Reminding ourselves that God wants each of us to remain devoted to Him in all we are and do
Reflections on the readings for the Memorial of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary (November 21, 2019): ZEC 2:14-17; LK 1:46-47,48-49,50-51,52-53,54-55; MT 12:46-50
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
On this memorial we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary on the occasion of her Presentation in the service of God.
This incident has no specific source in Scripture, yet was celebrated in the Eastern Church starting in the 6th century. It took a thousand years before the universal Church added the feast to the calendar. The idea of the child Mary being formally presented at the temple in Jerusalem had a wide appeal to many Christians although it was largely based on the apocryphal writing known as the Protoevangelium of James. Certainly the Virgin Mary, as the one chosen by Almighty God to become the mother of His Son, was dedicated in a special way to serving the Father. Whether she was raised in the Temple or at home with her own parents, Mary was a true daughter of Israel. She worshipped, prayed and served God all her days dutifully, humbly and ardently.
In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus speaking about His Mother and relatives in a way that might sound like something of a rebuke. Actually, He is praising Mary for her whole-hearted obedience to the will of God. “And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers. For whoever does the will of My heavenly Father is My brother, and sister, and mother’” (Matthew 12:49-50). The Blessed Virgin revealed Jesus to the world not only by giving birth to Him with her body, but also by sharing Him through her heart and soul. The Mother of God has never ceased serving Him and never will.
