Thursday, November 21, 2013

Mary TV Daily Reflection 11/21/2013


A little child    

(c)Mary TV 2013


J.M.J.  
November 21, 2013
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Dear Family of Mary!

Today we remember the act of consecration that Joachim and Ann made, in presenting their little daughter, Mary, to the Lord in the Temple. At the Presentation, we usually focus on Mary, on her innocence and purity, her vulnerability and her great trust and love for God which strengthened her to remain at the Temple without her parents. And rightly so! The Blessed Virgin is our example of purity and faith. She is our model.

But it also occurs to me that Joachim and Ann are teaching us something. They must have loved Mary to distraction. For them to bring her to the Temple and leave her there must have been extremely painful. They loved God above all else, and so they could make such a sacrifice. But they must have loved Mary intensely. To part with her so soon must have been heart-wrenching. But they knew that Mary was destined for God alone, and so they had the courage to present her to Him, even so young!

Many of us are parents. We know the joy of loving our children. But we also know the pain of separation. Children grow up. They leave home. They move away. They stop being "children." And we parents must endure the pain of it all. If we could learn from Joachim and Ann, and present our children to the Father from an early age, giving them over into His most capable hands and allowing Him to "raise" them, we would pave the way for many graces for them, and for us. By dedicating our children to the Father, we let go control, we live by extreme trust in God, and we say "yes" to God's plan in our children's lives. This is the best gift we can give to them. Saint Joachim and Saint Ann can help us in this great act of detachment, of letting go of our children so that God can enfold them in His Fatherly arms.

Our Lady has spoken in a similar way to us in Medjugorje. She is our Mother, and she presents us to God continually, so that we can be enfolded in His arms. In 1985 she said:

"Dear children! I wish to tell you that I have chosen this parish and that I am guarding it in my hands like a little flower that does not want to die. I call you to surrender to me so that I can keep on presenting you to God, fresh and without sin. Satan has taken part of the plan and wants to possess it. Pray that he does not succeed in that, because I wish you for myself so I can keep on giving you to God. Thank you for having responded to my call." (August 1, 1985)

Our Lady presents us to God much as her parents presented her. She mothers us into holiness, protecting us with her hands and then presents us to the Lord, fresh and without sin. She offers us to Him, so that He can work His plan in us. She knows that we are destined for God alone. She also warns us of the enemy who would like to snatch us away from God, and she prays for us continually.

This is the beauty of presentation. By offering those we love to God, freely and in total trust, we allow Him to work in them. Our Lady does this for us. May we also do it for our children and for all those we love as well. We can present them to God with trust and abandonment. This will help them so much!

Our Lady also said:

"Dear Children! Today I also rejoice with you and I bring you little Jesus, so that He may bless you. I invite you, dear children, so that your life may be united with Him. Jesus is the King of Peace and only He can give you the peace that you seek. I am with you and I present you to Jesus in a special way, now in this new time in which one should decide for Him. This time is the time of grace. Thank you for having responded to my call." (December 25, 1995)

"I am with you and I present you to Jesus in a special way..." Our Lady presents us to Jesus, because now is the time for us to be united to Him like never before. She is taking each of us to the Temple and giving us to her Son, so that we can learn from Him, be formed by Him, and become like Him, for the sake of the world.

We present our children to Jesus, and we ourselves are presented to Jesus by our Mother. This is the time of Presentation!

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2013




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