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Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- November 21
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Saint of the day for november 21.
The Story of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church.
As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the Protoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was 3 years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.
Though it cannot be proven historically, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond.
It is sometimes difficult for modern Westerners to appreciate a feast like this. The Eastern Church, however, was quite open to this feast and even somewhat insistent about celebrating it. Even though the feast has no basis in history, it stresses an important truth about Mary: From the beginning of her life, she was dedicated to God. She herself became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in her in a marvelous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God’s saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary enriches her children. They—we—too are temples of God and sanctified in order that we might enjoy and share in God’s saving work.
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Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple recalls – according to the apocryphal gospels, the day on which Mary, while still a child, was brought to the temple in Jerusalem to be offered to God. The Church wants to emphasize not so much the historical event in itself, of which there is no trace in the Gospels, but the total gift that Mary made of herself, by listening: “ Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it” (Lk. 11:28). This experience prepared the young girl from Nazareth to become the “temple of the Son of God”.
The celebration of this feast dates back to the 6 th century in the East with the dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary the New built by the Emperor Justinian I near the ruins of the temple in Jerusalem. There is evidence that various monasteries in Italy celebrated the feast in the 9 th century. It was not until the 15 th century that it was included in the Roman Missal.
This is also the on which the Church celebrates the World Day of Cloistered Life, established by Pope Pius XII in 1953.
While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother”. (Mt. 12:46-50)
Bonds of love, not of blood
For the Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the liturgy proposes the passage from Matthew that speaks about how we are “related” to Jesus. It is a relationship not formed by blood, but by imitation: “ Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother”. To become a member of “His family”, one must do so not by blood or belonging to a particular religion. Rather, it is a free and personal choice that translates into a commitment to do the will of the Father.
Mary, the first disciple
Confirming what has just been said, Jesus Himself said this in responding thus to a woman who was praising His Mother: “ ‘ Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’ He replied, ‘Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’ ” Mary is the woman who knows how to listen, who knows how to contemplate, who knows how to refer everything to her Son – “ Do whatever He tells you” (Jn. 2:5). Mary is the One who never abandoned her Son Jesus, not even along the way of the Cross. She “stood” under the Cross. She is a disciple who never abandons the Lord Jesus, who always “stands behind” Him.
Mary, model for Christians
All of this can help us imitate the Virgin Mary. Every Christian is called to look at Mary so as to learn from her, to entrust themselves to her intercession and to guard the “purity of the faith” against any idols that surround us.
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
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The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Dedication of the Mother of God
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The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated every year on November 21, commemorates (in the words of the Liturgy of the Hours, the daily prayer of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church) "that dedication of herself which Mary made to God from her very childhood under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who filled her with grace at her Immaculate Conception ." Also known as the Dedication of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the feast originated in the East, where it is called the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos Into the Temple.
Quick Facts
- Date: November 21.
- Type of Feast: Memorial.
- Readings: Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6; Luke 19:11-28 ( full text here )
- Prayers: The Hail Mary
- Other Names for the Feast: The Dedication of the Blessed Virgin Mary; The Presentation of Mary; The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos Into the Temple
History of the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
While the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was not generally celebrated in the West until the 11th century, it appears in most of the earliest calendars of the Eastern Churches. Derived from accounts in apocryphal literature, especially the Protoevangelium of James , the feast seems first to have appeared in Syria, where the Protoevangelium and other apocryphal books, such as the Infancy Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew , originated. The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary first rose to prominence, however, in Jerusalem, where it was associated with the dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary the New.
That basilica was built near the ruins of the Temple in Jerusalem, and the Protoevangelium of James and other apocryphal works told the story of Mary's presentation at the Temple at the age of three. In gratitude for being granted a child after years of infertility, Mary's parents, Saints Joachim and Anna , had vowed to dedicate Mary to the service of God at the Temple. When they presented her at the Temple at the age of three, she stayed willingly, showing her dedication to God even at that young age.
The Presentation and the Protoevangelium of James
The Protoevangelium of James, while an extrabiblical document, is the source of many details of Mary's life that became universally accepted by the Church, including the names of her parents, the story of her birth , her age at her betrothal to Saint Joseph, and Saint Joseph's advanced age and his status as a widower with children by his first wife. It also played a large role among Christians, both Eastern and Western, in recognizing Mary as the new Temple, the true Holy of Holies. When Mary left the Temple at the age of 12 after her betrothal to Joseph, she remained pure and chaste, and at the Annunciation , God came to dwell in her.
The Spread of the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary first made its way to the West through monasteries in Southern Italy in the ninth century; by the 11th century, it had spread to other locales but was by no means universally celebrated. Under the influence of a French nobleman, Philippe de Mazières, Pope Gregory XI began celebrating the feast during the Avignon papacy.
Pope Sixtus IV first placed the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the universal calendar in 1472, but in the Tridentine reform of the calendar in 1568, Pope Pius V removed the feast. It was restored 17 years later by Pope Sixtus V and remains in the Roman calendar today as a memorial.
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Presentation of the Virgin Mary
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- EWTN - The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Presentation of the Virgin Mary , feast celebrated in the Roman Catholic and Eastern churches on November 21. It was held in the Eastern church in the 6th century but did not become widely accepted in the West until the 15th century. The pope St. Pius V (1566–72) suppressed it, but in 1585 Pope Sixtus V reestablished the feast. Generally considered a feast of popular piety, it signifies Mary ’s total and lifelong devotion to God, as anticipated by her Immaculate Conception , and heralds her future vocation as the sacred vessel for the Incarnation .
The feast is based on a legend contained in the Protevangelium of James , a 2nd-century work not included in the Bible . It commemorates a visit by the three-year-old Mary to the Temple in Jerusalem , where she was dedicated to the service of God and left to be raised as a consecrated virgin. This act was done in fulfillment of a sacred promise made by her parents, Saints Anne and Joachim , during their long struggle with childlessness.
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How Do We Know About the Presentation of Mary?
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When we celebrate the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we give honor and respect to the Purest Virgin, who is an example for all of us in our struggle for holiness
Marge Fenelon, November 21, 2023 – National Catholic Register
It’s easy to conceptualize the Presentation of the Lord because we find it in Scripture. Luke’s Gospel tells of the Holy Family’s journey to the Temple when Jesus was 8 days old. According to Jewish custom, Jesus was to be circumcised and Mary purified. There Mary and Joseph meet the prophets Anna and Simeon, who recognized the Child as the Messiah who would bring about the fall and rise of many, become a sign of contradiction and the cause of a sword that would one day pierce Mary’s heart. We celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord annually on Feb. 2.
The Presentation of Mary, however, is not found in Scripture. Instead, we learn about Mary’s presentation from accounts that have come to us from apostolic times. What we know is found mainly in Chapter 7 of the Protoevangelium of James , which has been dated by historians before the year A.D. 200.
The Protoevangelium of James was ostensibly written by the apostle of the same name. It gives a detailed account in which Mary’s father, Joachim, tells his wife, Anna, that he wishes to bring their daughter to the Temple and consecrate her to God. Anna responds that they should wait until Mary is 3 years old so that she will not need her parents as much. On the agreed day for Mary to be taken to the Temple, Hebrew virgins accompanied the family with burning lamps. The Temple priest received Mary, kissed her, and blessed her. According to James’ writing, the priest then proclaimed, “The Lord has magnified thy name in all generations. In thee, the Lord will manifest his redemption to the sons of Israel.” After that, Mary was placed on the third step of the Temple and danced with joy. All the House of Israel loved Mary, and she was nurtured from then on in the Temple while her parents returned to their Nazareth home, glorifying God.
The celebration of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary grew slowly over the years. On Nov. 21, 543, Emperor Justinian dedicated a church to Mary in the Temple area of Jerusalem. Many of the early church Fathers celebrated this feast day, such as St. Germanus and St. John Damascene. In 1373, it was formally celebrated in Avignon, France, and in 1472, Pope Sixtus IV extended it to the universal Church. The Byzantine Church considers Mary’s Presentation one of the 12 great feasts of the liturgical year.
In 1974, Pope Paul VI wrote about this feast in his encyclical Marialis Cultus , saying, “despite its apocryphal content, it presents lofty and exemplary values and carries on the venerable traditions having their origins in the Eastern churches.”
