Presentation of Mary in the Temple

Presentation of Mary in the Temple

Mary's hidden life, e.g., her Presentation in the Temple, finds expression in ancient traditions. That which is known is found in the seventh chapter of the Apocryphal gospel of James, which has been dated by historians prior to the year 200 AD. In a similar vein of sacred narrative the visionary, Maria Valltorta, ‘Poem of the Man God’, portrays the very human feelings of Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne, and their sense of the centrality of Temple dedication in their religious outlook.

The evidence of Temple practice regarding the Boy Jesus’ conversing with the Rabbis, or the ancients Simeon and Anna joining in the general gathering, suggests the kind of communal sharing in which young girls had their role. Behind all the upright men and boys serving in the temple were the devoted women and girls of every age, whatever about the exclusive court for the women.

The story of the young Mary in relation to the temple is not confined to written narratives.

“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”.

Artists and Poets have also found inspiration in the Presentation of Mary.

Our tainted nature's solitary boast, William Wordsworth

The Virgin

Mother! whose virgin bosom was uncrost
With the least shade of thought to sin allied;
Woman! above all women glorified,
Our tainted nature's solitary boast;
Purer than foam on central ocean tost;
Brighter than eastern skies at daybreak strewn
With fancied roses, than the unblemished moon
Before her wane begins on heaven's blue coast;
Thy Image falls to earth. Yet some, I ween,
Not unforgiven the suppliant knee might bend,
As to a visible Power, in which did blend
All that was mixed and reconciled in Thee
Of mother's love with maiden purity,
Of high with low, celestial with terrene!

There is no lack of documents on the tradition of Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple.
A MEDITATION by Fr. Paul Hafner, published in the monthly "Inside the Vatican" Nov 2007, reproduces the Discourse on the Feast of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos into the Holy of the Holies, by Gregory Palamas. (1296-1359).

St. Jerome
The earthly life of the Most Holy Theotokos from Her infancy until She was taken up to Heaven is shrouded in deep mystery. Her life at the Jerusalem Temple was also a secret. "If anyone were to ask me," said St Jerome, "how the Most Holy Virgin spent the time of Her youth, I would answer that that is known to God Himself and the Archangel Gabriel, Her constant guardian."

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Abbot Raymond, Chapter Talk 20 Nov 07

They say that "Curiosity killed the Cat". Yes curiosity can be a very dangerous thing and can lead one into all sorts of dangers and difficulties. However, there is also a virtue of Curiosity; a curiosity about the things of God; a curiosity about our faith and the life of grace.

When Zacchaeous, the little tax collector climbed the tree to see Jesus we are told that it was because "he was anxious to see him". So, on the face of it, it was his curiosity that led to his conversion. At least it had a very great part to play in it. If he hadn’t climbed the tree Jesus would not have seen him and would not have called out to him. He was so small that he would have been lost behind the jostling crowds.

God, of course, knows so well this trait of curiosity in our nature and uses it for his own purposes. There are many strange sayings and events in the course of God's dealings with us as recorded in sacred Scripture. There are many things that just don’t seem to make sense or are so outlandish and puzzling that they catch our attention.

For example Jesus says that we must "Hate our Father and Mother for his name's sake".
He twice addresses his Mother as "Woman"
He says "You must eat my flesh and drink my blood"
There is the massacre of the innocents at his coming.
The Old Testament is full of strange stories that foreshadow the coming of Christ in the most puzzling of ways.

The human mind is fascinated by puzzles and takes great pleasure in unravelling them. God knows this well and so revelation is, in many ways, like a great crossword puzzle, full of clues and answers, all interconnected and all leading to one and the same person of Jesus.

Lets be curious then about God's word and what it means. There is great joy to be found in unravelling its clues.