🕊️Saint Agnes, a noble Roman born around 291 and martyred in 304, at the age of thirteen, during the terrible persecution of Emperor Diocletian, became one of the most radiant symbols of Christian purity and fortitude. Consecrating her virginity to Christ from a tender age, she obstinately rejected marriage proposals from influential suitors, which resulted in her being denounced to the pagan authorities. Subjected to public humiliations and threats of torture, including exposure to fire and a brothel, she kept her faith and integrity intact, protected by divine grace. Finally, she was beheaded, receiving the double crown of virginity and martyrdom. Her name was inscribed in the Roman Canon of the Mass, and her memory is universally venerated as an example that the strength of God is made perfect in human weakness.
⚔️Introit (Ps 118, 95-96 | ib., 1)
Me exspectavérunt peccatores, ut pérderent me: testimónia tua, Dómine, intelléxi: omnis consummatiónis vidi finem: latum mandátum tuum nimis. Ps. Beáti immaculáti in via: qui ámbulant in lege Dómini. ℣. Glória ao Pai.
Sinners awaited me to destroy me, but I understood Your testimonies, O Lord. I have seen an end of all perfection: Your commandment is exceeding broad. Ps. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. ℣. Glory be to the Father.
📜Epistle (Ecclus 51:1-8, 12)
Confitébor tibi, Dómine, Rex, et collaudábo te Deum, Salvatórem meum. Confitébor nómini tuo: quóniam adjútor et protéctor factus es mihi, et liberásti corpus meum a perditióne, a láqueo linguæ iníquæ et a lábiis operántium mendácium, et in conspéctu astántium factus es mihi adjútor. Et liberásti me secúndum multitúdinem misericórdiæ nóminis tui a rugiéntibus, præparátis ad escam, de mánibus quæréntium ánimam meam, et de portis tribulatiónum, quæ circumdedérunt me: a pressúra flammæ, quæ circúmdedit me, et in médio ignis non sum æstuáta: de altitúdine ventris inferi, et a lingua coinquináta, et a verbo mendácii, a rege iníquo, et a lingua injústa: laudábit usque ad mortem ánima mea Dóminum: quóniam éruis sustinéntes te, et líberas eos de mánibus géntium, Dómine, Deus noster.
I will praise thee, O Lord, my King, and I will praise thee, O God my Savior. I will give glory to thy name: for thou hast been a helper and protector to me, and hast preserved my body from destruction, from the snare of an unjust tongue, and from the lips of them that forge lies, and in the sight of them that stood by, thou hast been my helper. And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the mercy of thy name, from them that did roar, prepared to devour; out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates of afflictions, which compassed me about: from the oppression of the flame which surrounded me, and in the midst of the fire I was not burned: from the depth of the belly of hell, and from an unclean tongue, and from lying words, from an unjust king, and from a slanderous tongue: My soul shall praise the Lord even to death, because Thou rescuest them that wait for Thee, and savest them out of the hands of the Gentiles, O Lord our God.
✠Gospel (Mt 25:1-13)
In illo témpore: Dixit Jesus discípulis suis parábolam hanc: Símile erit regnum cœlórum decem virginibus: quæ, accipiéntes lámpades suas, exiérunt óbviam sponso et sponsæ. Quinque autem ex eis erant fátuæ, et quinque prudéntes: sed quinque fátuæ, accéptis lampádibus, non sumpsérunt oleum secum: prudéntes vero accepérunt óleum in vasis suis cum lampádibus. Moram autem faciénte sponso, dormitavérunt omnes et dormiérunt. Média autem nocte clamor factus est: Ecce, sponsus venit, exíte óbviam ei. Tunc surrexérunt omnes vírgines illæ, et ornavérunt lámpades suas. Fátuæ autem sapiéntibus dixérunt: Date nobis de óleo vestro: quia lámpades nostræ exstinguúntur. Respondérunt prudéntes, dicéntes: Ne forte non suffíciat nobis et vobis, ite pótius ad vendéntes, et émite vobis. Dum autem irent émere, venit sponsus: et quæ parátæ erant, intravérunt cum eo ad núptias, et clausa est jánua. Novíssime vero véniunt et réliquæ vírgines, dicéntes: Dómine, Dómine, aperi nobis. At ille respóndens, ait: Amen, dico vobis, néscio vos. Vigiláte ítaque, quia nescítis diem neque horam.
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples: The kingdom of heaven shall be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish, and five wise. But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps. And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. Now whilst they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. But at last came also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not. Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour.
🕯️The Burning Lamp of Charity and the Oil of Grace
Today's liturgy presents us with the luminous figure of Saint Agnes, whose brief but intense life perfectly embodies the parable of the wise virgins narrated in the Gospel. Saint Ambrose, commenting on this young martyr, emphasizes that in her, devotion surpassed age and virtue overcame nature, for, being a girl, she was not yet old enough for torture, but she was ripe for victory (De Virginibus). The Gospel parable thus acquires a concrete dimension: the lamps represent faith and outward virginity, but the oil, which the foolish virgins neglected, symbolizes the ardent charity, good conscience, and inner grace that sustains testimony to the end. Saint Augustine teaches us that it is not enough to have the lamp of the profession of faith; the oil of charity is necessary, which is the love of God poured into our hearts, for without it the lamp is extinguished in the face of trials (Sermon 93). Saint Agnes possessed both the lamp of purity and the inexhaustible oil of love for Christ, which allowed her to enter the eternal wedding feast when the Bridegroom arrived, even though the "midnight" of her life was the dark moment of persecution. The Introit and the Epistle reinforce this theology of martyrdom: she saw the "end of all perfection" in the material world and, despising the threats of the "unjust king," found in God's law a commandment without limits. The closed door for the foolish virgins is a solemn warning about vigilance; it is not enough to belong externally to the body of the Church, the soul must be vigilant, adorned with works of justice and holiness, ready for the definitive encounter, for, as the Lord warns, we know neither the day nor the hour.
See English version of the critical articles here.
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