The Memorial of the Presentation of Mary has been noted in the Church since its early years and yet is easily forgotten or misunderstood. Since it’s classified as a memorial and not a solemnity or holy day of obligation, it doesn’t draw much attention to itself other than a special opening prayer in the Mass. With this memorial, we celebrate the fact that God chose to dwell in Mary in a unique way. In response, she placed her whole self at his service. By our Baptism, God invites us, too, into his service.
But there’s more to celebrating the Presentation of Mary! This feast gives us cause for great joy since Mary is truly our Mother, given to us by Christ as he hung dying on the Cross. Because we are part of her Son’s body, she loves us with as much devotion and tenderness as she loves Jesus. When we celebrate Mary’s Presentation, we are giving Mary the honor she deserves and witnessing to her perfect purity as the Virgin of Nazareth, the Mother of God, and our Mother.
Sts. Joachim and Anne surrendered their only daughter to God so that she would be completely free to follow his holy will. Although they loved her dearly, they knew that in the Temple Mary would always be near the Holy of Holies, surrounded by an atmosphere of godliness and grace. She would be instructed in Scripture and the history of the Jewish people. She would be under the guardianship and tutelage of the holy women of the Temple who had given their lives to God. One of them, Scripture scholars believe, was Anna — the woman who prophesied at the Presentation of Our Lord. In the Temple, Mary would be completely focused on God and well prepared for becoming the Mother of the Savior and Mother of the Body of Christ.
When we celebrate the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we remember the tremendous sacrifice Sts. Joachim and Anne made for our sakes. We give honor and respect to the Purest Virgin, who is an example for all of us in our struggle for holiness. It is a privilege and an opportunity to express our gratitude for the gift of a pure, tender and always-loving Mother.
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Marge Steinhage Fenelon is an award-winning author, international speaker, and professional life coach. She has written several books on Marian devotion and Catholic spirituality. As life coach, she is passionate about helping others grow personally and spiritually. Her podcast, Simply Holy, airs on many popular podcast platforms. Learn more about Marge at MargeFenelon.com .
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BIBLE HISTORY DAILY
Mary, Simeon or Anna: Who First Recognized Jesus as Messiah?
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THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE. When Joseph (far left) and Mary (left of center) bring baby Jesus to the Jerusalem Temple, they are greeted by Simeon, who embraces the baby, and Anna, the New Testament’s only prophetess, shown at right with a scroll, in this 1342 tempera painting by Ambrogio Lorenzetti. Simeon instantly and independently recognizes Jesus as messiah. Anna begins to preach: “She came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.” Both are quicker than Mary to comprehend who Jesus is. Uffizi Gallery/Public Domain
Being first to hear doesn’t always mean being first to understand. In Luke’s birth narrative, Mary is the first to be told that Jesus will be the messiah. Luke adds that she “treasures the words” the angel Gabriel speaks to her. But Mary is also puzzled by the divine message; she is “perplexed” when the angel greets her and must “ponder” the meaning of his words (Luke 1:29; see also 2:19). In this, Mary contrasts sharply with Simeon and Anna, two elderly individuals who happen to be in the Temple when Joseph and Mary bring the infant Jesus to Jerusalem for the first time.
According to Luke 2:22–24, “[Joseph and Mary] brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’ [quoting Exodus 13:2, 12]) and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons’ [based on Leviticus 12:2–8].”
At the Temple, the family is approached by a man named Simeon, who has been told by the Holy Spirit that he will not die until he has seen the messiah. (The same Spirit told him to go to the Temple that day, too.) Simeon takes Jesus in his arms and praises God: “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:28–32). Having seen the messiah, Simeon is now prepared to die.
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Anna then approaches the Holy Family. She, too, recognizes Jesus as messiah, but she has a very different reaction: “At that moment, she came and began to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). She is 84 years old, according to Luke, and she does not want to die: She wants to proselytize. Like the disciples who will follow her, she is driven to bear witness to what she has seen. Mary was the first to have the good news announced to her, but Anna is the first woman to understand fully and proclaim the good news.
This is because in addition to being a proselytizer, Anna is a “prophetess” (Luke 2:36). In fact, she is the only woman in the New Testament explicitly described as a “prophetess.” She then stands in the line of figures like the judge, military leader and prophetess Deborah and the Jerusalem prophetess Huldah, who, in the days of King Josiah, was asked to verify that an ancient scroll (a form of Deuteronomy) discovered during Temple renovations was indeed the word of God (2 Kings 22).
Unlike Simeon, Anna is not just visiting the Temple for the day; she is there all the time. According to Luke, Anna “never left the Temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day” (Luke 2:37). Perhaps she was part of some sort of order of widows (Luke tells us her husband died after only seven years of marriage) who had specific religious functions in the Temple. She may have been able to undertake this role in the Temple because she was no longer in periodic states of ritual impurity caused by menstruation.
Learn more about Anna in Robin Gallaher Branch’s Bible History Daily article “ Anna in the Bible .”
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Mary startles when Gabriel and God the Father appear in her home and interrupt her prayers. In Lorenzo Lotto’s unusual rendition of the Annunciation, dated to 1535, Mary’s cat is equally frightened by the divine apparition. According to Luke, Mary treasures the angel’s message, but does not fully understand it. Only after years of “pondering the message in her heart” does she become a true follower of Jesus.” Museo Civico, Recanati, Italy/Scala/Art Resource, NY.
Luke may also have seen Anna as the second witness in or around the Temple needed to validate Jesus’ significance. Deuteronomy 19:15 stresses the importance of having two witnesses to validate an event.
The pairing of Simeon and Anna reflects Luke’s penchant for male-female parallelism when he writes about the recipients of divine blessing and salvation. The story of Jesus’ birth is framed by two such stories—that of Elizabeth and Zechariah in Luke 1 and Anna and Simeon in Luke 2. Interestingly, in both, the woman is portrayed as the more positive example of discipleship. The women are not only more receptive to the message, they are more willing to act upon it, with Elizabeth realizing that her cousin is carrying the messiah and praising God for this blessing and Anna spreading the good news.
Alfred Plummer, in his classic commentary on Luke, suggested that the difference between Anna and Simeon provides a clue to Luke as a salvation historian, a chronicler of the mighty acts of God for his people through the ages. Yes, a messiah has arrived, as Simeon recognizes, but, as the prophetess Anna suggests, a new era, with a new and living voice of prophecy, has at the same time dawned. 1 In this new era, the living voice of God will continue to speak about the messianic one. Anna is the first in a line of prophetic disciples who will speak about Jesus to all who were looking for the redemption of Israel.
Not everyone can be a prophet, however. Mary, for example, does not fully understand what Anna immediately recognizes. And she won’t for several years.
Twelve years after the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, the Holy Family returns to Jerusalem and Jesus returns to the Temple, this time by himself. Mary and Joseph search for him frantically for three days. When at last they find him listening to and asking questions of the teachers in the Temple, Mary asks, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” Jesus responds, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But, Luke reports, “they did not understand what he said to them … [but] his mother treasured all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:48–51). The late New Testament scholar Raymond Brown wrote: “Luke’s idea is that complete acceptance of the word of God, complete understanding of who Jesus is, and complete discipleship is not yet possible. This will come through the ministry of Jesus and particularly through the cross and resurrection.”
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Clearly, Luke is not painting an idealized portrait of Mary or Joseph. Rather, he paints a very human and realistic picture of Mary and Joseph as good parents, anxious, concerned, striving to be obedient and understanding, but not yet comprehending. Brown adds, however, that “Luke does not leave Mary on the negative note of misunderstanding. Rather in 2.51 [“his mother treasured all these things …”] he stresses her retention of what she has not yet understood and … her continuing search to understand.” 2
Of course, in the end, Luke portrays Mary as successfully making the spiritual journey into the family of faith; in Acts 1:14, when the apostles gather in the upper room after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, Mary is with them. But the story of Simeon and Anna suggests Mary had much to learn before she could enter into the Kingdom, and into the spiritual family of faith, which they already belonged to, and which is to be the primary family of Jesus in the eschatological age.
