20231121 DEDICATING OURSELVES TO THE LORD WITH MARY
21 November 2023, Tuesday, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
First reading |
Zechariah 2:14-17 © |
'I am coming', says the Lord
Sing, rejoice,
daughter of Zion;
for I am coming
to dwell in the middle of you
– it is the Lord who speaks.
Many nations will join the Lord,
on that day;
they will become his people.
But he will remain among you,
and you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you.
But the Lord will hold Judah
as his portion in the Holy Land,
and again make Jerusalem his very own.
Let all mankind be silent before the Lord!
For he is awaking and is coming from his holy dwelling.
Responsorial Psalm | Luke 1:46-55 © |
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
He looks on his servant in her nothingness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.
He puts forth his arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons for ever.
The Almighty works marvels for me. Holy is his name!
or
Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.
Gospel Acclamation | Lk11:28 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy are those
who hear the word of God
and keep it.
Alleluia!
Gospel |
Matthew 12:46-50 © |
My mother and my brothers are anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven
Jesus was speaking to the crowds when his mother and his brothers appeared; they were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him. But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’
DEDICATING OURSELVES TO THE LORD WITH MARY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ZECHARIAH 2:14-17; MT 12:46-50]
This feast was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A Church was constructed to honour this aspect of the life of Mary. Historically, our knowledge of Mary’s presentation in the Temple, as also in her birth, is found only in apocryphal literature. Such unhistorical accounts, although not considered as inspired scriptures, do offer us insights into the life of Mary and the contemplation of the Church on her role in the economy of salvation. In the Protoevangelium of James, it was recounted that Anna and Joachim dedicated Mary to God in the Temple when she was three years old in fulfillment of the promise made to God when Anna was still childless. This act of consecration of course reminds us of Hannah offering Samuel back to God at the Temple after she had weaned him. (cf 1 Sm 1:21-28)
Why is this feast so important in the eyes of the Church? How does this celebration help us to live out our faith? Even though this feast lacks historicity, it serves as an encouragement and model for us to live out our faith as Mary did. It tells us that Mary from the very beginning of her life was dedicated to God. Her life was lived in consecration to God at every moment. This is what the Lord said of her. “‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.'” Mary’s life was lived in such a way that she was obedient to the Word of God. We too are called to consecrate our lives to God.
This is possible first and foremost if we have good parents like Joachim and Anne. For parents, it means that their children do not belong to them. Many of us think that our children are our property. We can do as we like with them. We form them according to our image and likeness. We make them choose a career that we ourselves like, a career that brings lots of money, fame, prestige and power. We think that they will be happy in that manner. When we form them to be worldly people, we have failed in our responsibility. The truth is that they are God’s children, not ours. We are just the care-givers and the guardians like St Joseph who looked after our Lord. The children were given to us as gifts from God. But the gift of parenthood entails that we raise our children to be children of God. “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” (1 Jn 3:1-3)
As parents, our task is to help them to become true children of God. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.” (Rom 8:29) In whatever, they do in life, they are called to become like Christ in their way of life, according to their profession and status in life. What is important is not that they become rich and famous but whether they become loving and generous people who live for others and not for themselves. “We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us – and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.” (1 Jn 3:16)
Parents who wish their children to be dedicated to do God’s work according to their vocation in life must therefore imbue them with the right gospel values. It is not enough for parents to care only about their academic education and other related skills. What is even more important to look after is their faith and moral values. If their life is not founded on God and morality, whatever they do will be for themselves and not for others.
Today, we thank Joachim and Anne for their initiative and example of offering Mary to the Lord from a tender age. We can be certain that the faith and lives of Joachim and Anne were exemplary for Mary. She lived in the ambience of God’s love mediated through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. Whilst it is true that Mary was under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to consecrate herself to God, whether at the Temple or gradually in her life, it was also the good example of her parents that helped her to desire to love God and serve Him all her life. Whether we like it or not, parents and adults are mentors for our young people. We can either be a scandal to them and their faith or be an inspiration. This is the power of influence of parents and leaders. We can either influence them for good or for evil, depending on how we live our lives.
As a consequence, Mary became a greater Temple than any other earthly temple constructed by men. Because of her availability to the Lord, the Lord came to dwell within her. She was the daughter of Zion whom the prophet said, “Sing, rejoice, daughter of Zion; for I am coming to dwell in the middle of you – it is the Lord who speaks.” She carried the child Jesus in her womb as His tabernacle. John the Baptist leapt for joy when he encountered the Lord in the same way King David leapt for joy when he met the Lord in the Ark of the Covenant. “As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord.” (2 Sm 6:16 cf Lk 1:44) The Lord was with her because of her docility to His love and His will. To consecrate means to put ourselves at the disposal of the Lord. That was what she said at the Annunciation. “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38) When we make ourselves available to the Lord, He will always do great things for us. “He has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Lk 1:48f) The more we abandon ourselves to the Lord, the more He will work in and through us.
Not only did she become a Temple of God, Mary also became a channel of grace to the Lord, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah. “Many nations will join the Lord, on that day; they will become his people. But he will remain among you, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. But the Lord will hold Judah as his portion in the Holy Land, and again make Jerusalem his very own. Let all mankind be silent before the Lord! For he is awakening and is coming from his holy dwelling.” Through Mary, many have been brought to the Lord Jesus. She continues to play a critical role in making us all children of God. Her blessing was not for herself but given to us, her children, as well. If, like Mary, we follow the will of God, we too become His mother, brothers and sisters, as Jesus promised. So if we want our children to also be channels of God’s love to others, let us groom them well according to the gospel values. Most of all, we must allow them to encounter the Lord so that His Spirit can fill them with His love.
In the final analysis, we must realize that holiness of life is not just our effort but basically, it is the work of God in us. In celebrating the feast of the Presentation of Mary, we are saying that the holiness of Mary’s life was the work of the Holy Spirit in her, beginning with her Immaculate Conception to her birth and continuing through her early childhood to her teenage years and until her death. The Holy Spirit was with her to keep her holy and faithful to the Word of God. This is the power of the grace of God in transforming Mary to be a channel of grace to our Lord. If we, especially priests and religious, offer ourselves to the Lord as Mary did, then God will also make use of us for His glory and for His people.
Let us all, regardless of whether we are parents, priests, religious or children, imitate Mary in consecrating our lives, plans and ambition to the Lord. Let us live for the Lord and His people. Let us live in Him so that He can live in us, as St Paul says “it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” (cf Gal 2:20). Only in total dedication and self-oblation with Mary, can the Lord use us mightily for His service.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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