November 16, 2025

Gospel: Matthew, Chapter 25, verses 1-13
Homily of the Pontiff Samuel

The parable of the 10 Virgins:
be wise and not foolish, be holy Virgins

(Draft: Automatic Translation)

Beloved brothers and sisters, here we are again, on the Lord’s day, to celebrate and experience the Lord’s Table, to participate in the Banquet (Matthew 26:26-29). We wait all week to gather on the Lord’s Day and be nourished and fed by the Lord, by His living Bread, which is ready to give itself again so that all who want to have Life (Magisterial Act, ‘The true communion with the living Bread descended from Heaven’, 02/06/2024) may have it in abundance for eternity (Jn 10:10).

And we continue our journey by meditating on the last pages of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ eschatological discourses that help us understand ‘how’ to live the Kingdom and that announce to all ‘how’ the Kingdom would be. We know that the Lord’s return is a journey (Revelation of Jesus to Mary G. Norcia, The Return of Jesus, 30/10/1994), therefore a path, even if signs and understandings will arrive punctually (Mt 24:30). We saw this also with the birth of the Saviour: He was born on time, but before He manifested Himself, a journey was undertaken, even if, for those who met Him at the last moment, that was the right moment. Understand the dynamics with which God works (Isaiah 55:8-9) and, consequently, how to understand the words that are written in the Gospel.

Here Jesus speaks to us about the parable of the “ten virgins”. There are ten virgins; therefore, ten brings us to fullness. It is a full number: therefore, the fullness of the Church, we could say the fullness of Christians. However, five are wise and five are foolish; therefore, it is not enough to call ourselves Christians, to be in fullness, to be sure of reaching the goal (Matthew 7:21). We must be wise; we cannot become foolish. Otherwise, we risk losing everything.

Then there is the symbol of the “lamp”. These virgins carry the lamp. What does the lamp represent? The lamp is the heart, or rather the soul, of each of us, which carries the Light. Here is the heart, the soul that contains and manifests the Light that is Christ (Jn 8:12). This must be in the hearts of Christians. The souls of Christians must be enlightened to bring the Light of Christ to all (Act of the Magisterium, “The Communion in the one faith: Christ”, 11/05/2025) so that all those who meet Christians may encounter the Christ contained in that heart, in that soul (2 Cor 4:6).

However, in order for the lamp to shine, and therefore to have a flame, it needs “oil”. And what is oil? It is the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit of Love (Rom 5:5), that Holy Spirit who nourishes the soul and heart with what is holy so that the heart may shine with the Light that is Christ. If one is without the Holy Spirit, if one is without the Holy Spirit, no light will be produced by that lamp (Rom 8:9). This is what we understand well in the revelation ‘The Holy Spirit’ that Jesus gave to His Maiden. Jesus says: ‘The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of love, He is illuminating fire; He is fire that guides souls and helps them in their ascent to Heaven’ (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, ‘The Holy Spirit’, 13/09/1984). Here is the oil. In the Old Testament, oil was a sign of election, blessing, and consecration. Here is the anointing with which kings, priests, and prophets were anointed. “Christ”, the very word “Christ”, means “anointed”, “consecrated” (Acts 10:38). The Messiah, the Christ, is the one who is anointed, consecrated.

Then there is this reference to ‘midnight,’ when the cry announcing the bridegroom arrives. Midnight represents, on the one hand, the point of greatest darkness, as opposed to noon, when the sun is at its highest; but at the same time, midnight also marks the beginning of a new day (Rom 13:11-12).

And here is the ‘cry’: ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him’ (Mt 25:6). And these virgins awaken. Now, we know that the word ‘virgin’, the etymology of this word, means ‘maiden’. So the “virgin” brings us back to the ‘maiden’.

There is a Maiden who heard that silent cry that Heaven, on 13 June 1947, wanted to give to humanity (Act of Magisterium, ‘Maria G. Norcia’, 21/01/2019) . Here we can summarise those five virgins, at this moment, in that Virgin, in that Maiden, Maria Giuseppina, who welcomed what Heaven was giving to humanity at that moment: the Child Jesus. She welcomed that first cry: here is 13 June 1947, the beginning of the Kingdom: here is that Kingdom of a thousand years spoken of in the Apocalypse (Rev 20:4). The Maiden welcomes Him and, at that moment, her Heart encounters Grace, the Child Jesus, who floods her with His Grace. And at that moment, she contains the Child Jesus, Grace, in her Heart. Behold the Holy Spirit who takes up residence in Her Heart, making it the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19) because She has welcomed the Child Jesus who has given Her His Grace. At that moment, He filled Her with His Grace. Behold the Maiden, behold the Virgin (Revelation of Jesus to Mary G. Norcia, ‘She who is the synthesis of the prophets and the ancient patriarchs’, 26/07/1996). And from that moment on, here is She who was called by Heaven to bring the Announcements, the other ‘cries’, we might say; the cries that followed were made through Her Heart because Jesus, contained in Her Heart, entrusted this task to Her.

