VATICAN CITY — People sometimes forget life’s ultimate purpose is to prepare for the kingdom of heaven, Pope Francis said.
“People do everything as if they will never depart for the other life. And so, people care only about possessing, of standing out, settling down,” the pope said in his remarks before praying the Angelus with visitors gathered in St. Peter’s Square Nov. 8.
The day’s Gospel reading offered an ongoing reflection on eternal life, he said. The reading from the Gospel of Matthew said the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins who went to a wedding feast with their oil lamps.
Those who were wise brought extra oil and those who were foolish did not.
The delayed groom arrived while the foolish ones were out getting more oil, so they found themselves locked out of the feast and were admonished for not being prepared.
Pope Francis said the parable explains how Jesus tells people they must be prepared – both for Jesus’ final coming and in their daily commitment to meeting him through charity to those in need. “The lamp of faith is not enough; we also need the oil of charity and good works,” he said.
“Being wise and prudent means not waiting until the last moment to correspond to God’s grace” with good deeds, but to convert now, he said.
“Unfortunately,” the pope said, “we forget the purpose of our life, that is, the definitive appointment with God, thus losing the sense of expectation and making the present absolute.”
“If we allow ourselves to be guided by what seems most attractive to us, by the search for our interests,” he said, “our life becomes sterile; we do not accumulate any reserve of oil for our lamp, and it will be extinguished before the Lord’s coming.”
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