Luke’s Christmas story is full of surprising reversals of fortunes and roles, in which outsiders become more intimate associates than family members, and in which women play a more active role then men. In this way Luke both prepares for and signals one of his major themes in the Gospel of Luke and in Acts—the least, the last and the lost are becoming the most, the first and the found with Jesus’ coming. Luke portrays the rise of a form of Judaism that would rely on the testimony of women as well as men, and that would empower them once again to fulfill roles like Miriam of old.
The first Christmas and the Christ child come at a particular point in time, but for many, like Mary and Joseph, the significance of the event is only understood incrementally and over the course of many years. But the prophetic insight into God’s intentions is a gift which keeps on giving and renewing the people of God. And at the outset of a long chain of such prophetic insights stand Simeon and Anna, one satisfied that prophecy has been fulfilled and the other pointing to the future, a future as bright as the promises of God.
“ Mary, Simeon or Anna ” by Ben Witherington III originally appeared in Bible Review , Winter 2005. The article was first republished in Bible History Daily on February 12, 2013.
1. See Alfred Plummer, Luke , International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1905), p. 71. 2. Raymond E. Brown and Karl P. Donfried, eds., Mary in the New Testament (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1978), pp. 161–162.
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Anna in the Bible
The Virgin Mary and the Prophet Muhammad
Who Was Jesus’ Biological Father?
Herod’s Death, Jesus’ Birth and a Lunar Eclipse
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33 responses.
While considering Dr. Witherington’s question, I would like to ask, “How about Elizabeth, wife of Zachariah, whose response to Mary’s arrival plainly states that the Spirit revealed to her the identity of the unborn Messiah?” Luke 1:41-43 reads, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ” If Mary were first to know, then surely Elizabeth was second, or if Mary did not realize, then Eizabeth was first to know.
The presentations by all, are excellent and non-controversial. The wisdom of Almighty God is unsearchable! Romans 11:33-34 and Isaiah 40:28. Fear God, love God and honor God for the multitude of things he has done in our behalf, the love He has given us and the graciousness He has shown us through His Son and the Holy Spirit! God is testing us everyday and has given us the right to make our own choices. May Almighty God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit and Christianity be our guiding lights, our safety nets and our inspiration for loving happiness with Almighty God! Amen!
ben witherington and all readers,
my name is david snyder. i am a veterinarian in texas and i am catholic! i have a tremendous teachin about the physiologic process a body experiences, during crucifixion. i was searching for private visions by people who have had additional explanations, suvh as the annunciation. i know PROTESTANTS don”t credit private interpretations. If you ever want to read something that fills in the blanks an,d plays out like a movie, read MYSTICAL CITY OF GOD by SISTER MARY of AGREEDA. Keeping with SOLO SCIPTURUAE, we have left out the first procession of CORPUS CHRISTI, which is MARY visiting ELIZABETH. SCRIPTURE, proclaims elizabeth asking in wonder, “how is it that the MOTHER of my LORD comes to me?” i could go on and on
Adding to what David said, Two important points, to say the least:
1. Gabriel made it quite clear to Mary who is Jesus: “And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call him Jesus. He shall be great, and men will know him for the Son of the most High; the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob eternally; his kingdom shall never have an end.”
2. In response, Mary made it quite clear to Gabriel that she understood: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be unto me according to thy word.”
3. Mary then announced to Elizabeth (and the world): “My soul magnifies the Lord; my spirit has found joy in God, who is my Saviour, because he has looked graciously upon the lowliness of his handmaid. Behold, from this day forward all generations will count me blessed; because he who is mighty, he whose name is holy, has wrought for me his wonders. He has mercy upon those who fear him, from generation to generation; he has done valiantly with the strength of his arm, driving the proud astray in the conceit of their hearts; he has put down the mighty from their seat, and exalted the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty-handed. He has protected his servant Israel, keeping his merciful design in remembrance, according to the promise which he made to our forefathers, Abraham and his posterity for evermore.”
Exactly. Mary knew.
Amen brother! Article states Mary had much to learn before she could enter the kingdom of heaven??? What nonsense.! All those degrees and the guy can’t figure it out.
John in the womb.
GOD THE FATHER, HOLY SPIRIT, JESUS AND MARY AT THE TEMPLE It was Mary and Joseph’s job to bring up Jesus the Son of Man, as Jesus often referred to himself, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord to be a responsible adult in the Jewish culture. It was God the Father’s and Holy Spirit’s job to prepare Jesus until he was ready to start His ministry. At the Temple scene, Mary definatly shows she knows this by how she address him after looking for him for three days. She is not shaking in her boots because inwardly Jesus is the Son of God. Which she knows fullwell, she had pondered this in her heart. God gave her a job to do and she is doing it.
Jesus, the adolecent, wasn’t sining or lying here he was jumping the gun. You can be sure God the father and Holy Spirit let Him know about it. Which scripture acknowledges by saying “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.” He was obident and honored them for another 18 yrs until the God given time had come and He revelled himself by changing the water into wine at the Cana wedding.
It wasn’t that Mary had forgotten that Jesus was also the Son of God that she didn’t understand. She didn’t understand why he was saying and revelling himself at this age – God had her back on this one!
THE WEDDING AT CANA It is evident from scripture, by the fact that the people in His hometown and His siblings didn’t know He was the Messia (after thirty yrs), that Mary, Joseph or Jesus ever revealed this.
Mary at the Cana wedding sensed, maybe with the Holy Spirit’s nudging, that perhaps this was the time for Jesus to reveall him self in a big way. He had been baptized and already started gathering his disciples.
Instead of the adolecent’s response, Jesus said this time, “my time has not yet come.” Followed immediatly by changing the water into wine.
The song ‘Mary did you know’ yes Mary did know that her son – God’s son – was capable of not only performing miracles but of saving any one who has faith in Him from eternal death and blessing them with eternal life.
A tour to the pyramids of Giza will reveal some fascinating facts about the historical past and tradition of historical Egypt.
And nobody’s recognizing John the Baptist’s “testimony” to knowing who Jesus was…from the womb!
For such a learned scholar he does not read throughly all of Luke. Elizabeth was the first to call Mary the mother of my Lord! Mary also tells the Archangel Gabriel she agrees to having the Son of God. And Mary’s Magnificent states her understanding of what is happening within her. Further Zacharias announces who is son John shall be and who Mary’s Son shall be in his discourse before Jesus or John are even born.
I enjoyed your article and found only one flaw which to some lends itself to your research or thoroughness of it. Luke says of Anna: “And there was Anna … she was of great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow fourscore and four years, …” You give Anna the age of 84…however considering girls were approximately 15 when wed, she lived with her husband 7 years and had been a widow 84 years. Anna was about 106 years old – depending upon when she wed. Does not detract from the subject matter, but some would doubt your research capabilities. I am surprised no one else caught this prior to publication.
Good Stuff Ben and I love preaching on Simeon and Anna over the years, thanks. But also wanted to add two points: 1) it is said in the New Testament that Philip had four daughters who prophesied and certainly could be considered prophetesses, with Anna not the only one:
Acts 21:8-9 On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
2) I’m not sure why Simeon’s reaponse has to be considered “less than” Anna’s? At least that seems to be what you imply. Hey, if the Holy Spirit tells Simeon he will not die till he sees the Messiah, and if he’s been waiting his entire life perhaps, and he’s faithful and in the temple and he comes and serves as that second witness ~ that may be Gods total will for his life’s ending, different from Anna’s, but just as powerful.
Who are we to really imply something different for the amazing Simeon and his song??!!!
Nicely done Ben. It has provided much food for thought. One issue does provide some hesitation for me though. In referring to Alfred Plummer’s Commentary on Luke, (along with your proposal that Luke’s women were “more positive example’s of discipleship”) you write, “Yes, a messiah has arrived, as Simeon recognizes, but, as the prophetess Anna suggests, a new era, with a new and living voice of prophecy, has at the same time dawned.” That is quite a leap as Luke offers only a one-line summation of her input after he quotes Simeon at length. Furthermore, Joseph seems to be Mary’s equal regarding “getting it.” Let’s not forget that God spoke to Joseph in dreams and he obeyed each time.
I like to think it was the shepherds. They were given a sign – a baby “swaddled, laying in a manger.” If (as some scholars claim) this band of shepherds were those caring for the temple flocks, they would recognize this treatment. (Apparently) this was how new lambs were inspected for defects and kept unmarred for eventual sacrifice for forgiveness of sins. No wonder they “spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,” (luke 2:17).