And, in fact, from 1975 to 2000, She announced the New Jerusalem to the world (Rev 21:2). Here is a cry: ‘Come, hurry. Here is the New Jerusalem. This is the New Jerusalem that the Father wanted to establish on earth. This is the Place of Jesus’ Return. Come, hurry!’ Then, from the year 2000 onwards – when she had foretold the arrival of the young man who was to help her, the Envoy of God, in order to continue the Mystery – a second Announcement began. And, over time, those who heard this Announcement were characterised as either wise or foolish, in being able to hear that invitation, that cry, that Announcement, and be ready or not. It is a succession.

And so Mother Church was born (Rev 12:1) – another Announcement that She had foretold to that young man – which that young man, together with those whom Heaven had indicated, also established on this earth, so that that cry could reach many. Here is Mother Church announced (Act of Magisterium, “The True Church”, 08/05/2025), the Church with which the Father wanted to establish His Third and final Covenant in order to bring everything to completion (Heb 8:8-10).

Behold these Announcements that follow one another in time; and all those who have been called in time to be ready, to watch, not to sleep, not to fall asleep, not to doze off, but to have oil so that the lamp could continue to give Light. Behold the Holy Spirit, descended from Heaven, who assisted those who in time wanted to remain faithful (Jn 14:26).

Certainly, this is for those who have lived in this Place throughout history, but these Announcements will continue because, as was recently written in an Act of Magisterium, ‘the Trumpet has sounded’ (Act of Magisterium, ‘The Trumpet has blared: this is the call for every authentic Christian’, 17/08/2025) . It is written in the Apocalypse that the trumpets must sound (Rev 8:6) so that the world may awaken and hear the Announcement of the times that are drawing to a close. Here is the invitation to watch, not to fall asleep, to keep the Holy Spirit alive in one’s heart.

Of course, these five virgins evoke something else in an eschatological key. Here is this “five” that returns. Still thinking of the Book of Revelation, the Apocalypse, that One and those Four return: five. It is written in chapter 4: “After this I had a vision” – it is John the Apostle who speaks – “a door was open in heaven” (Rev 4:1). The Door; we will talk about the Door later. This also has a profound meaning, because the Door opens and the children enter through the Door. Who is the Door? ‘After this I had a vision: a door was opened in heaven. The voice I had heard before, speaking to me like a trumpet, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.’ . Immediately I was in ecstasy. And behold, there was a throne in heaven, and one sat on the throne. The one who sat there was like jasper and carnelian in appearance. A rainbow like an emerald encircled the throne. […] In the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures” (Rev 4:1-3, 6b).

Here is our Crucifix, in the Shrine of Divine Mercy, with these five rays emanating from the Holy Spirit and illuminating those who are on this Crucifix; here are these five. Just as there are ‘five’ Accomplishments to reach the Accomplishment of accomplishments; we have meditated on them before, but I am pleased to recall them, the five accomplishments. One: love the Lord your God. Two: ennoble your soul to God. Three: explain the Word of God. Four: rejoice before the Lord your God. Five: Salvation is Victory. We are at the end of these Accomplishments, we are living them.

Hence the invitation – “Watch, watch” – that Jesus makes at the end of this parable. Who better than those who watch can help us to watch? Who are “those who watch”? In the Book of Revelation, there is also mention of the elders. Who are the “elders”? Again in chapter 4 it is written: “Around the throne were twenty-four seats, and on the seats were seated twenty-four elders, clothed in white robes and with golden crowns on their heads” (Rev 4:4). Who are the elders? The elders are holy beings, holy, holy. They are those who must purify the Faith in people’s hearts (Act of Magisterium, “The Christian Faith”, 27/10/2024). They are those who watch over the Faith so that Faith in the Triune God is always respected, loved, and not distorted, so that the Faith remains intact (1 Tim 6:20) . They watch over the work of the messengers to watch over the Faith, One and Holy. They are like the guardians of revealed Truth: people of the past, people of the present and people of the future, those who must make people understand the roots of Faith in the true God (Eph 2:20). These are the elders.

