Today, Archbishop Dr. Sami Fawzy, Archbishop of the Alexandria Province of the Anglican Episcopal Church, presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Redeemer Episcopal in Suez, where he administered the confirmation of nine new church members, in the presence of Rev. Ihab Ayoub, the church’s pastor.
In his sermon, the Archbishop said: “In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25), Christ presents a vivid picture of His Second Coming. The virgins did not differ in their outward appearance, but the real difference was in their hearts. The wise virgins took enough oil with them for their needs, while the foolish neglected to prepare themselves for the coming. Spiritually, the oil symbolizes the presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart. The foolish virgins appeared outwardly righteous, but inside they did not possess the true dwelling of the Spirit, and therefore they were not ready to meet the bridegroom, despite expecting His return.”
He continued: “When the bridegroom arrived at midnight, a time no one expected, all the virgins rose to prepare their lamps. Yet the foolish discovered the absence of oil at the moment they needed it. This parable reveals three important spiritual truths: first, some matters cannot be postponed, such as spiritual readiness; second, some things cannot be borrowed from others, as the relationship with God is personal and cannot be substituted; and third, grace is obtained only from its true source—Christ alone—through a life of faith and daily prayer. This explains why the wise virgins could not give their oil to the foolish, for it is a spiritual reserve that cannot be transferred from person to person.”
He concluded: “The foolish virgins missed the opportunity to prepare, and when the door was closed, they could no longer enter. This parable still calls us today to spiritual vigilance, to fill our lives with the oil of grace before it is too late. Preparing for Christ’s coming involves examining ourselves, purifying our hearts, living in holiness, placing our faith in Christ, accepting the gift of the Holy Spirit, and deepening our prayer life and Scripture reading. It is a clear call to live in steadfast expectation of the heavenly bridegroom, so that we may be among the prepared who enter eternal joy with Him.”
It is noteworthy that the confirmation service marks an individual’s formal membership in the Episcopal Church, where the new member pledges before the bishop, pastor, and congregation to deepen their study of God’s Word and live a life of regular prayer.