Makes sense to me.
OK, so I have a slightly different interpretation when it comes to Joseph and Mary finding Jesus after he’s been missing for three days. Jesus mouthing off to his mother in public after they have been frantic after losing him in a larger metropolitan area for three days. She’s pondering all right, she’s pondering just how hard she’s gonna tan his little hide when she gets him home.
August 22,2014 2:02 am. IVE JUST FINISH READING ANNA IS A PROPHETESS FOUND LUKE 2:36. Your statement says she is the only woman in New Testament explicitly described as a prophetess. Teaching Women of the Bible. we are in the 8th month. Its amazing all the women named or not named. God bless you and your work.
Didn’t Jesus’ family try to kidnap him at one point during his ministry. Doesn’t it say that they thought he had gone mad? Seems to me like they didn’t “get it”.
So you are saying that when the Shepard’s and the wise men came Mary had no idea Jesus was Messiah? Also, what she went through when almost stone, seems many want to believe Mary just forgot all that, As well as, all the towns people. This is a stand that is very difficult for me to follow how one gets there, since Mary was told by Gabriel, John (to be the Baptist) at 6 mos responded, Elizabeth told her, again all the torment when she rtnd from Elizabeth’s, the shepard’s and the wise men– the woman would have had to of had amnesia not to know. Are there verses I have missed about her memory leave her?>
[…] Witherington III’s full letter “Mary, Simeon or Anna: Who First identified Jesus as Messiah?” is permitted on-line during no cost. wish to examine some-more about his analysis? learn […]
Jesus was never the Messiah ! He could not be as he did not fulfill the requirements, i.e. bringing peace to earth and rebuilding the temple. Additionally he was not a direct descendant of David. So what? See who and when the Apostles wrote their stories.
I want to add: each jewish month has exactly 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, 3 1/3 seconds.
we can know when Jesus was born. Zacharias the father of John the baptist was from the house of Abija, we read in Luke 1.5. In Davids time the yearly service of the highpriest priests was divided in 24 houses, each makíng the service in the temple in Jerusalem for half a month. . The house of Abijahs servicetime was the number 8, thus the second half of the 4th month of the jewish year which was about June. The jewish year in ancient Israel times began in spring, the month of Nisan ,which is about our March/April . We then count 3 and a half months from 1. Nisan till the begnning of the service of the house of Abija, which gives us end June as the earliest possible conception date for John, when his father Zacharia went home after his templeservice and went to his wife. 6 months later, thus about December Jesus was conceived in Mary, and born 9 months later which gives us September for the birth of Jesus which is the time of the feast of Sukkoth which is now fullfilled in the coming of the Word of God to dwell among us in a human body: Greek skenos means tent and figuratively the human body . thus the feast of Sukkoth is a symbol for God dwellling among us in Jesus . Hebrew Sukkot is the plural from Suka booth, tent, tabernacle. . The jewish month has only about 29 days .please google the theme here and you will find all detailed informations for what I wrote here.
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Mary, Simeon or Anna: Who First Recognized Jesus as Messiah? – Biblical Archaeology Society
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[…] Witherington III’s full essay “Mary, Simeon or Anna: Who First Recognized Jesus as Messiah?” is accessible online for free. Want to learn some-more about his research? Read “Understanding […]
I like the stress on Mary and Joseph as good parents who nevertheless don’t get it. One of the themes of Jesus in the Synoptic tradition seems to be the emphasis that one’s own family can become a stumbling block to their walk of faith. Some of the biggest misunderstandings come from people who are related to Jesus.
I think one of the things Mary was “pondering in her heart” must have related to the Shepherds’ visit at the manger. They likely would have communicated to her the sign they had been given by the angels (you will find the babe swaddled and laying in a manger.). If these shepherds were in charge of birthing the sacrificial lambs for the nearby temple, as some scholars claim, then this sign would present some disturbing images regarding jesus’ future.
Apparently sacrificial lambs were wrapped (swaddled) at birth and lain in a manger as they were being inspected for blemishes that would disqualify them for sacrifice. Keeping them wrapped prevented them from becoming blemished later on. Even modern day shepherds outfit new lambs in protective coats, especially in cold weather. A suffering messiah was not yet on anyone’s radar, so I think Mary indeed had a lot to mull over as she put all the extraordinary information together regarding her first born.
Nice job Susanna! You’re on the money. Plus, even before Mary was with the Apostle’s during Christ’s ressurecction, she also (quite a few years before) told Jesus’ friends (Apostles) to do what he tells them at the wedding in Cana! She knew who he was! That is also why she stood at the cross and did not kneel.
“Both are quicker than Mary to comprehend who Jesus is” This statement seems rather presumptive to me. You seem to have forgotten about Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary many months before Mary met Anna at the temple. Surely you’ll recall how the unborn John the Baptist leaped in his mother’s womb at the presence of Mary and the unborn baby Jesus? Elizabeth proclaims “How is it that the mother of our Lord should come to me?” My bet is even if Mary, as you infer, had no idea who Jesus was, then Elizabeth was the first to notify her of the significance of Jesus. Even better, Mary understood that she had indeed been greatly blessed, and that “all generations would call [her] Blessed.” Anna wasn’t there to tell Mary something she didn’t already know. Seems to me, she was there to let the rest of us know.
I was wondering if you ever thought of changing the structure of your website? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or 2 images.
Maybe you could space it out better?
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Presentation of Mary in the Temple
The Presentation of Mary in the Temple pertains to tradition and is not in Scripture. This tradition has great symbolic value , because as she became the Mother of Jesus, the Virgin Mary truly became the Temple of the Divine Presence, the new Tent of Meeting. This tradition has great spiritual value since it expresses that the Virgin Mary grew up praying, in preparation to become the mother of the Lord. This tradition offers a model for all who are consecrated to God: not only all religious and priests, but all baptized Christians as well, since we are all called to consecrate ourselves to the Lord, i.e. to make of our lives a pleasant offering to Him and to become the living stones of the spiritual Temple. Why do we celebrate Mary’s presentation?![]() It is true that scholars debate the authenticity of the feast of the Presentation of Mary, which finds its origin in the apocryphal work The Protoevangelium of James . As a devotee of the Marian biographies published by Maximus the Confessor, Venerable Maria of Agreda and Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, I can affirm each gives an account of Mary’s presentation in the temple at the age of 3. Rather than dwelling on the historicity of today’s event, though, let’s lend our meditation to the feast itself — more specifically: Why do we celebrate Mary’s presentation? The answer is straightforward: The life of Mary provides an example for us, especially in our own spiritual lives. Christians can appropriate spiritual insights for ourselves from the feast of Mary’s Presentation. The importance of pilgrimageTradition believes that Joachim and Anne were barren, and for that reason people of the biblical era would have viewed the couple with suspicion and looked down on them. Like any other couple hoping to conceive, Joachim and Anne prayed to God, asking for the blessing of a child. God heard their prayer, and they were grateful to Him. The story of Joachim and Anne like the Old Testament account of the barren Hannah, who begged God for a child and later gave birth to Samuel. Maximus the Confessor, draws out the similarity in his The Life of the Virgin , comparing the name Hannah and Anna. The Presentation of Mary reminds us of Hannah’s willingness to offer Samuel back to God because Joachim and Anne bring the child Mary to the temple in a similar fashion at the age of 3. Joachim, Anne and Mary lived in Nazareth, meaning if they presented Mary in the temple they had to go on a pilgrimage. Many Catholics go on pilgrimage. 