Reading the Parable of the Ten Virgins with lamps, a religious nun remarked once that waiting is not suffering, but a hope. It is like a parent who waits for her child to come home. Though parents are not sure when the children will come, they keep on waiting. Why? Because the love of parents towards their children makes them wait for their children’s return.

In a way, Jesus is telling us to always be awake and vigilant in our waiting. Jesus did not tell us the exact time for His coming, yet He clearly tells us to be aware of our time in this world. The provoking question for us to reflect on is, will God find us faithful till the end? We might become weary or tired of praying. We may even think God despises us, especially when we pray hard for something. What sustains our effort?

Now, the wise and well prepared virgins in waiting for the Lord exemplify enduring fidelity. For some, waiting means to keep the light of hope burning in a desperate situation. Could it also be that God wanted to tell us that enduring faith is necessary in difficult moments of our lives? If we reflect deeply, at the end of the day, will we not find it beautiful when God opens the door of paradise and says, “I know you, My child, come and enter.”