“He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he who commendeth himself is approved, but he whom God commendeth” (2 Cor 10:17–18).
These words of Saint Paul to the Corinthians, read in today’s Epistle, are the gateway to a deeper meditation on sanctity, humility, and divine union, especially as we celebrate the feast of St. Rose of Lima, virgin and mystic, the first flower of sanctity in the Americas. Her life is a mirror to the soul espoused to Christ, echoing Paul’s own jealous longing for the Church to be presented to Christ “as a chaste virgin” (2 Cor 11:2).
And the Gospel, the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matt 25:1–13), presses upon us the urgency of preparedness—not merely the external observance of religion, but the interior possession of grace, wisdom, and fervent love. It is no coincidence that these readings converge in the context of today’s feast: the Church holds up St. Rose as a lamp brightly burning, a wise virgin who brought oil in her vessel, even amid a world darkened by vanity and presumption.
Let us consider these readings more closely, illuminated by the writings of the Church Fathers and saints.
I. Glorying in the Lord Alone (2 Cor 10:17–18)
Saint Paul’s admonition strikes at the heart of human pride. He warns against self-commendation and the illusion of worthiness based on human measure. True glory, says Paul, is in the Lord. This resonates with the ancient wisdom of St. John Chrysostom, who writes:
“There is no greater fall than to seek the praise of men; for it steals away all our riches, and brings not reward, but punishment.” (Hom. in 2 Cor., Hom. 22)
St. Rose of Lima lived this truth with severity and sweetness. She refused the applause of the world, wore a crown of thorns under her veil, and sought obscurity in the hidden life of penance and prayer. Yet in that self-forgetting love, God exalted her—not in the eyes of men only, but by His own testimony, through signs and graces.
II. A Chaste Virgin for Christ (2 Cor 11:1–2)
Here Paul speaks with almost bridal jealousy. He longs to present the Church to Christ as a spotless bride. In St. Rose, we see the fulfillment of this apostolic desire. She espoused herself mystically to Christ, taking Him alone as her Beloved. Her celibacy was not mere abstention, but a burning love, a nuptial offering. As St. Ambrose says:
“Virginity is not valued because the body is untouched, but because the soul is pure. The true virgin is she who has Christ in her heart.” (De Virginibus, I.5)
Rose’s union with Christ was not symbolic—it was real, sustained by penance, fasting, silence, and unceasing prayer. Her life cries out against the lukewarmness of worldly religion. She stands in continuity with the great virgin-martyrs of Rome—Felicis et Adaucti, commemorated today—who, though martyred in flesh, were already dead to the world and alive in Christ.
III. The Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matt 25:1–13)
This parable is a summons to vigilance. The wise virgins took oil in their vessels; the foolish did not. The Fathers often interpret the oil as charity, or the grace of the Holy Spirit—something that cannot be borrowed or acquired at the last moment. As St. Augustine teaches:
“The oil is the good conscience, the inner treasure of grace… which is not given at the market but received by living righteously.” (Sermo 93)
In St. Rose, we see the soul who trimmed her lamp daily with acts of penance and the longing cry, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Her mortifications, far from being morbid, were acts of bridal preparation. She desired to be found ready. Let us ask ourselves: are our lamps burning? Is there oil in our vessels? Are we foolishly delaying conversion until the cry rings out, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh”?
Conclusion: Living in the Spirit of St. Rose
Today’s liturgy gives us St. Rose not merely as a model of asceticism but as a symbol of the Church adorned for her Spouse. She teaches us to glory only in the Lord, to guard the purity of our soul with jealous vigilance, and to prepare each day for the coming of Christ.
The wise virgins enter with the Bridegroom—but to the foolish, He says, “I know you not.” Sobering words. And yet full of hope for those who, like Rose, live in watchful love.
Let us imitate her hidden life, her burning charity, her thirst for the Cross. And may her prayers help us to be among the wise virgins who enter the eternal wedding feast.
Prayer (adapted from the Collect of the Feast):
O God, Who didst choose blessed Rose, the Virgin, inflamed with Thy love, to walk the narrow way of penance and shine with the sweetness of charity: grant that we, by her intercession, may walk the same path with joy, and be counted worthy to enter with the Bridegroom when He comes in glory. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Sancta Rosa a Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis.
Sancti Felic et Adaucte, Martyres Christi, orate pro nobis.