2017 was a popular year for pilgrimage because of the centennial anniversary of the Fatima apparitions. There are pilgrimage sites all over the world, including the Holy Land, Marian apparition sites and shrines to saints. A person might go on pilgrimage because of their fascination with a place or story of a saint, or to ask God for a special favor. The Presentation of Mary reminds us that we can go on a pilgrimage of thanksgiving, to give thanks to God for a blessing received. In their gratitude, Joachim and Anne pledged to dedicate Mary to God and give her to His service in the temple. To carry this out, it meant they had to make sacrifice and go on pilgrimage. Mary’s choice for GodThe Presentation of Mary also highlights the fact Mary chooses God at this point in her life, even if at such a young age. On Dec. 8 the Church celebrates Mary’s preservation from Original sin, called her Immaculate Conception. We could say that God chose Mary, as he foresaw the merits of Christ’s cross and applied them to Mary. But the Presentation allows Mary to exercise her free will and choose to live her life devoted to God. Mary’s choice lends us an example to follow. Each day is an opportunity for us to renew and recommit ourselves to the Lord’s service, just as she did in the temple. Mary’s preparation for AdventThe biographies of Mary suggest Mary remained in the temple after her Presentation. This means she dedicated herself in service to the temple and to whatever tasks she was assigned. It was a time of spiritual formation. She heard the word of God proclaimed, including the prophecies that would be fulfilled through her. Perhaps hearing the story of Hannah and Samuel resonated with her as she would later make Hannah’s prayer her own in the Magnificat. She also would have spent much time in personal prayer, living in the presence of the Holy of Holies only to receive the All Holy One within her very being at the Annunciation. Catholics can look back and see Mary’s time in the temple, from the age of 3 to 12, as a time of advent and preparation. God called her to be there, and, in turn, she chose God. Because of this, God prepared her to receive the savior of the world. The celebration of Mary’s presentation in the temple is an anticipation of the Advent we commence around the time of this feast. Throughout the holy season of Advent, with Mary we can listen to the prophecies, watch and pray for the coming of the Dawn from on high. The historical details of Mary’s presentation should not be our primary concern in celebrating her feast. The tradition of observing it reminds us that Mary lived her life for God, and we should too. She is the model of the Church, and in her life we find the example for how to live our own. Fr. Looney is a priest of the diocese of Green Bay. You might also like...Understanding the immaculate conception, mary's assumption. Type on the field below and hit Enter/Return to search
"Sanctity is made up of heroic acts. Therefore, in our work we are asked for the heroism of finishing properly the tasks committed to us, day after day, even though they are the same tasks.” Saint Josemaría
Life of Mary (VIII): Jesus' Presentation in the TempleFebruary 2nd is the feast of the Presentation. Mary offers her Son to God and learns that she too will share closely in Jesus' redemptive mission. ![]() The gathering of pilgrims in Bethlehem has ended. After Christ's birth, Joseph found a more worthy place to house the Holy Family. There, after eight days, he carried out the rite of circumcision by which the male children begin to form part of the people of Israel. And the child officially received the name Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb ( Lk 2:21). Forty days later, Mary and Joseph took the Child with them to Jerusalem, when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses…to present him to the Lord as it is written in the law of the Lord…and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons" ( Lk 2:22-25). ![]() Neither Jesus nor Mary was obliged to follow these prescriptions. Mary had not contracted any legal impurity for she had conceived and given birth in a virginal way. Nor did the law affecting the redeeming of the first-born apply to Jesus, the true Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. And yet, three times in just a few verses, special mention is made of the fact that everything was done in strict observance of the Law of God. The Church discovers a deeper meaning in this episode. In first place, the fulfillment of the prophecy of Malachi: The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight ( Mal 3:1) Besides, Mary understood that Jesus had to be brought to the Temple, not to be redeemed like other first-born children, but to be offered to God as a true sacrifice. As the Letter to the Hebrews says: When Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifices and offerings you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not take pleasure. Then I said: 'Lo, I have come to do your will, O God,' as it is written of me in the roll of the book" ( Heb 10:5-7). To some extent, Jesus' Presentation in the Temple can be linked with the Offering of the Sacrifice of Calvary that the Mass makes present in all times and places. In the preparation of this sacrifice, as later in its accomplishment on the summit of Golgatha, a special place was reserved for the Mother of Jesus. From the very first moments of his earthly life, Jesus united Mary to the redeeming sacrifice that he had come to fulfill. The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple can be linked with the Offering of the Sacrifice of Calvary that the Mass makes present in all times and places. This sharing in the mystery of the Redemption was revealed little by little to the Virgin Mary. At the Annunciation the archangel had said nothing about this. But now it would be communicated through the words of Simeon, a just and God-fearing man far advanced in years: It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ ( Lk 2:26). The encounter between our Lady and Simeon would have taken place in front of the Gate of Nicanor that led into the court of the Jews. That was the place where one of the priests received the women who came to offer the sacrifice for themselves and their children. Mary, accompanied by Joseph, stood in the line. While our Lady waited her turn, something happened that caused the on-lookers to be amazed. An old man approached the line. His face was glowing with joy. When the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said: “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you prepared in the presence of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel" ( Lk 2:29-32). The Messiah would fulfill his mission by suffering, and the Mother would be mysteriously associated with her Son's sorrows. On hearing these words, Mary and Joseph were overcome with wonder, for Simeon confirmed what the angel had communicated from God. But immediately his other words cast a shadow over their joy: the Messiah would fulfill his mission by suffering, and the Mother would be mysteriously associated with her Son's sorrows. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed" ( Lk 2:34-35). Anna as well, a woman over 80 years old, joined in Simeon's announcement: coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem ( Lk 2:38). From St. Luke's Gospel we know that our Lady presented the Child Jesus only after listening to the prophecy. She offered a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons , the offering of the poor, instead of the lamb prescribed by the Law of Moses. Nonetheless, in light of Simeon's words, she understood that Jesus was the true Lamb of God who would redeem men from their sins. And that she, as Mother, in a way she did not yet fully grasp, would be closely united to her Son's fate. J. A. Loarte ![]()
Printed | document generated automatically from https://opusdei.org/en/article/life-of-mary-viii-jesus-presentation-in-the-temple/ (09/03/2024) ![]() Please register to access this FREE content. Benedictine College Media & Culture ![]() Joyful Mysteries, Transformed: Mary’s Presentation Changes Everything![]() The November 21 Feast of the Presentation of Mary changes the picture of Mary’s life most of us have, considerably. The feast has been celebrated since the early days of Christianity, especially in the East. The Western Church has been less dedicated to the feast, and now we stress that this is the anniversary of Saint Mary’s church in Jerusalem rather than risk “ celebrating something that never happened .” But Doctor of the Church St. Alphonsus Ligouri delights in the story of Mary being Presented in the Temple as a small child then living there, being educated in Scripture. Michael Hesemann in 2011’s Mary of Nazareth suggests that key evidence supports this ancient tradition. The Church is no stranger to the custom of girls being raised in this way. I imagine Mary’s life in ancient Jerusalem being not unlike the life of St. Gertrude the Great in 13th century Germany. Gertrude began her education in the Benedictine convent in her childhood, and lived her life by the prayer bells of the convent, learning Scripture, including the leading commentators, and doing chores in the Abbey. Mary would have been deeply steeped in scripture as well, understanding the implications of the Old Testament prophecies and reciting the Psalms, including Psalm 24: “One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD’s house all the days of my life, to gaze on the LORD’s beauty.” Imagining Mary’s story with this background changes our understanding of her who life — starting with the five Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. First, the Annunciation, and Mary’s relationship with Joseph, becomes clearer. In The Nativity Story (2005), The Star (2017) and Journey to Bethlehem (2023) envisions Mary and Joseph’s marriage in a conventionally romantic way. But if she grew up in the Temple, we can imagine her story differently. Think of each line from Luke’s account of the Annunciation with Mary’s Temple background in mind. The angel Gabriel is sent “to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.” If Mary’s parents had presented her to live in the Temple when she was very young and they were very old, then the story of her betrothal is in large part a matter of Mary being provided for upon leaving the Temple. The angel tells Mary that she will conceive and bear a son “and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.” A girl educated in the Temple, Mary would have known exactly what that means: She was to be the mother of the messiah. Mary responds : “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” That response is strange for a woman betrothed to be married, but it makes much more sense if we know she has made a special commitment to celibacy — as someone presented in the Temple would have done — and if it is a commitment she intends to keep. Mary says , “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.” If she had lived in the Temple, then that phrase was literally true about