The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. Luke
If it be asked what the lighted lamps signify, Theophylact answers, “ Firstly, they signify that we ought to have the light of reason and discretion to distinguish what we ought to do and how we ought to do it ; and secondly, we should have faith, burning with love and fervour of spirit, for this will show us what to do and what to avoid, will urge us to lofty acts of virtue and incite us to teach others the way of faith and salvation, and inspire them with the love of God, and not suffer any to live in the darkness of ignorance and sin.” So S. Augustine (serm. xxxix.) on the words of the Lord ; and so S. Jerome, or whoever is the author, on Jeremiah i., who says, “that to hold a lamp in the hand is the same as to preach the Gospel.”
Mystically. “These things” says Cœlestine, “have their own mysteries. For in the girding of the loins is shown purity : in the staff, pastoral rule; in the lighted lamps, the brightness of good works” (Ep. ii. ad Episc. Gall.) S. Gregory also, in his 13th homily, understands , by the shining lamps, good examples. We hold lighted lamps in our hands, he says, when by our good works we show examples of light to our neighbours. Two things are commanded us, to have our loins girded and our lamps lighted, as are innocence and purity of body, and the light of truth in our actions, for purity is of little value without a good life, or a good act without chastity.
S. Augustine again (Lib. ii. Quæst. Evan.): “Girt loins means abstinence from secular affairs, lighted lamps, the doing of the same thing with a true object and right intention.” “The lighted lamps,” says S. Maximus, “are prayer, contemplation, and spiritual love.” Lastly, Origen (Hom. 9 on Judges) thinks that allusion is here made to the torches of the army of Gideon, and that as their sudden discovery terrified the Midianites, so the apostles and martyrs, when their bodies had been shattered and broken by martyrdom, began to shine forth by their miracles, by which the persecutors were put to flight, and thus their doctrine and holiness shone throughout the world. As is clearly explained by Bede in his questions on the book of Judges, and Gregory at length, Moral. chap. xxxii., and following ; see Judges vii.
In your hands . These words are not found in the Greek, Syriac, and Arabic ; nor in the Greek Fathers, Origen, Clement, Cyril, Chrysostom , S. Basil, Titus; nor in the Latins, S. Ambrose, Cyprian,
Hilary, and Augustine ( Serm . xxxix.) But S. Gregory has them in his 13th Homily, Irenaeus (lib. iv. cap . 72), and S. Jerome, on Eph. xvi. and Jer. i., as also the codices of the Holy Scriptures corrected at Rome. “ In your hands,” therefore, means in your possession , that they may shed light on your works. Again, it means, that with their lamps in their hands they should go as His servants to meet Christ their Lord. From these words of Christ has arisen the custom of placing in the hands of the faithful, when in their last agony, lighted and blessed candles of wax, to show that they are going to meet Christ with faith and burning love and to excite them to it. So Amalarius, Rabanus and others who have written on Ecclesiastical Offices.
S. Cyril adds, in his fourth book on Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth, “ Having your feet shod ; ” but no other has it, and therefore S. Cyril seems to have inadvertently copied it from S. Paul.
Ver. 36. — And be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord. This is the third precept of Christ, or rather the third part of the same precept. The first was to have their loins girt, the second to have their lights shining, the third to look for their lord. The first two are referred to this. The meaning is, Be you so prepared and ready as servants who expect their lord by night, that is, watchful , with loins girt and lamps burning. Hence Maldonatus thinks that this parable is one and identical, but consisting of three parts. Jansenius thinks that it is diverse ; but it comes to the same thing ; for, as I have said, this is another and the third part of the parable to which the other two tend and are directed. “ They await their lord ” says Toletus, “ as those who, thinking themselves strangers, burn with the desire for Christ, and frequently, nay, continually think of Him — have their minds fixed on Him ; for His love and hope bear adversity and all kinds of calamities with patience; fear to offend Him as having Him at length come to them, before their eyes; despise without difficulty whatever does not make for His coming ; delight in whatever they know to be pleasing to Him ; hold temporal things of small account because of their hope of eternal ones.”
Symbolically , The above words, “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, and be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord,” teach us (1.) That here we are as strangers journeying on to the heavenly kingdom, (2.) That we ought to outshine all others in virtue. (3.) That we should fix our hopes on the heavens, according to the words of 1 S. Peter ii. 11, 12.
Again, S. Augustine (serm. 39 de Verbis Domini ), asserts that these are the three subjects on which S. Paul exhorted Felix (Acts xxiv.) “ Paul,” he says, “taught continence, justice, and eternal life, for in these is contained the sum of the evangelical life.” Secondly, in them are shown the three duties of the apostolic life : Firstly, the loins girded show that the Apostles were sent by Christ to preach the gospel through the whole world, and also to contend against all evil spirits, tyrannical rulers, unbelievers, and vices, according to the words of S. Luke, “ I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.” Secondly, The burning lamps shew those who ought to illuminate the world by their doctrine and preaching, according to the words, “Ye are the light of the world,” Matt v. 14. Thirdly, “Be like unto men looking for their lord.” This signifies those who ought to despise and tread under foot this present world and all things belonging to it, and to lead a heavenly and divine life, that their minds and hearts may be fixed on heaven, as in Phil. iii. 20, “ Our citizenship is in heaven.” S. Paul adds the result, the fruit, and the reward : “ From whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus
Christ, who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of His glory.” That is, We despise earthly things, we seek for heavenly ones, because we look with a certain hope for Christ, who shall beautify and make us glorious for ever. So Toletus.
These three things the early Christians always kept rooted in their minds, who as strangers upon earth and citizens of heaven willingly poured out their wealth, their honours, their pleasures, their very present life itself for Christ, because they surely looked for the coming of the Lord Christ after this short life, and for a happy and eternal one to be given to them by Him, which indeed is true wisdom and prudence. We may see this in the Pontiffs, Virgins, Roman Martyrs for three hundred years, from S. Peter to Silvester, all of whom rejoiced in ceaseless persecutions, rejoiced to be spoiled of their goods, to be imprisoned, scourged, slain, burnt, that they might enjoy (possess) Christ in heaven. Eminent amongst others was S. Cecilia, who, when flourishing in youth, beauty, wealth, nobility, of her own will most gladly gave up all things for Christ and even her life itself, in the midst of wondering, pitying, and lamenting friends, and went joyfully and exultingly to the place of martyrdom, saying, “ This is not to lose my youth but to change it ; this is to give clay and receive in return gold ; to give a vile and miserable hovel and receive a palace most spacious, lofty, and magnificent, built of precious stones and gold ; to give a perishable thing and receive one that knows no end and is subject to no death ;” and soon after, “ Our Lord Jesus Christ does not give pound for pound, but what He gives as a simple sum He returns a hundredfold, and adds besides eternal life.” Thus is it in her Acts.