The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Reflection
Today, we celebrate the presentation of Mary in the temple. This was to fulfill a promise made by Anna and Joachim, Mary’s parents, while Anna was still childless. From the beginning of life, Mary was dedicated to God. She is often referred to in theological literature as a temple. In the first reading, the Maccabees waged a war to reclaim the temple that had been taken over and profaned by pagan invaders. To celebrate their victory, they celebrated for a whole week and a miracle was worked to provide oil for the temple lamps. In today’s Gospel, Jesus drove out merchants and money changers who had desecrated the temple through the selling of animals for ritual sacrifice. For Jesus the Temple in Jerusalem was his “house of prayer”.
Mary had a unique role in God’s saving work. We too are temples called to participate in God’s saving work. (https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/presentation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary)
Mary was solely dedicated to God throughout her life.
The feast of the Presentation of Mary is an opportunity for us to reflect upon our own lives and evaluate how dedicated we are to being truly Christian and dedicated to God’s saving work. To what degree are we solely dedicated to God and God’s saving work? Do we pray or meditate on a daily basis? Have we a favorite house of prayer or have we dedicated a room in our house for prayer and reflection? What about regular participation in caring for the poor by contributions or volunteering at a local food bank? Is our behavior, demeanor and language befitting a person dedicated to God? Do we respect our bodies as a temple honoring God by our thoughts and actions and striving to reflect God to others in our lives?
Lord give us the grace to be temples of your saving love.
