[MaryVitamin] Presentation of the Lord

Mary Vitamin for February 2nd

 

Topic: The Presentation of the Lord

February 2^nd

 

Quote:

"Others offered [their sons] to God; Mary really offered her Son to death, and knew for certain that the sacrifice of the life of Jesus which she then made was one day to be actually consummated on the altar of the cross;"

St. Alphonsus di Liguori, The Glories of Mary, (Tan Books: 1978), 357-8.

 

Meditation:

"O God, had we beheld the beauty, the majesty of the countenance of that divine Child, could we have ever had courage to sacrifice His life for our salvation?"

 St. Alphonsus di Liguori, The Glories of Mary, (Tan Books: 1978), 364.

 

Resolution:

Today when I pass the crucifix, I will ask myself,

Would I have the courage of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

Would I offer the beautiful baby knowing:

 

 "But he was wounded for our iniquities,

he was bruised for our sins:

 the chastisement of our peace was upon him,

and by his bruises we are healed."

Isaiah 53:5

 

Marian Vow:

In All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed, Fr. Stefano Manelli quotes from Fr. Laurentin, who gives a precise explanation of the Presentation:

 

"The presentation of Jesus in the Temple is not a standard biblical scene. It was not at all customary to recount the presentation of a hero. The only precedent is in chapter one of the first book of Samuel, and Samuel's presentation is quite different. It is not tied to a prescription of the law. The timing is different: in

I Sam. 1:22-24 it takes place after Samuel is weaned, while in Luke it takes place 40 days after Jesus' birth. Samuel remains there forever (I Sam. 1:22), while Jesus returns to Nazareth (2:39). The significance of the act is quite different, for the presentation of Jesus, according to Luke, has an apocalyptic and theophanic character. He who bears the divine names of Holy, Lord, and Son of God, visits the temple as a poor child, but he is recognized by the witnesses as the 'Salvation' (lystrosis, 2:38) of Israel. The newness shines forth everywhere, and always in the same direction. Across the anecdotal diversity the great themes converge."

(Academy of the Immaculate: 1995), 235

 

I give this resolution to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Thanks be to God for graces received.

 

Related sites: Castle of the Immaculate & AirMaria

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