Then, at a certain point, Jesus says: ‘Watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour’ (Mt 25:13). Of course, the Father knows the day and the hour, but we know ‘the Place’ . The Maiden of God has announced the Place to everyone. Therefore, by remaining anchored to the Place and keeping watch, it will not be difficult, if we do not run out of oil, to be ready when the day and hour come. And this is especially true for the world that does not yet know this reality. Come, set foot in the New Jerusalem (Heb 12:22) so that we may be ever more ready when the Fulfilment of fulfilments comes.

What is certain is that the children of God have crossed that Door. Why? Because the Door is Mary. The Door is Mary, dear brothers and sisters. That is why, as I said last Sunday, Mary is decisive in understanding the Plan of Salvation. Mary is the Door. Mary opened the Door for us, she opened it first, she let us enter the Kingdom (Lk 1:45). She let us in, opening wide the Door of her Heart to let us enter already where the Banquet will be (Rev 19:9). We are already inside. We must wait for the Banquet in the Fulfilment of fulfilments, yes. But the children of God have already crossed the Door, those who live in the New Jerusalem, because Mary has opened wide, letting in those who live to make Her known and loved, who have consecrated themselves to Her Immaculate Heart (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, ‘Mary, I consecrate myself to You‘, 10/03/1986). Here is the Maiden, who always accompanies us.

You, children of Mother Church, like holy elders, guide the peoples from East to West, from South to North towards the Fulcrum of the Father’s Love, like that Arrow that showed the Maiden of God the exact location of this Church, of the Little Cradle, Home of every pilgrim who recognises himself in the Son of God to become a ‘child’ (Rom 8:14-17).

Behold the purity of faith which, in this Corner of Paradise on earth, will always be defended and manifested. Behold the rebirth in Mary, in the Holy Spirit: Mary, Temple of the Holy Spirit, in order to enter and be reborn from Her virginal Womb and to be able to take part and be within (Jn 3:5-6). Mary. ‘Mary, sweet and gentle Name, as sweet and gentle must be the faith of all those who want to live in Her in order to live in the Heart of Christ, to inherit the Kingdom of God: a Kingdom of Peace and Love; and to be clothed in the only Light that will never go out, that eternal and perpetual Light that will give eternal Life to so many’ (Act of Magisterium, ‘The Trumpet has blared: this is the call for every authentic Christian’, 17/08/2025) . I have read you an excerpt from the Act of Magisterium ‘The Trumpet Has Sounded’, which was proclaimed by Mother Church at the conclusion of the Solemn Triduum of the Feast of Mary Assumed into Heaven and Mary Co-Redemptrix this past year.

There is a connection between the sounding of the trumpets and Mary. Therefore, this Church is always one step ahead, because it knows what the enemy of God is doing: he wants to weaken Mary. And so, we are always one step ahead in order to move forward. And now I say: Mary is the Temple of the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35). Remember this. Just as in that Act of Magisterium called ‘Mary is the Door’, ‘Mary, the Holy Door of the children of God’, published on the eve of last Christmas. And in this Act of Magisterium it is written: “There is one Holy Door that leads to the Heart of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And her name is Mary, the most gentle and beautiful name there is. Mary, Door of Heaven; Mary, Door that leads children to see Heaven; Mary, Door that introduces children into the Heart of the Father, who is Salvation. […] This is the Christmas of Christ and His children. Behold the “necessity” today, in these last times, to consecrate oneself to Mary, to be reborn from Above, in the Spirit, and to approach this second and last Grotto, where the Heart of the Child Jesus beats, who came down among His children to give them new Life, for eternity. Entering through the Holy Door, the children will be led by the Holy Spirit of Love before the Throne of God, and they will find the King waiting to welcome them, the one and only eternal King, good, holy and loving: He who welcomes His children on their journey; He who welcomes His sheep yearning for love; He who welcomes all those who, following the example of Jesus, are beggars for love‘ (Act of Magisterium, ’Mary, the Holy Door of the sons of God“, 24/12/2024).

Behold, dear brothers and sisters, the ‘Generation of Saints’, as written in another Act of Magisterium, dated 23 March 2025. This is what we are called to do: to live and bring to life the Generation of Saints, so that Jesus may find us all alive and not dead, slumbering in a lethal sleep (Eph 5:14). It is written in this Act: “It is said and written: “He will come to judge the living and the dead” (2 Tim 4:1). The dead, those who did not want to die to Christ, in Christ and with Christ, have already had their condemnation. Those, however, who have died to sin are already saints; those who have recognised the House where the Lord has pitched His Tent are already alive; those who have been nourished and are nourished by the Only Begotten Love who is Person are already, in Christ, with Christ and for Christ‘ (Act of Magisterium, ’The Generation of Saints“, 23/03/2025).

