194. Discourse on the Mount of Olives: “Be Watchful and Pray”—Parables of the Ten Virgins and the Talents. Mt. 24:42–51; 25, 1–30; Mk. 13:33–37; Lk. 21:34–36

Watch, be awake, and pray, for you do not know when that time will come. It is like a man going on a journey and leaving his house, giving his servants authority, and to each his own work, and he commanded the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore, stay awake; for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at the crowing of the cock, or in the morning, so that, coming suddenly, he might not find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: stay awake.

So watch over yourselves, that your hearts not be weighed down with excess eating, and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly. For it will come as a snare upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Therefore, stay awake at all times and pray, that you may be worthy to escape all these coming calamities and to stand before the Son of Man.

As it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. For as in the days before the flood they ate, they drank, they married and were given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not think, until the flood came and destroyed all – so also will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field: one is taken, and the other is left; two grinding at the mill: one is taken, and the other is left. Therefore, stay awake, because you do not know in what hour your Lord will come.

You know that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have suffered his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man comes in an hour when you do not expect Him.

Who then is the faithful and prudent servant, whom his master set over his servants to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Truly I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant, being wicked, says in his heart: my master does not come soon, and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards – then the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect, and in an hour when he does not think, and will cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who, taking their lamps, went out to meet the bridegroom. Of them, five were wise and five were foolish. The foolish ones, taking their lamps, did not take oil with them. The wise, however, with their lamps, took oil in vessels with them. And as the bridegroom delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry: Behold, the bridegroom comes! Go out to meet him.

Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise ones: Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered: In case there is not enough for both us and you, go rather to those who sell and buy for yourselves. While they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready entered with him into the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward, the other virgins also came and said: Lord! Lord! Open to us. But He answered and said to them: Truly I say to you: I do not know you.

Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know the day or the hour in which the Son of Man will come.

For He will act as a man who, going abroad into a foreign country, called his servants and entrusted to them his possessions. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, to yet another one, to each according to his ability; and straightway he went away.

The one who received the five talents went and put them to work and gained another five talents. In the same way, he who received the two talents gained another two. But he who received the one talent went and buried it in the earth and hid his master’s money.

After a long time the master of those servants came and demanded an accounting from them. And the one who received the five talents came forward and brought five more talents, and said: Master! You gave me five talents; behold, I have gained five more talents besides them. His master said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a small matter; I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your master.

The one who received the two talents also came and said: Master! You gave me two talents; behold, I have gained two more talents besides them. His master said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a small matter; I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your master.

And he who had received the one talent also came and said: Master! I knew you, that you are a hard man: you reap where you have not sown, and gather where you have not scattered, and, being afraid, I went and hid your talent in the earth: here is your property. His master answered him and said: Wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered; therefore, you ought to have given my money to the bankers, and I, returning, would have received my own with profit. Therefore, take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Having said this, the Lord cried out: He who has ears to hear, let him hear!