Today is the presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast honors the belief that her parents, Joachim and Anne, believed Mary to be an answered prayer and generous gift from God.
In an act of thanksgiving, Joachim and Anne made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to present Mary in the temple which was a common practice among firstborn sons of Jewish families. The practice was not restricted to males but extended to those families who wanted to give thanks to God for the gift of their children.
Mary’s entire life was one of service to God and her presentation is a response to the work that God already began in her.
Our faith and our lives are a response to God who chose us to be his beloved sons and daughters. Mary’s future “yes” to God’s plan for her is a model for each of us to allow God to transform our lives into testimonies of his great love for us all.
