"Give us some of your oil, our lamps are going out."
(Matthew 25:8)

From the very beginning of this passage we were told that of the 10 bridesmaids who were awaiting the bridegroom’s arrival, ten of them were foolish.  To be foolish in this case is not just lacking knowledge, but it seemed to me that they were presumptuous.  They must have thought that the bridegroom should not be long in coming, so why burden themselves with extra parcels of oil. It is quite obvious that they were not prepared for the long haul and so they were caught off guard.  They took the advice to go out and buy, was it the best advice?  I often wonder what would have happened if the virgins had remained inside with their dim lamps. How often we too are ill prepared for the task at hand, our preparations being either mediocre or inadequate and we then expect others to show brotherly love.

Father, today we pray for wisdom that only you can give.  Help us to use wisely the extra time you provide us as we await your arrival.  Help us also to think deeply before blindly heeding every advice given to us.  Amen