Epistola 'De Decem Virginibus'

HERE IS THE PASSAGE FROM SAINT CAESARIUS OF ARLES ON THE TEN VIRGINS. In that Gospel lesson which has been read twice concerning the ten virgins, dearest brethren, it was said that all the virgins adorned their lamps; but the foolish ones had no oil prepared for their lamps; the prudent ones, however, took oil in their vessels. But while the bridegroom was delaying, they all fell asleep and slept. At midnight a shout was made, "Behold, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him." Then all those virgins arose and adorned their lamps; and when the lamps of the foolish virgins were extinguished, they asked the others, in whose vessels there was oil, to give them some of their oil; and those said: "Lest it not suffice for us and for you, go rather to the sellers and buy some for yourselves." While they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready entered with him to the wedding, and the door was shut. Afterwards the remaining virgins came, saying: "Lord, Lord, open to us"; to whom it was said: "I do not know where you are from." When it says, "While the bridegroom was delaying, they all fell asleep and slept," that sleep signifies death. Finally, as the Apostle says, "Concerning those who are sleeping, however, we do not wish you to be ignorant, brothers." Midnight, when the shout was made, signifies the great day of judgment; it is called midnight because of ignorance, since no one knows when or at what hour the day of judgment will come.

But that all the virgins adorned their lamps, and those foolish ones had some oil, but it was too little, so that it could not suffice them at all. Finally, they immediately began to go out. Hence, as much as we can with God’s help we ought to labor, dearest brethren, so that, since in oil mercy or charity is understood, we may store up in the vessels of our souls as much as may suffice us for eternity. Too little suffices for no one, most beloved brethren, unless perhaps one who on account of poverty is unable to give more; a full lamp of the soul is necessary, so that through the oil of charity our light may shine forever. To whom God has given more abundant substance, let him as much as he can open his hand for almsgiving, nor let him believe that a little can suffice for him, but let each one consider from the time he began to have understanding how much he owes for those things which he thought evilly, spoke evilly, or acted evilly; let him attend to the multitude of sins, and diligently weigh the prices of each; let him see how much he ought to pay for murders, for oaths, for perjuries, for curses or detractions, for drunkenness, for gluttony and luxury, for foul thoughts, for idle words.

Let each one consider all these things and those similar to them, which cannot even be counted, and then he will recognize how many alms he ought to perform, who, even if we were to sell everything, unless the mercy of God outweighs, we cannot redeem all sins; or let us do humbly with a contrite and penitent heart as much as we can, and let us do it not for human praise, but for the precept of God and for the contemplation of eternal life. But what the foolish virgins said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil," and they answered, "Lest it not suffice for us and for you," this I humbly think they will say, because such terror and such examination will be on the day of judgment that even those who understand themselves to have prepared the oil of mercy more abundantly fear that it may not be enough to redeem all sins. But that which was said, "Go rather to the sellers and buy for yourselves," can be understood concerning the poor. They are the merchants who sell the oil necessary for the lamps of souls. For through them Christ is accustomed to carry on this business. In them indeed he receives earthly things, about to repay eternal ones. For he himself said thus: "Whenever you have done something for one of the least of these, you have done it for me." But the lamps are understood to be souls. But those vessels where the oil is kept signify good consciences. What is it, however, to have oil in the vessels, except to store up good works in the conscience?

And, because some people perform good works for the love of God, others for the desire of human praise, those virgins—both those who were virgins in body and those who exercised themselves in vigils, psalms, readings, or prayers—did all this for human praise, not for God or for eternal blessedness. Therefore, when death intervened, when the praise of men ceased for them, the oil also failed them at the same time. For that which was said to them, "Go rather to the sellers and buy for yourselves," can also be understood in this way: that the sellers are understood to be those who praise the foolish virgins with flattering blandishments. Hence it is understood that all who desire to receive human praise sell what they seem to perform in the work of God for human flatteries, receiving vain praise and losing eternal rewards. But those virgins who had oil in their vessels placed every good work within their conscience, because they did it not for praise, but for divine mercy.

