The Presentation of Mary in the Temple

In the Eastern Church, this day is called The Great Feast of the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple. The event, though not recorded in the New Testament, is described in the Protoevangelim of James, a non-canonical "gospel", one of many that were written to "fill in the gaps" left in the four canonical gospels. It is from this account that we have the names Anne and Joachim and the tradition that Mary, at the age of three, was presented to God as a return for their answered prayer to have a child. She was received with great jubilation and spent her youth there, learning the Hebrew Scriptures and growing in her union with God. Modern scholars of Mariology do not accept this story as fact and prefer to stress Mary's "ordinariness" as simply a young Jewish girl who grew up in Nazareth without the benefit of an education, even to being able to read. We don't know for sure if either view is correct, but the reverence the Eastern Catholics give this feast (one of the 12 holydays in their liturgical calendar), gives it at least some symbolic weight.
Mary's "Yes" at the Annunciation could be seen as beginning at the steps of the Temple, as she enters in complete openness to the presence of God and later herself becomes the Temple of God as she carries Jesus in her womb. The feast also presents us with the model of openness to God's inviting presence in our lives. We have received all from God, and in turn, like Mary, we are called to "pay forward" by giving of what we have received, of who we are, to others, and thus returning the gift of ourselves to God. Mary, may we become a faithful disciple like you and put our gifts at the disposal of others, especially as we give thanks this week for all we have received, and next week enter into the holy season of Advent. Amen.
Bro. Rene