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Old Calendar: The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today the Church celebrates the memorial of the Presentation of Mary. The three feasts of the birthday of Our Lady, the holy Name of Mary and her Presentation in the Temple correspond in the Marian cycle with the first three feasts of the cycle of feasts of our Lord: namely, Christmas, the Holy Name of Jesus, and His Presentation in the Temple (February 2).
Presentation of Mary
"Sacred Scripture contains no text concerning the event commemorated in today's liturgy. For something of a historical background one may consult the apocryphal works, particularly the Protoevangel of St. James (ch. 4:1ff). After an angel had revealed her pregnancy, Anna is said to have vowed her future child Mary to the Lord. Soon after birth the infant was brought to the sacred precincts at which only the best of Israel's daughters were admitted. At the age of three she was transferred to the temple proper (7:2). According to legend, here she was reared like a dove and received her nourishment from the hand of an angel (8:1).
"In the East, where the feast, celebrated since the eighth century, is kept as a public holiday, it bears the name, 'The Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple'. It was introduced at Rome by a Cypriotic legate to the papal court of Avignon in 1371. In 1472, Sixtus IV extended its observance to the whole Church. Abolished by Pius V, it was reintroduced some years later (1585)."
Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.
Things to Do:
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Memorial)
. . . an open door to heaven. (Revelation 4:1)
Late in his life, the apostle John found himself on Patmos, a desert island on the Aegean Sea that served as a Roman penal colony. The emperor Domitian had exiled him there as punishment for his continued preaching about Jesus. It may have been a dismal setting, but John made the most of it. He took the opportunity of this time of quiet to compose the Book of Revelation.
Todays reading contains one of the most fascinating and encouraging images in Revelation: an open door to heaven. Take a moment to think about that: heaven is not locked up anymore. No, its open to everyone who welcomes the Lord into their hearts.
By telling us about heavens open door, John is inviting us to look in and gaze upon its beauty. Hes telling us that God loves to share his wisdom and insights with us. Hes assuring us that God wont slam the door in our faces if we try to peer in. Quite the opposite: God wants to reveal himself to us.
Now, it could have been enough for God just to give us a glimpse of heaven, but he went far beyond that. By sending his Son to us and by raising him from the dead, God brought heaven down to earth. That opened door is right in front of you—all the time!
You might be asking yourself, How can I possibly look into heaven? Well, think about John in his solitary exile. If anyone could have felt far from Gods reach, it was probably him. But look at what happened. God opened heaven for him.
That same door is open for you. Maybe when you are at Mass, you are struck by how great and majestic and powerful God is. Or maybe gratitude for Jesus love wells up in you as you picture the angels and saints praising God. Or maybe an unexpected kind word from a friend gives you comfort and reassures you of Gods provision. Each of these, and so many more, is a glimpse into heaven!
So dont be afraid to approach that open door. Go ahead and look in. God has so much he wants to show you!
Father, thank you for the open door to heaven. Open the eyes of my heart to see you!
Psalm 150:1-6
Luke 19:11-28