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FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN ( November 21st )

My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. (Luke I, 47.)

Enmity is a feeling or condition of hostility; hatred; ill will; animosity; malice; rancor

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CONSIDER FIRSTLY how the holy child Mary, being just three years old, was led by her holy parents to the temple according to the promise they had made. The appointed day having arrived, the immaculate little maiden set out from Nazareth with St. Joachim and St. Anne. They were undoubtedly accompanied also by a troop of angels, who went with this holy child destined to be the Mother of their Creator and also their Sovereign Queen.

APPLICATION: Go, says St. Germanus, go, O Blessed Virgin, to the house of the Lord. There await the Holy Spirit, Who will come to make thee Mother of the Eternal Word and our mother also.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:I will come into thy house; I will worship towards thy holy temple, in thy fear. Conduct me, O Lord, in thy justice: because of my enemies, direct my way in thy sight. (Ps. v, 8-9.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY that, when they reached the temple in Jerusalem, the holy child would have turned to her parents, and kneeling down kissed their hands, and sought their blessing. Then she mounted the steps to the temp0le, and completely renounced the world, and all the goods it could offer her, gave and consecrated herself entirely to God. Henceforth the life of Mary in the temple was only a continual exercise of love, and a complete offering of herself to her Lord. It increased from hour to hour, even from moment to moment, in holy virtue, strengthened indeed by divine grace.

APPLICATION: Let us bear in mind that she on her part always strove, with all her powers, to correspond to the grace of God. Mary herself revealed this to the virgin St. Elizabeth, and said to her: “Possibly you think I received graces and virtues without any effort on my part. Know then that I had no grace from God without great effort, continual prayer, ardent desires, and many tears and penances.”

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may see the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple. (Ps. xxvi, 4.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY that in the temple the little maiden’s life was nothing else than one of prayer. Seeing that the human race was lost, and in enmity with God, she prayed continually for the coming of the Messiah. She desired to become the servant of that blessed virgin, who should be elected the Mother of God. Oh! we could have then said to her: Holy Lady, know that by thy prayers thou hast already hastened the coming of the Son of God to redeem the world. Know that thou art the blessed one chosen to be the Mother of thy Creator.

APPLICATION: O beloved one of God, O most holy child, thou prayest for all men, pray for me also. From thy infancy thou didst consecrate thyself entirely to the love of thy God. Oh then obtain for me that at least for the years of life that remain to me, I may live only for God. To-day, with thee, I too renounce all creatures and consecrate myself to the love of my Lord. I offer myself  also to thee, my Queen, to serve thee for ever. Accept me as thy devoted servant. Obtain for me the grace to be faithful to thee and thy Son, so that one day I may come to praise and love thee for ever in heaven. Amen.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: He heard my voice from his holy temple, and my cry before him came into his ears. (Ps. xvii, 7.)

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