Presentation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary

Rev. 14:1-5
Luke 21:1-4

Today we celebrate the presentation the blessed Virgin by her parents Joachim and Anne in the Temple merely at the age of three; to present her to God and for the service of God. That was Mary’s desire as well; to be presented and set apart for God. This was already a custom in the life of most pious Jews. To present their child before God, to be consecrated to Him in holy virginity and to study within the temple until the age of 15 when they are mature for marriage.
An apocryphal source recounts that Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne who had been childless received a message in a dream that they would have a child. In thanksgiving for the gift of their daughter Joachim and Anne brought their three-year-old daughter to the temple to offer her to God. The feast entered the Western calendar in 1585. 

So we see in the life of St. Joachim and St. Anne a great example for parents; their generosity of giving their only child to God. They both made this promise that if God will grant them a child. After so many years, God gave them the grace of the immaculate conception; Mary herself. Therefore, we can see their sacrifice on so dear a child and that is the true mark of true love for God. Love is based on sacrifice and dedication based on sacrificial love. True love of God is ready to make any sacrifice necessary for Him in order to do His will and to please Him. In other words, without sacrifice there is no love.

Be that as it may, parents should always see their children as God’s temple. Mary became the temple of the Holy Spirit from her immaculate conception. Children become temples of the Holy Spirit at baptism and we should see them as such by guiding them from the stain of sin. Parents should train their children to be pure and holy; to love and serve God so that the house will be a Domestic Church upon which blessings are being bestowed.

St . Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you.” Have you ever stopped to think that God dwells in you? You and I are a sanctuary where God dwells. Since we are temples where God dwells do we act like it? Are we consistently compassionate, forgiving, kind and loving especially to our family and friends? St. Paul’s calls our bodies temples of the Holy Spirit.  Do we respect our bodies and care for them with diet, exercise, prayer, and meditation.  Or do we abuse our bodies through alcohol and drugs, sleep deprivation, or improper diets?
Throughout this day stop a couple of times and look in the mirror and remind yourself that you are a temple of God.

Fr Osho