The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known in the East as “the entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, is a liturgical feast celebrated on November 21 by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and some Anglo-Catholic churches. The council of Epheusus in AD 431 decreed that Mary is the Theotokos because Her Son Jesus is both God and man: One divine person from two natures (divine and human) intimately united.
The story relates that in thanksgiving for the birth of their daughter Mary, Joachim and Anne decided to consecrate her to God, and bring her, at the age of 3 years, to the temple in Jerusalem. Mary remained in the Temple until her twelfth year at which point Joseph was assigned to be her guardian. According to Coptic tradition, her father Joachim died when Mary was six years old and her mother when Mary was eight. It is from that arose the feast of Mary’s Presentation.
For the Roman Catholic Church, on the day of the Presentation of the blessed Virgin Mary, “We celebrate that dedication of herself which Mary made to God from her very childhood under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who filled her with grace. It emphasizes that holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond.
Reflection:
The Feast stresses on important truth about Mary. From the beginning of her life she was dedicated to God. She herself became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in her in a marvellous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God’s saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary enriches her children. They – we- too are temples of God and sanctified in order that we might enjoy and share in God’s saving work.
When Mary was asked to be the mother of the Saviour, she responded, “Let it be done to me”, was a great act of faith. She replied yes to the angel’s announcement and agreed to become the mother of Jesus, and the Church declared Mary to be the Mother of Church. What we celebrate on this day is the fact that God chose to dwell in Mary in a very special way. In response, Mary placed her whole self at the service of God. Every moment since your Baptism God invites you to be open to His grace and dedicate yourself to Him, as Mary did.
This holiday is a celebration of Mary’s motherhood of Jesus. It is a reminder of the role she played in the salvation of mankind. It is an invitation for each of us to receive more from Mary’s example of holiness and from the grace of her Son that she offers us, “Let us not be afraid to ask her prayers for ourselves and for the whole church: O Mary, mother of Christ, pray for us that we might be made worthy of the promises of your Son!”
-Mary Pinheiro