Therefore, most beloved brothers, reflecting faithfully on this, because this parable pertains to the whole Church: those who cannot preserve virginity of the body should guard integrity of the heart, so that if they cannot attain the crown of martyrs or virgins, at least we may merit to receive forgiveness for all sins. But virgins who, with God’s help, preserve bodily integrity should strive with all their strength, with God’s assistance, to flee talkativeness, to reject detraction and murmuring like the poisons of the devil, to dread the disease of envy and pride as the enemy’s sword, to humbly keep obedience, never to despise the commands of their elders, to persist in reading and prayer; if infirmity does not prevent it, to rise for vigils with all eagerness, whether in the oratory or in any other place; they should always strive to utter what pertains to obedience and humility; if they see someone sad, they should console them; if they recognize someone disobedient, they should not cease to correct them. And because in every profession both good and bad are found, and in the Church of Christ not only wheat but also chaff is found, there are found—what is worse—clerics, monks, and nuns so negligent and tepid that they do not, like spiritual bees, produce the sweet honey of souls, but like the most cruel wasps strike the hearts of brothers with the poisoned stings of their tongues.

Such persons are proven to be not helpers of Christ, but defenders of the devil. If they happen to see a brother or sister acting arrogantly toward a superior, they not only do not try to calm the situation, but rather with malicious words they attempt to kindle them to even greater favor, saying that this can no longer and ought no longer be endured; they also urge that the superiors should repent of such things, when they have wished to admonish or correct them with fatherly affection. But, as we have already said, in every state of life, not only do the helpers or ministers of the devil inflame to disobedience or pride with cunning whispers, but the helpers of Christ strive with gentle exhortation and holy and salutary counsel to recall to humility and meekness. For those who, placed in the clergy or in a monastery, raise themselves and others to pride, like arrows full of the devil, strike the hearts of the simple and try to extinguish in them charity, humility, and meekness. But because, with God’s help, wheat is also found among the chaff, holy souls, which are proven to be like storehouses of Christ filled with spiritual antidotes, do not cease to apply heavenly remedies to whatever wounds they have inflicted, saying to any proud person: Do not be proud, brother, for it is written: God resists the proud.

Do not be angry, because it is written: "Anger rests in the bosom of a fool"; and again: "The anger of a man does not work the justice of God." If by chance they see someone disobedient, they say gently and humbly: "Do not be disobedient, brother, because it is written: 'Obedience is above sacrifice.'" And the Apostle cries out: "Obey your superiors and submit to them, because they keep watch for your souls as those who will render an account." Those souls full of God, if they see someone tepid and negligent, they strive to kindle them to compunction with spiritual arms, that is, with medicines brought forth from a good heart. If they see someone slandering and murmuring, they say to them that saying of the blessed Apostle: "Do not murmur, as some of them murmured, and they perished by the destroyer." Do not slander...

Speaking, he knows himself to be the helper and defender of justice; let him rejoice and give thanks to God, and with His help, persevere to the end; for it is not he who begins, but he who perseveres to the end who will be saved. But he who, through pride, disobedience, or envy, feels himself to be the helper or vicar of the devil, let him grieve for the past, beware of the future, and through humility restore what he destroyed through the tyranny of pride; let gentleness soften what malice or disobedience had embittered, and the sweetness of charity compose it; and while that dark soul, which was accustomed to serve the devil, is still held in this mortal body, let him acquire a remedy for himself in the time of need, so that, transferred from the left to the right, he may deserve to hear, among the sheep of Christ: "Come, blessed ones, receive the kingdom that has been prepared for you from the beginning of the world." And although these things are so, most beloved brothers, it is nevertheless necessary that neither the good be puffed up by their holy merits, nor those who have been evil be broken by excessive despair; but let the former humbly persevere in good, and the latter quickly be corrected from evil, so that when the day of judgment comes, an upright life may be able to crown the good.