Empty. My heart sank as I looked at the car’s fuel gauge. I had completely forgotten last night’s mental note to self: “leave early to get gas.” I was already behind schedule and stopping for gas would make me extremely late for my event. And I was in charge!
Replaying the frazzled morning, I wondered where I had gone wrong. I woke up late. I still had to finish the presentation and, of course, I had procrastinated. The dogs needed attention that no one else was giving them. No one was helping me. I cringed remembering how I lost my temper with my family. Nothing had gone according to plan.
I had also forgotten my morning prayers. Getting gas for my car was evidently not the only fuel I neglected. Have you ever had a morning like this?
The five foolish virgins in today’s Gospel were also having a bad morning. Having awakened before sunrise as the bridegroom approached, they realized they did not have enough oil for their lamps. They hadn’t fueled properly either. And now their lamps were on empty, leaving them to run off to their “oil station” or whatever they called it back then, to replenish their oil and ultimately miss the bridegroom entirely.
I could almost hear the door slamming on them as my son’s had slammed on me this morning. Neglecting my morning prayers was as bad as neglecting to put gas in my car. Neither of us could run correctly without being filled first.
As I wondered why the five wise virgins weren’t more helpful, I realized something I had never considered before. I could not move gas from my husband’s car to mine. Nor could I borrow the morning prayers of my best friend to fill my heart.
Some things are simply our own responsibility. I need to prepare for my day in advance. Especially when there is something important happening. I need to have my notes ready, copies printed, gas in my car, and my morning prayers done, if I am to serve God in the way He has called me to do.
Perhaps this is a helpful reminder for all of us. Whatever your state in life — parent, spouse, employee, son or daughter, friend, or virgin meeting a bridegroom — you are responsible for maintaining your own lamp.
“Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:13).
Vacío. Me desesperé al ver que el tanque de gasolina estaba vacío. Me había olvidado por completo la nota mental que me había hecho anoche: “sal temprano a poner gasolina”. Ya andaba retrasada, y parar a cargar gasolina haría que llegara aun mas tarde al evento. ¡Y yo era la encargada!
También me había olvidado mis oraciones matutinas. Poner gasolina a mi carro, evidentemente, no era el único combustible que había descuidado. ¿Alguna vez has tenido una mañana así?
Las cinco vírgenes descuidadas del Evangelio de hoy también estaban teniendo una mala mañana. Habiéndose despertado antes del amanecer ante la llegada del novio, se dieron cuenta de que no tenían suficiente aceite para sus lámparas. Ellas tampoco se habían llenado de combustible suficiente. Y ahora sus lámparas estaban vacías, lo que las obligó a salir corriendo hacia su “gasolinera” —o comoquiera que la llamaran en aquel entonces— para rellenar sus lámparas y, finalmente, perderse por completo la llegada del novio.
Casi podía oír el portazo que les dieron, tal como mi hijo me lo había dado a mí esa misma mañana. Descuidar mis oraciones matutinas fue tan grave como descuidar poner gasolina en mi carro. Ninguno de los dos podía funcionar correctamente sin haberse llenado primero.
Mientras me preguntaba por qué las cinco vírgenes prudentes no habían sido más serviciales, me di cuenta de algo que nunca antes había considerado: no podía pasar gasolina del carro de mi esposo al mío. Tampoco podía pedir prestadas las oraciones matutinas de mi mejor amiga para llenar mi corazón.
Algunas cosas son, sencillamente, responsabilidad nuestra. Necesito prepararme para mi día con anticipación, especialmente cuando va a ocurrir algo importante. Necesito tener mis apuntes listas, las copias impresas, el carro con gasolina y mis oraciones matutinas hechas, si quiero servir a Dios de la manera en que Él me ha llamado a hacerlo.
Quizás este sea un recordatorio útil para todos nosotros. Cualquiera que sea tu estado en la vida —padre o madre de familia, cónyuge, empleado, hijo o hija, amigo, o virgen que sale al encuentro del novio—, eres responsable de mantener tu propia lámpara.
“Estén pues, preparados, porque no saben ni el día ni la hora” (Mt 25,13).
Margaret Gartlgruber longs to help women trade guilt for grace and know: You are enough! God delights not in your accomplishments but in YOU simply being you! Mom, wife, author, blogger, speaker, lay RC member, Margaret has published chapters in books: Cloud of Witnesses – St. Monica, and Crowned with Grace – Our Lady of Fatima. Read her blog: https://ruledbybananas.com/ and get free 15 Simple Morning Prayers.
Feature Image Credit: Erik Mclean, pexels.com/photo/pictographs—on—dashboard—16341417/
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
SIGN INTO YOUR ACCOUNT