Ballad of the Women

This song was originally written in 1968  by by American Roman Catholic, Medical Mission Sister, song-writer, liturgist and feminist-academic Miriam Therese (MT) Winter (b 1938).

 It is based on the parable of the ten wise and foolish women (bridesmaids), Matthew 25:1-13, and a revised version was released in 2003.

The song was originally included on the Medical Mission Sisters 1971 album "In Love" which was released under the Avant Garde label (ref).    It was later included in the Keepsakes collection, and CDs of this can be ordered directly from Winter's website.

No sources of sheet-music have been found.

Examples

No on-line examples have been found. If you know where one is, please leave a message in the Comments box near the bottom of the page.

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on the athor's website. A rough outline is:

Chorus:
Hurry and light your lamps, for the
day is done and the dark is falling.
Watch and wait. It’s getting late.
Pretty soon now you’ll hear the bridegroom calling.

Verses
1 Ten women. We surmise: ...

2 At midnight came a shout: ...

3 “Give us oil from your supply.” ....

4 The five who were caught off guard ...

5 Keep watch and be prepared ...

Final chorus:
Hurry and light your lamps.
Soon the Promised One will be returning.
Watch and wait. It’s getting late.
Be sure, very sure, that your lamps are burning!