Morning Prayer: "The holy virgins praise their Lord and King"

 


In the quiet of morning prayer, one line rises with a kind of crystalline clarity: “The holy virgins praise their Lord and King.”

It’s a phrase that can feel distant at first—rooted in ancient liturgy, echoing from centuries of monastic life. But who are these “holy virgins,” and why does their praise matter to us today?

In Christian tradition, the holy virgins are the women who offered their whole selves to God in a life of consecrated chastity. Some are familiar saints—Mary, Agnes, Cecilia, Lucy, Agatha. Others are unnamed, known only to God, living quietly in devotion across the centuries. Their virginity is not merely physical; it symbolizes a heart undivided, a life oriented entirely toward the divine.

They stand as icons of single‑minded love—women who chose God as their first and only allegiance. Their praise is not loud or dramatic. It is steady, faithful, and pure. It is the kind of praise that rises from a life shaped by interior clarity: a life that says yes to God without hesitation, without bargaining, without distraction.

When the prayer invites us to join the holy virgins in praise, it is not asking us to imitate their state of life. It is asking us to imitate their orientation of heart. To praise God with the same simplicity. The same devotion. The same freedom from divided loyalties.

In that sense, the “holy virgins” are not only historical women. They are a spiritual archetype—an image of the soul that chooses God first. Morning prayer calls us to that same clarity: to begin the day with a heart that is whole, focused, and ready to praise.


Read more Morning Prayer posts: MSI Press Blog

Note about Morning Prayer: Each morning prayer post reflects on one phrase from the Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. which can be found in the iBreviary (a downloadable app), Universalis (website) or Divine Office (publication and website). Post may be assisted by AI in image generation and content (research and/or wording).


Morning Prayer posts inspired by Being Catholic in Troubled Times (Dennis Ortman)


Book Description:

These are times that try our souls. This book is addressed to all, not just Catholics, who search for deeper meaning in tough times. Our age is marked by division and alienation. We long for some message that will bring peace to our world and our hearts.

This book suggests that the Catholic faith can provide strength in these troubled times. The word "catholic" means "all-embracing, universal." Nothing is excluded in the catholic mind. The truth that sets us free can be found everywhere, especially in unexpected places. It is often hidden in plain sight. In our darkest moments, we find new light and life. When we are most despairing, a ray of hope shines through.



Dr. Dennis Ortman, former priest and current psychologist, is the author of Anger Anonymous, Anxiety Anonymous, Depression Anonymous, Being Catholic in Troubled Times, and Life, Liberty, and COVID-19.


For more posts by and about Dennis and his award-winning books, click HERE.



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