“He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (2 Cor 10:17).
The Wednesday following the Octave of Easter is imbued with a quiet triumph: the liturgical echo of the Resurrection resounds still, yet the Church begins now to lead us more deeply into the fruits of this victory. The joy of the Resurrection is not a passive delight; it must be vigilantly guarded and actively borne. The readings today confront us with two great images: the zealous Apostle betrothed to Christ, and the wise virgins prepared for the Bridegroom.
Apostolic Boasting and Espousal to Christ (2 Cor 10:17–18; 11:1–2)
St. Paul’s words pierce with apostolic fervor: “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor 11:2). Here Paul speaks not in mere metaphor, but from a deeply nuptial theology rooted in the Old Covenant and now fulfilled in the New. The Church is the Bride, and Paul, as a spiritual father, is the paranymph—the friend of the Bridegroom—who labors that she might be pure and faithful.
St. John Chrysostom, reflecting on this passage, remarks:
“Paul’s concern was not to be loved himself, but that Christ might be loved. This is the true character of a friend of the Bridegroom: not to seek his own glory, but to prepare the bride.” (Homily 23 on 2 Corinthians)
This self-emptying zeal is what justifies Paul’s “boasting.” It is not self-glorification, but a glorying in the Lord, the only One whose commendation counts. St. Augustine interprets Paul’s claim that “not he that commendeth himself is approved, but he whom God commendeth” as a call to inward humility:
“It is better to be approved by God in secret than to be praised by men in the public square. For the Bridegroom sees the heart.” (Sermon 147)
The Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matt 25:1–13)
The parable of the ten virgins reinforces this eschatological and nuptial theme. The wise virgins, prepared with oil in their lamps, are admitted to the wedding feast. The foolish ones, caught unready, are shut out.
The Bridegroom in the parable is Christ Himself, coming at an hour unknown. The lamps signify the light of faith, and the oil, as St. Gregory the Great famously interprets, is good works flowing from charity:
“The lamps signify the light of faith, and the oil the merit of love. The foolish virgins had lamps but no oil, for they had faith but lacked charity.” (Homily 12 on the Gospels)
This parable, heard in the bright wake of Easter, is a sober reminder: resurrection joy is not license to spiritual sloth. We must keep vigil with our lamps trimmed, for the Bridegroom who rose at midnight now comes again.
The Marriage Feast of the Lamb
In combining these readings, the liturgy sets before us an image of the Church militant, both apostolic and vigilant, moving ever toward the Heavenly Jerusalem, the consummated bridal feast of the Lamb.
St. Ambrose draws the two themes together:
“Paul betroths the soul to Christ through faith and doctrine; the vigilant virgin awaits Him with the burning flame of good works. It is in the union of faith and love that the soul becomes the Bride.” (On Virgins, Bk III)
A Paschal Application
The days following Easter are not a descent from festivity into ordinary time, but rather a deepening of our paschal identity. The joy of the Resurrection now demands a life of burning charity and sober watchfulness. St. Paul reminds us that zeal without Christ is vain; the parable reminds us that faith without works is barren.
Let us therefore, in this Paschaltide, be both wise virgins and apostolic friends of the Bridegroom. Let our lamps burn with love, and our boast be only in the One who died and rose for our salvation.
Christus resurrexit, alleluia!