her: She spent her childhood helping in the Lord’s house. Second, the Visitation story makes a new kind of sense. In the Gospel, after being told that she will be the mother of the Lord, the Blessed Mother is told that her cousin Elizabeth, the wife of Temple priest Zechariah, is pregnant. She goes in haste to help. I always pictured this as a girl who has grown up helping around her house going to another house to help out. But her Temple background would make this the story of a helper who is uniquely suited for the role of serving a Temple priest’s household. And a girl educated in the Temple would have had the rich knowledge of Scripture necessary to compose the Magnificat . Even the Nativity of Jesus takes on a new dimension. Bethlehem, just outside Jerusalem, was a city of sheep and shepherds — appropriately enough for David’s town — because many sheep were needed for families participating in the Temple sacrifice. We might forget how the constant sacrifices that happened in the Temple must have made it a place where many animals were kept and much blood had to be dealt with at all times. But a girl who grew up there certainly wouldn’t forget it. So it would have been especially poignant for Mary to travel so close to her childhood home to give birth among the animals and to be visited by shepherds. And whether she lived in the Temple or not, after the crucifixion, the significance would not be lost on the Blessed Mother that the Lamb of God entered the world where so many sacrificial lambs had also been born. You see this aspect of the story emphasized in the Gospel written by John, who lived with her. Of course, her Presentation would also lend more significance to the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. I have always thought of the moment when the holy man Simeon sees the baby Jesus as a miracle of recognition: Simeon knew Jesus at first sight. But if Mary spent her childhood at the Temple, it is not hard to imagine that he had seen her before. In fact, pious legends speak of how her holiness was obvious to the Rabbis and helpers at the Temple. When Simeon sees the child, it is possible that he recognizes Christ’s significance in part because he already knows her significance — and that when he prophesies that a sword will pierce Mary’s heart, he may be sharing a prophecy he has had for a long time. And we are explicitly told that Anna, who also praised the baby Jesus, had lived a long time in the Temple . If Mary had also, then surely Anna knew her — maybe very well. But the most poignant connection of all is the Finding in the Temple. When Joseph and Mary finally find the boy Jesus after having lost him for three days, he says “Did you not know I would be in my Father’s house?” If Mary had grown up in or near the Temple she would have personally known no other home than this as a child herself. So instead of imagining that Jesus’ words simply meant, “God is my true Father. Of course I would be here!” We could maybe imagine they also mean: “This place is your home, too. Isn’t this where you would go?” In the end, we can understand Mary’s special relationship with the Temple no matter where she grew up. Mary is compared to the Ark of the Covenant, and she is the first and best example of the Christian understanding that “your body is a temple.” Whether she lived there or not, she loved the Temple, and felt the full power of Psalm 84: How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, God of hosts. … They are happy, who dwell in your house, for ever singing your praise.” A version of this appeared at Aleteia . Image: Presentation of the Virgin by Titian – Accademia – Venice 2016 Tom Hoopes, author of The Rosary of Saint John Paul II and The Fatima Family Handbook , is writer in residence at Benedictine College in Kansas and hosts The Extraordinary Story podcast about the life of Christ. His book What Pope Francis Really Said is now available on Audible. A former reporter in the Washington, D.C., area, Hoopes served as press secretary of the U.S. House Ways & Means Committee Chairman and spent 10 years as executive editor of the National Catholic Register newspaper and Faith & Family magazine . His work frequently appears in Catholic publications such as Aleteia.org and the Register . He and his wife, April, have nine children and live in Atchison, Kansas. More by Tom Hoopes ![]() More to Read![]() Memo to the Republican Party: Don’t Abandon the Unborn![]() 30 Memes for the Start of September and Beyond![]() A Rose From St. Thérèse Led Her to BenedictineEWTN News, Inc. is the world’s largest Catholic news organization, comprised of television, radio, print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the Catholic Church.
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How Do We Know About the Presentation of Mary?When we celebrate the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we give honor and respect to the Purest Virgin, who is an example for all of us in our struggle for holiness ![]() It’s easy to conceptualize the Presentation of the Lord because we find it in Scripture. Luke’s Gospel tells of the Holy Family’s journey to the Temple when Jesus was 8 days old. According to Jewish custom, Jesus was to be circumcised and Mary purified. There Mary and Joseph meet the prophets Anna and Simeon, who recognized the Child as the Messiah who would bring about the fall and rise of many, become a sign of contradiction and the cause of a sword that would one day pierce Mary’s heart. We celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord annually on Feb. 2. The Presentation of Mary, however, is not found in Scripture. Instead, we learn about Mary’s presentation from accounts that have come to us from apostolic times. What we know is found mainly in Chapter 7 of the Protoevangelium of James , which has been dated by historians before the year A.D. 200. The Protoevangelium of James was ostensibly written by the apostle of the same name. It gives a detailed account in which Mary’s father, Joachim, tells his wife, Anna, that he wishes to bring their daughter to the Temple and consecrate her to God. Anna responds that they should wait until Mary is 3 years old so that she will not need her parents as much. On the agreed day for Mary to be taken to the Temple, Hebrew virgins accompanied the family with burning lamps. The Temple priest received Mary, kissed her, and blessed her. According to James’ writing, the priest then proclaimed, “The Lord has magnified thy name in all generations. In thee, the Lord will manifest his redemption to the sons of Israel.” After that, Mary was placed on the third step of the Temple and danced with joy. All the House of Israel loved Mary, and she was nurtured from then on in the Temple while her parents returned to their Nazareth home, glorifying God. The celebration of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary grew slowly over the years. On Nov. 21, 543, Emperor Justinian dedicated a church to Mary in the Temple area of Jerusalem. Many of the early church Fathers celebrated this feast day, such as St. Germanus and St. John Damascene. In 1373, it was formally celebrated in Avignon, France, and in 1472, Pope Sixtus IV extended it to the universal Church. The Byzantine Church considers Mary’s Presentation one of the 12 great feasts of the liturgical year. In 1974, Pope Paul VI wrote about this feast in his encyclical Marialis Cultus , saying, “despite its apocryphal content, it presents lofty and exemplary values and carries on the venerable traditions having their origins in the Eastern churches.” The Memorial of the Presentation of Mary has been noted in the Church since its early years and yet is easily forgotten or misunderstood. Since it’s classified as a memorial and not a solemnity or holy day of obligation, it doesn’t draw much attention to itself other than a special opening prayer in the Mass. With this memorial, we celebrate the fact that God chose to dwell in Mary in a unique way. In response, she placed her whole self at his service. By our Baptism, God invites us, too, into his service. But there’s more to celebrating the Presentation of Mary! This feast gives us cause for great joy since Mary is truly our Mother, given to us by Christ as he hung dying on the Cross. Because we are part of her Son’s body, she loves us with as much devotion and tenderness as she loves Jesus. When we celebrate Mary’s Presentation, we are giving Mary the honor she deserves and witnessing to her perfect purity as the Virgin of Nazareth, the Mother of God, and our Mother. Sts. Joachim and Anne surrendered their only daughter to God so that she would be completely free to follow his holy will. Although they loved her dearly, they knew that in the Temple Mary would always be near the Holy of Holies, surrounded by an atmosphere of godliness and grace. She would be instructed in Scripture and the history of the Jewish people. She would be under the guardianship and tutelage of the holy women of the Temple who had given their lives to God. One of them, Scripture scholars believe, was Anna — the woman who prophesied at the Presentation of Our Lord. In the Temple, Mary would be completely focused on God and well prepared for becoming the Mother of the Savior and Mother of the Body of Christ. When we celebrate the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we remember the tremendous sacrifice Sts. Joachim and Anne made for our sakes. We give honor and respect to the Purest Virgin, who is an example for all of us in our struggle for holiness. It is a privilege and an opportunity to express our gratitude for the gift of a pure, tender and always-loving Mother.
![]() Marge Fenelon Marge Steinhage Fenelon is an award-winning author, international speaker, and professional life coach. She has written several books on Marian devotion and Catholic spirituality. As life coach, she is passionate about helping others grow personally and spiritually. Her podcast, Simply Holy, airs on many popular podcast platforms. Learn more about Marge at MargeFenelon.com .
