[The
INTROIT, EPISTLE and
GOSPEL are the same as on the Feast of the Rosary.]
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INSTRUCTION
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I. Wonderful was the generosity of these parents who through love of God deprived themselves of their only and well beloved child, offering her to the Most High and devoting her to His service in the temple. True love of God is ever ready to make any sacrifice that may be required.
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Parents! God does not require from all of you, that you, like Joachim and Anne, should dedicate your children in a special manner to Him, but He does require of you all, that you see in your children the temple of the Holy Ghost, and that you should guard them from every stain of sin. From their earliest youth you should, if you wish for joy in your children, train them for God's service, changing your dwelling into God's temple by a Christian life.
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II. Mary even in her tenderest childhood, offers and consecrates herself; she gives herself unreservedly and irrevocably to God. When shall we give ourselves in earnest to Him? We were offered to Him in baptism, it is true, and made His consecrated temple; we then renounced the world and the devil; we then bound ourselves to live for
God only, and we have, since then, renewed our baptismal covenant with Him. But have we kept it? Have we not with one hand stolen that which with the other we offered to God? Have we not profaned with shameful desires the temple of our heart? Have we not lived more for ourselves, for the world, for vanity, than for God? When will we truly give ourselves to God? In our old age perhaps? But will God, after we have spent our youth and strength in the service of the world, accept the offering of our weak, feeble body, of our soul fettered by the chains of sin? Will He be satisfied with our service when we can no longer serve the world?
When we commence to live for God only when we commence to die? God is a jealous God, He is not satisfied with a divided heart. He wishes to be loved with the whole heart, with the whole soul, and with all one's strength. And thus He deserves to be loved; it is only such perfect love as this that He can reward, for He wishes to give Himself entirely to us, as we give ourselves entirely to Him, without reserve, for Christ says: If any one love me, my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him (Jn. 14:23).
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COLLECT. O God, of whose will the blessed Mary ever virgin being herself the dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit, was this day presented in the temple: grant, we beseech Thee, that, through her intercession, we may be found worthy to be presented in the temple of Thy glory. Through our Lord.
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PRAYER TO MARY. O Mary, most pleasing offering in the sight of God, prepare my heart to be a worthy and acceptable offering to God. Obtain for me, that from henceforth there may be no thought in my heart, no word of my mouth, no action of mine, which may not tend to my neighbor's good; that my heart may be at all times turned towards God, and that I may do nothing negligently that concerns God's honor and my own salvation. Take from me my own perverted will, and obtain for me a will like thine, that I may satisfactorily perform all my duties, and in everything be obedient to the
commands of God. Amen. |