2026-08-28 - Wisdom is knowing what cannot be borrowed Author: Fr. Camillus Nwaigwe
28th of August 2026
Friday in the Twenty First Week of Ordinary Time, Year II
(St. Augustine)
1Cor 1:17-25
Mt 25:1-13
Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Augustine, born in Tagaste in North Africa, was a Bishop of Hippo and one of the greatest theologians and teachers of the early Church. After years of searching, he experienced a profound conversion and devoted the rest of his life to Christ and His Church. His life reminds us that faith and conversion cannot be borrowed; each person must personally encounter and choose God.
In the *Gospel*, we heard the parable of the ten virgins. All of them had lamps, but only five had enough oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, the foolish virgins discovered something painful: they could not borrow what they had failed to prepare for themselves.
There are things in life we can borrow, money, clothes, books, even someone’s car. But faith cannot be borrowed. Character cannot be borrowed. A relationship with God cannot be borrowed.
You cannot borrow another person's prayer life when temptation comes. You cannot borrow another person's holiness when you stand before God. You cannot borrow another person's conversion at the hour of death. Sometimes we live on borrowed spirituality, "My mother prays; my father is a good Christian; my priest is holy; my family goes to church." But Jesus asks each of us personally: Where is your oil?
This is also where St. Augustine speaks powerfully to us. He had a mother who prayed for him, but he eventually had to make his own journey to God. The faith of St. Monica could not be borrowed by Augustine. He had to encounter Christ personally, surrender personally, and be converted personally. And this is the wisdom of the Christian life: prepare your own lamp while there is still time.
Do not wait for a crisis before you begin to pray. Do not wait for sickness before you remember God. Do not wait for death before you begin to repent. Do not wait for judgment before you begin to live rightly.
The foolish virgins were not condemned because they had no lamps; they were condemned because they were not prepared.
Paul tells us that the wisdom of God may appear foolish to the world. The world says, "Enjoy yourself now; think about God later." God says, "Seek first the Kingdom." The world says, "You have plenty of time." Jesus says, “Stay awake."
Friends, wisdom teaches us that the most important things in life are the things nobody can do for you. Your relationship with God is one of them. Do not live on borrowed faith. Fill your own lamp with the oil of prayer, faith, repentance, charity and perseverance, because when the Bridegroom comes, nobody can lend you what you failed to prepare
God bless you and may St Augustine pray for us.
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