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November 21st: The Presentation of Mary in the TempleVen. Mary of Agreda “The Mystical City of God’ (abridged) on HER PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE ![]() The three years' time decreed by the Lord having been completed, Joachim and Anne set out from Nazareth, accompanied by a few of their kindred and bringing with them the true living Ark of the covenant, the most holy Mary, borne on the arms of her mother in order to be deposited in the holy temple of Jerusalem. The beautiful child, by her fervent and loving aspirations, hastened after the ointments of her Beloved, seeking in the temple Him, whom she bore in her heart. This humble procession was scarcely noticed by earthly creatures, but it was invisibly accompanied by the angelic spirits, who, in order to celebrate this event, had hastened from heaven in greater numbers than ordinary as her bodyguard, and were singing in heavenly strains the glory and praise of the Most High. The Princess of heaven heard and saw them as she hastened her beautiful steps along in the sight of the highest and true Solomon. Thus they pursued their journey from Nazareth to the holy city of Jerusalem, and also the parents of the holy child Mary felt in their hearts great joy and consolation of spirit. They arrived at the holy temple, and the blessed Anne on entering took her daughter and mistress by the hand, accompanied and assisted by Saint Joachim. All three offered a devout and fervent prayer to the Lord; the parents offering to God their daughter, and the most holy child, in profound humility, adoration and worship, offering up herself. She alone perceived that the Most High received and accepted her, and, amid divine splendor which filled the temple, she heard a voice saying to her: "Come, my beloved, my spouse, come to my temple, where I wish to hear thy voice of praise and worship." Having offered their prayers, they rose and betook themselves to the priest. The parents consigned their child into his hands and he gave them his blessing. Together conducted her to the portion of the temple building where many young girls lived to be brought up in retirement and in virtuous habits, until old enough to assume the state of matrimony, It was a place of retirement especially selected for the first-born daughters of the royal tribe of Juda and the sacerdotal tribe of Levi. Fifteen stairs led up to the entrance of these apartments. Other priests came down these stairs in order to welcome the blessed child Mary. The one that had received them, being according to the law one of a minor order, placed her on the first step. Mary, with his permission, turned and kneeling down before Joachim and Anne, asked their blessing and kissed their hands, recommending herself to their prayers before God. The holy parents in tenderest tears gave her their blessing; whereupon she ascended the fifteen stairs without any assistance. She hastened upward with incomparable fervor and joy, neither turning back, nor shedding tears, nor showing any childish regret at parting from her parents. To see her, in so tender an age, so full of strange majesty and firmness of mind, excited the admiration of all those present. The priests received her among the rest of the maidens, and Saint Simeon consigned her to the teachers, one of whom was the prophetess Anna. This holy matron had been prepared by the Lord by especial grace and enlightenment, so that she joyfully took charge of this Child of Joachim and Anne. She considered the charge a special favor and of divine Providence and merited by her holiness and virtue to have her as a disciple, who was to be the Mother of God and Mistress of all the creatures. Sorrowfully her parents Joachim and Anne retraced their journey to Nazareth, now poor as deprived of the rich treasure of their house. But the Most High consoled and comforted them in their affliction. The holy priest Simeon, although he did not at this time know of the mystery enshrined in the child Mary, obtained great light as to her sanctity and her special selection by the Lord; also the other priests looked upon her with great reverence and esteem. In ascending the stairs the child brought to fulfillment, that, which Jacob saw happening in sleep; for here too were angels ascending and descending: the ones accompanying, the others meeting their Queen as she hastened up; whereas at the top God was waiting in order to welcome her as His daughter and spouse. She also felt by the effects of the overflowing love, that this truly was the house of God and the portal of heaven. ![]() Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church. As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the Protoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was three years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless. Though it cannot be proven historically, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond. It is sometimes difficult for modern Westerners to appreciate a feast like this. The Eastern Church, however, was quite open to this feast and even somewhat insistent about celebrating it. Even though the feast has no basis in history, it stresses an important truth about Mary: From the beginning of her life, she was dedicated to God. She herself became a greater temple than any made by hands. God came to dwell in her in a marvelous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God's saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary redounds upon her children. They, too, are temples of God and sanctified in order that they might enjoy and share in God's saving work. THE PRESENTATION OF MARY: Commemorated November 21 It stands to reason that Almighty God's selection of the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of God was not a random selection. In his wisdom, God selected not from the nobility but from the humble, thoroughly devout, daughter of equally devout parents whose names were Joachim and Anna. Tradition has it that Anna, childless for many years, reached a point in her life when just short of despair she prayed in earnest that God grant her a child with a promise that should her wish be fulfilled she would pledge the child to his holy Temple. It did not matter to Anna that the child granted her by God was a girl and, faithful to her word, she presented her daughter, given the name of Mary, to the holy Temple at the age of three, on the 21st of November. She remained in the house of God for twelve years, emerging at the age of fifteen with a purity and wholesomeness found in no other creature of God. By the time she had been released to her parents, the saintly Mary was not only a flawless maiden but in her twelve years had acquired the lore and religion of the deepest scholars, something usually denied a female child of those days. So much has been written of the Lord's mother that the concern here is for a glimpse into her life as a human being. The Virgin Mary is looked upon by Orthodoxy as "Panagia," which translates into the all-encompassing saint. Greek Orthodox Christians need but one name and that name is "Panagia," carrying the full impact on the Christian faith as no other name can regardless of the language. The beginnings of Christianity were not the scattered remnants that somehow merged into a smattering, of ideologies. By divine intent the great religion of Christ stemmed from a tight circle which spread itself out as the greatest of human experiences. To begin with, the high priest entrusted with the care of Mary was Zacharias, who in turn was the father of St. John the Baptist, referred to as the prefiguration of the Messiah and the man who was to baptise Jesus Christ… Our Lady’s parents, Sts. Anne & Joachim, presented her in the temple when she was a small child. From her earliest years Mary led a life of prayer. She said “yes” to God’s will. "We wish to love the Lord Jesus with the heart of the Immaculate, receiving Him and thanking Him with her acts; thus, even if we should neither feel nor understand it, in fact we will honor the Lord Jesus with her heart, with her acts; or to speak more exactly, it will be she who through us loves and praises Jesus. We are but her instruments" (St. Maximilian Kolbe). The Presentation of Mary in the Temple To understand what she was like then, you have to imagine yourself in a place in which columns affect you; where you can retrace stairs where arches full of danger bridge the chasm of a space that remained within you, because it had been made, towering, of such pieces that you can no longer remove them from yourself lest you demolished yourself. If you have reached that state, if everything within you is stone, wall, ramp, view, curve, then try to remove the big curtain in front of you with both hands: it sparkles of very noble things and surpasses your breath and touch. Up, down, palace built upon palace, Railings stream wider from within railings, and surface above surface on such edges that vertigo, as you can see, grasps you. Clouds of incense diffuse what is close, but still the most distant aims right inside of you with its straight rays – and now, when the glow from clear bowls of flame plays on slowly approaching robes: how can you bear it? She, however, came and raised her eyes to view all this. (A child, a little girl among women) Then she ascended silently, filled with confidence, towards the spoiled luxury which made way for her: For that is how much everything that men built had already been exceeded by the praise within her heart; by the desire to give herself to the signs within her: The parents wanted to lift her up, the looming figure with the bejeweled chest seemed to receive her: But she passed through everyone, small as she ways, slipped from every hand into her destiny, which, higher than the hall, was ready, and heavier than the temple. Composed by Rainer Maria Rilke (translated by Gerald Augustinus) On a personal note: Ave Maria Mediations is now one year old as of this Feast Day. Deo Gratias! Ave Maria! By Linda O'Brien, FTISubscribe to ce (it's free), more on catholic exchange. An Approach to Suffering in Pastoral Care Part 1: Addressing the Pain Autism, Authenticity, and Admiral Virtues Are We Losing a Sense of the Sacred? 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Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival set for SaturdayThe celebration of local beer and other products is expected to draw people from around the country to sample beverages from 24 Maine producers. ![]() You are able to gift 5 more articles this month. