Today’s parable from the Gospel of Matthew about the maidens is probably familiar to us, especially with its teaching that we should be prepared at all times since we do not know when Jesus will come again. At one time or another in our lives, we probably can identify with the foolish, unprepared maidens when we have not been as prepared as we should have been. We can remember those times when we procrastinate in life, putting something off to the last minute. We are called to learn from those times we are not ready when we should be. Those of us who put ourselves under the rule of God's kingdom as Christ's followers should always be ready and prepared to play our role in the on-going story of God's relationship to us.
As we hear about those maidens who were unprepared, we celebrate a saint today who is considered one of the most significant theologians in the history of our faith: St Augustine. Born in the middle of the 4th century as the son of a very devout Christian mother, St Monica, and a pagan father, Augustine did not become a Christian until the age of 33 after living a very worldly life and after having followed many different philosophies. Several years after converting to Christianity under the tutelage of the very influential Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, Augustine was ordained a priest, and then later he himself became Bishop of Hippo in North Africa. Recently, I read for the second time the Confessions of St Augustine, one of the first autobiographies, and a very important account of his conversion story. In the Confessions, Augustine writes: “And men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty waves of the sea, the broad tides of rivers, the compass of the ocean, and the circuits of the stars, yet pass over the mystery of themselves without a thought.” Augustine worked tirelessly to bring others to the faith. His theology has a lasting impact on our Church to this day. We unite our prayers with the prayers of St Augustine today.
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