Priests and religious, keep your lamps burning through faithful service and genuine love for God's people. Workers, professionals, and all who carry responsibilities, keep your lamps burning through honesty, compassion, and integrity. Even when life becomes difficult, when prayers seem unanswered, when suffering weighs heavily upon us and when God appears silent, do not allow your faith to go out. Remember that the five wise virgins could not borrow oil when the bridegroom arrived. There are things in our spiritual lives that nobody can do for us: nobody can repent on our behalf, nobody can love God on our behalf, and nobody can live our Christian vocation for us. Each of us must cultivate a personal relationship with Christ. May we never become Christians in name only, but people whose lives radiate the light of Christ. And when the Bridegroom finally comes, may he find our lamps burning brightly and welcome us into the eternal wedding feast of heaven. Amen.

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