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. Learn more . With a Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. To get one, go to the subscriptions page . Loading....![]() A crowd gathers Sept. 2, 2023, along the Kennebec River, behind Water Street businesses, for the Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival in downtown Skowhegan. Morning Sentinel file SKOWHEGAN — Beer lovers from around the country are expected to head to Skowhegan on Saturday for the town’s annual Labor Day weekend brew festival. The Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival is set to feature more than 100 Maine-made craft beers, wines, ciders and spirits from 24 beverage producers, along with local food vendors and four musical acts, according to an announcement from the event’s organizer, the nonprofit organization Main Street Skowhegan. The festival, which began in 2016, is expected to draw people from Maine, 13 other states and Canada, according to the announcement. So far, people from as far away from Texas, Arizona and Nevada have bought tickets, the organization said. “We’re thrilled to draw people from near and far to Skowhegan for our annual brew festival,” Kristina Cannon, president and CEO of Main Street Skowhegan, said in the statement. “Not only do events showcase our growing community and all that we have to offer visitors, but they also bring people to town who spend money at our locally owned businesses. Brew fest, in particular, brings people back again and again to our community.” Sign up for the weekly “Skowhegan Now” newsletterTickets are required to attend the brew festival, and can be purchased online at skowhegancraftbrewfest.com . A $50 general admission ticket includes unlimited beverage samples from 3 to 7 p.m. and a souvenir tasting glass. “Designated driver” tickets for those who do not wish to drink alcohol are $10. Ticket prices increase by $5 the day of the festival, so organizers suggest buying tickets by 6 p.m. Friday. Advertisement A “VIP hour” at 2 p.m., featuring free food samples, other goodies and live entertainment, is sold out. The brew festival is to be held along the Kennebec River in downtown Skowhegan, where the event moved last year from its previous location on Water Street . Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival draws hundreds of beer drinkers to new location Organizers said last year that the move was intended to help promote ongoing economic revitalization efforts along the town’s waterfront, including the planned River Park. Other events, such as the annual River Fest in August , are intended to achieve that goal, too. With a contractor on board and the permitting process in its final stages, construction of the in-river whitewater park portion of the overall development is expected to begin in spring 2025 , Cannon said recently. Construction of Skowhegan whitewater River Park delayed until 2025 Main Street Skowhegan uses proceeds from the brew festival to support its ongoing economic development efforts, according to organizers. The event is sponsored by more than a dozen local businesses and organizations. The festival is expected to take place no matter the weather. As of Thursday, the National Weather Service was predicting mostly cloudy skies in Skowhegan on Saturday, with high temperatures in the mid-70s, and a 50% chance of rain showers after 2 p.m. Related HeadlinesWe invite you to add your comments, and we encourage a thoughtful, open and lively exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . You can also read our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Readers may now see a Top Comments tab, which is an experimental software feature to detect and highlight comments that demonstrate compassion, reasoning, personal stories and curiosity, and encourage and promote civil discourse. Join the ConversationPlease sign into your CentralMaine.com account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Thomas College in Waterville chooses new president Next » Trump says he’ll announce a plan to make U.S. the ‘crypto capital’ Member Log InPlease enter your username and password below. Already a subscriber but don't have one? Click here . Not a subscriber? Click here to see your options ![]() |
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Presentation of Mary. The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known in the East as The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, is a liturgical feast celebrated on November 21 [ 1] by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and some Anglo-Catholic Churches. The feast is associated with an event recounted not in the New Testament, but in ...
The patient, persevering prayer of St. Monica (feast day: Aug. 27) made all the difference. It will affect the Church and the world until the end of the world. By tradition, the Virgin Mary was presented by her parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne, to the Temple in Jerusalem at a very early age. We celebrate the feast on Nov. 21.
The Story of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary's presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar ...
Luke 2:22-40. New International Version. Jesus Presented in the Temple. 22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"[a]), 24 and to offer a ...
Mary, the first disciple. Confirming what has just been said, Jesus Himself said this in responding thus to a woman who was praising His Mother: " ' Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.'. He replied, 'Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.'. " Mary is the woman who ...
The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary first made its way to the West through monasteries in Southern Italy in the ninth century; by the 11th century, it had spread to other locales but was by no means universally celebrated. Under the influence of a French nobleman, Philippe de Mazières, Pope Gregory XI began celebrating the ...
Presentation of the Virgin Mary, feast celebrated in the Roman Catholic and Eastern churches on November 21. The feast commemorates a legendary visit by the three-year-old Mary to the Temple in Jerusalem, where she was consecrated to the service of God. Learn more about its origin, history, and significance.
Marge Fenelon, November 21, 2023 - National Catholic Register. It's easy to conceptualize the Presentation of the Lord because we find it in Scripture. Luke's Gospel tells of the Holy Family's journey to the Temple when Jesus was 8 days old. According to Jewish custom, Jesus was to be circumcised and Mary purified.
THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE. When Joseph (far left) and Mary (left of center) bring baby Jesus to the Jerusalem Temple, they are greeted by Simeon, who embraces the baby, and Anna, the New Testament's only prophetess, shown at right with a scroll, in this 1342 tempera painting by Ambrogio Lorenzetti.
PRESENTATION OF MARY The only reliable and pertinent source concerning the presentation of Mary, mother of Jesus, in the Temple by her parents is the Mosaic Law; the apocrypha speak in detail of her birth and presentation, but with no definite historical basis. Firstborn males were necessarily dedicated to God (Ex 13.12-16), and at the time of Jesus this was done by a ceremony in the Temple ...
The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated annually on November 21st, commemorates the presentation of the Blessed Virgin as a child by her parents in the Temple in ...
mary's entry into the temple and presentation. [On November 8 ^th, 1821, Catherine Emmerich related:] Today Joachim went first to the Temple with Zechariah and the other men. Afterwards Mary was taken there by her mother Anna in a festal procession.
The Presentation of Mary in the Temple pertains to tradition and is not in Scripture. This tradition has great symbolic value, because as she became the Mother of Jesus, the Virgin Mary truly became the Temple of the Divine Presence, the new Tent of Meeting.. This tradition has great spiritual value since it expresses that the Virgin Mary grew up praying, in preparation to become the mother of ...
Presentation of Mary in the Temple. The offering which Mary made of herself to God was prompt, without delay; entire, without reserve. "THERE never has been, and there never will be, any offering of a pure creature greater and more perfect than that which Mary made to God, being yet only a child of three years, when she presented herself in the temple to offer him, not spices, nor calves ...
Mary's choice for God. The Presentation of Mary also highlights the fact Mary chooses God at this point in her life, even if at such a young age. On Dec. 8 the Church celebrates Mary's preservation from Original sin, called her Immaculate Conception. We could say that God chose Mary, as he foresaw the merits of Christ's cross and applied ...
February 2nd is the feast of the Presentation. Mary offers her Son to God and learns that she too will share closely in Jesus' redemptive mission. The gathering of pilgrims in Bethlehem has ended. After Christ's birth, Joseph found a more worthy place to house the Holy Family. There, after eight days, he carried out the rite of circumcision by ...
2016. Today we celebrate the memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Church tradition holds that at a young age, Mary was presented to the Lord in the temple by her parents Joachim and Anna. It was there, in the temple, that Mary was dedicated to the Lord and made her vow of chastity. She lived and grew up in the temple until ...
The angel tells Mary that she will conceive and bear a son "and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David." A girl educated in the Temple, Mary would have known exactly what that means: She was to be the mother of the messiah. Mary responds: "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" That response is strange for a woman ...
We celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord annually on Feb. 2. The Presentation of Mary, however, is not found in Scripture. Instead, we learn about Mary's presentation from accounts ...
The feast of the Presentation of Mary, recalls the tradition that, as a young child, Mary was presented to the temple by her parents, in order to be raised there. This, of course, calls to mind other instances in Scripture where a child is dedicated to God from a young age. The first to come to mind is the story of Samuel, whose mother, Hannah ...
This is the story of Mary's Presentation in the Temple. A non-biblical event that is celebrated by the Church each year.
God came to dwell in her in a marvelous manner and sanctified her for her unique role in God's saving work. At the same time, the magnificence of Mary redounds upon her children. They, too, are temples of God and sanctified in order that they might enjoy and share in God's saving work. THE PRESENTATION OF MARY: Commemorated November 21.
Mary's mother, Anna (Hebrew: Hannah) was a daughter of Matthan the priest (Figure 1) and was a descendant of Aaron the High Priest. According to First Century writings, Joachim was a shepherd by occupation and was very wealthy from owning large herds of sheep. In humbleness of heart, Joachim had the practice of offering more than the Mosaic ...
The Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival is set to feature more than 100 Maine-made craft beers, wines, ciders and spirits from 24 beverage producers, along with local food vendors and four musical acts ...