Part 4 of a 15 part series on the Holy Rosary.
The fourth joyful mystery: The Presentation.
Proud parents going to the Temple to make a cleansing sacrifice. A new-born Child dictates such a sacrifice according to the law of Moses. A sin offering meant to cleanse, to remove, to blot out sin. But here there was no sin. The Blessed Virgin, the Childs only truly human parent according to the flesh, was born without the stain of original sin in order to make her a fitting vessel, a Holy Ark meant to contain the Word of God. And she had kept her vessel clean. She was everything Eve was meant to be and wasn’t. Holiness IS possible when we co-operate with God’s perfect will. And what of Joseph? There was no sin on his part in any of this. On the contrary, he was nothing less than obedient to God. And the Child? No guilt nor stain of guilt was with Him nor ever would be. So why the sin offering? Simple. The people around them knew none of the above. To not offer sacrifice would have scandalized these. The answer? Just do the next right thing, even when it’s not strictly necessary. The result? The giving of Joy, the Joy Child, to both Simeon and Anna. Two pious Jews waiting all their lives to just glimpse the Promised One. Doing the next right thing even when I don’t have to, even when according to the law there is no real reason because there is no sin whether others know it or not, brings what into the world? Into the life of others? Maybe nothing. Maybe great joy. Maybe an example that shows them Jesus. Maybe Jesus.
Prayer: Mother Mary, please help me do the next right thing for love of Jesus.
Jude-Marian's Blog 