4th Joyful Mystery: Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

By Ivonne Hernandez

St Peter Julian Eymard´s Words:

"Our Lord would not delay to offer Himself publicly to His Father. Forty days after His Birth, He inspired Mary to take Him to the Temple. Mary carried her Infant in her arms, about to offer Him to the Father, and to buy Him back with two turtle-doves. Jesus willed to be purchased for these little creatures, which speak to us of His purity and simplicity." [1]

"He obeys not only at Mass when the priest pronounces the words of the consecration, but at every moment of the day and night, whenever the faithful need Him. His permanent state is one of genuine and simple obedience." [2]

​MEDITATION:

The mystery of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple speaks to us of obedience. “He inspired Mary to take Him to the Temple.” Mary’s steps were inspired by Jesus, who had, even as an infant, only His Father’s will in mind. He wanted to offer himself publicly to His Father, and, at the same time, teach us about purity and simplicity.

Why was Jesus so eager to start teaching us about purity? Perhaps it is because purity of heart is a requirement for the beatific vision, which is our ultimate goal. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (CCC, 1716) St Peter Julian tells us that “The clearness of one's insight into the Eucharist is proportioned to one's greater or lesser love and purity of life.” [3] We are not pure enough to see through the Eucharistic veil on our own. We need Mary, our mother and perfect model, to help us. We need to ask her, with the simplicity of a child, to clothe us with her virtues so we can sit at the feet of Our Lord and learn from Him. The pure of heart can pierce through the Eucharistic veil and contemplate our Lord now, in this Heaven on earth,[4] as we wait in hope for the day when we see Him with unveiled faces. In that contemplation, we will hear His inspirations.

When I think of Mary carrying the infant Jesus and presenting Him at the Temple, a story our parish priest once shared comes to mind. He said that one day, as He was carrying the Monstrance to the teens during Eucharistic Adoration, He heard Jesus tell him “Just take me to where I need to go and I’ll do the rest.” Jesus was inspiring his steps just like He inspired Mary’s. As an infant He couldn’t walk to the Temple to offer Himself to the Father. He needed Mary. In the Eucharist He can’t get to where He needs to go by himself. He needs man. He needs the priest to bring Him to the altar, to bring Him to the sick, to bring Him to those who want to receive Him. And He needs us to bring Him to the rest of the world. Let us grow in purity and simplicity, so we can listen to the inspirations of Jesus in the Eucharist. We can then let Him guide our steps, and bring us with Him, in obedience, to the will of the Father.

​SEND:

​When you meditate on the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, ponder on Our Lord’s permanent state of obedience in the Most Blessed Sacrament, and ask Our Lady for the grace to imitate Him.

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Next: 5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

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[1] Eymard, Our Lady of The Blessed Sacrament, p.72
[2] Eymard, The Real Presence ,p. 61
[3] Eymard, The Real Presence, p. 102
[4] Eymard, Our Lady of The Blessed Sacrament, p.26