Behold, dear brothers and sisters, the invitation I extend to you once again today: be obedient, be pure, and be holy (Phil 2:15), because this is what is needed now. These are the ‘Virgins’ mentioned in this parable. Here too, the Book of Revelation comes to our aid in understanding this term. It is written in chapter 14: “I looked, and there before me was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads” (Rev 14:1). One hundred and forty-four thousand is a symbolic number: twelve, like the tribes, times twelve thousand. “These did not defile themselves with women, for they are virgins, and they follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are without blemish” (Rev 14:4-5). This is the virginity referred to: being without blemish.

Live to keep the robe you have been given white (Rev 3:4-5). Keep it pure.

Certainly, the concept of virginity in every sense is also important. I see many young people, as always; to you young people I say: keep yourselves pure in every sense. Keep your bodies pure too, for they are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16-17). This too is a virginity to be preserved. For those who are married and bound in the sacred bond of marriage: be virgins within your marriage. This means: do not pay attention to, look at or behave towards others, but be faithful to the one to whom you have said “yes” (Heb 13:4) . This is marital virginity, so that you may respect the sacred bond of marriage and not defile it as so many do today with a light heart.

Then there is this virginity that embraces all those who want to be holy, those who want to be without blemish: this is “doing the Will of God” that makes us virgins (1 Jn 2:17). This is the Shrine of Mercy in which we are. This is the Little Crib, the Centre of God’s Mercy (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, ‘The greatest Sacrarium there is’, 29/09/1986), which cleanses the hearts of all those who want to be cleansed, of those who have done wrong. Who does not make mistakes on the path to holiness? Be concerned with asking God for forgiveness (Psalm 50). Do not be ashamed to bend your knees before the Little Cradle and ask for forgiveness, to be cleansed and return to being virgins in your hearts, to be without stain. Here are the Virgins who are ready to welcome the Bridegroom, following the example of She who is Bride, Maiden, Virgin, Immaculate.

Be obedient, for obedience is what makes you holy (1 Sam 15:22). The devil fears obedience, he who is “the disobedient” par excellence. Obey the Voice of the Holy Spirit who speaks to your heart, in the depths of your heart. This is the most important thing in order to overcome the “ego”, to do the Will of God. This is what is pleasing to God (Heb 13:21). God suffers when He sees indifference and ingratitude, especially on the part of chosen souls, but He is pleased when we annul ourselves in order to do His Will. This is what the Saints teach us.

I am currently rereading Sister Faustina’s Diary because it is very edifying: it is the Gospel of Mercy, in which this saint makes it clear what Jesus likes. Those who annihilate themselves for Love, to do only and exclusively His Will, are pleasing to God more than anything else (Mt 6:10). This means being virgins, without blemish: doing the Will of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Keep the Holy Spirit alive so that this oil may never run out and the lamp, which is your heart, which is your soul, may shine before God and before men (Mt 5:16). Behold, the trumpets are about to sound. They have already sounded (Rev 8:1-10), but they will sound again (Rev 8:12-13). Behold, the cry, because the Time of Mercy is overlapping with the Time of merciful Justice (Act of Magisterium, ‘Father, the hour has come’, 01/12/2024) and many will hear the cry: ‘Behold the Bridegroom’. Those who listen and change their lives will be saved. Those who, in the light of what will happen, blaspheme God and the Holy Spirit even more, will sink into the abyss (Rev 9:20-21).

Therefore, remain anchored to Mary. To all I say: hold tightly to Her hands so that you may be sure to pass through the Door. Mary is the Door. Mary, Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of all graces (Act of Magisterium, ‘As the Name of Jesus the Redeemer saves, so the Name of Mary the Coredemptrix saves ’ 12/09/2021).

Do not be deceived by those who no longer have oil, who will not be able to go and buy more oil. ‘Go to the sellers’ (Mt 25:9). But those who have become sellers and live in what was once God’s temple will not be able to have oil, because that house has become, as Jesus says in the Gospel, ‘my house of prayer has become a den of thieves’ (Mt 21:13). Those who haggle over the things of God, those who bargain with the things of God, will never be able to sell good oil (Am 8), because the Holy Spirit cannot be bought, but is given freely to those who seek him with all their heart.

Remain grafted onto Mary, the living Temple of the Holy Spirit, and she will never let you lack oil: she will give it to you with an abundance of Love, because her Heart is Immaculate (Act of Magisterium, ‘Mary the Immaculate will win“, 08/12/2023) and her Love is great, infinite (Lk 1:49), because Mary is the Co-Redemptrix by grace (Gen 3:15); and we worship Grace and thank God for having given us the Full of Grace (Lk 1:28). So be it.