Presentation of the Virgin at the TempleVecellio Tiziano
1539
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice
MEDITATION 15
THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LADY
THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LADY
This mystery of the life of Our Heavenly Mother so highly practical for the great lessons we can derive from it, is so tender and delicate.
1. Readiness to Follow the Divine Vocation.
This is one of the most admirable lessons of this mystery. See Our lady, a tender maid of three years, saying goodbye to Her parents, quickly climbing the steps of the Temple without turning back, and delivering Herself to the service of God in the sanctuary. What sublime details at the age of three! How Our Lady hastens to give Herself up to the service of God!
By an exceptional miracle, Mary had already at that age the use of reason. So deliberately and quite aware of what She was doing She ran to the Temple. There was no danger whatsoever at home for Her, for Hers was a home of saints. She does not consider Her tender age, at which She needs so much the care of a father and, far more, that of a mother. She does not stop at the thought of the sorrow which is going to be inflicted on Her parents. She is not preoccupied about the new kind of life She is going to undertake. All those considerations remain for human prudence. But She has heard the voice of God and immediately runs to answer it. The sooner the better. All delay is too great for Her. She climbs rapidly the flight of steps which leads to the Temple. What a fine lesson of fervor is given to us by that incomparable maid. Do you try to serve God in the same manner? What do you do with God's inspirations? Do you follow them with the same promptitude? Do you, like Mary, throw yourself into the arms of God, equally blindly and confidently without any preoccupation, leaving to Him the care of the rest? When shall we reach that absolute detachment from all, even from ourselves, from our way of looking at things, from our judgment, so that we do only what God wants, and as He wants?
[From 'Marian Meditations' Book]
1. Readiness to Follow the Divine Vocation.
This is one of the most admirable lessons of this mystery. See Our lady, a tender maid of three years, saying goodbye to Her parents, quickly climbing the steps of the Temple without turning back, and delivering Herself to the service of God in the sanctuary. What sublime details at the age of three! How Our Lady hastens to give Herself up to the service of God!
By an exceptional miracle, Mary had already at that age the use of reason. So deliberately and quite aware of what She was doing She ran to the Temple. There was no danger whatsoever at home for Her, for Hers was a home of saints. She does not consider Her tender age, at which She needs so much the care of a father and, far more, that of a mother. She does not stop at the thought of the sorrow which is going to be inflicted on Her parents. She is not preoccupied about the new kind of life She is going to undertake. All those considerations remain for human prudence. But She has heard the voice of God and immediately runs to answer it. The sooner the better. All delay is too great for Her. She climbs rapidly the flight of steps which leads to the Temple. What a fine lesson of fervor is given to us by that incomparable maid. Do you try to serve God in the same manner? What do you do with God's inspirations? Do you follow them with the same promptitude? Do you, like Mary, throw yourself into the arms of God, equally blindly and confidently without any preoccupation, leaving to Him the care of the rest? When shall we reach that absolute detachment from all, even from ourselves, from our way of looking at things, from our judgment, so that we do only what God wants, and as He wants?
[From 'Marian Meditations' Book]
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