This month we will celebrate the Presentation of Mary. Joachim and Anne had consecrated her to God, and so they brought her to the temple to fulfill this promise. While living in the temple she prayed and opened her heart to do the will of God.
We are grateful to have Mary as our Mother. God chose her first and guided her footsteps, filling her with many graces and his unconditional love, preparing her to be the Mother of Jesus, the mother of the long-awaited Messiah.
During this Jubilee Year of Hope, we may open our hearts to God by making a novena (November 13-21) to prepare our hearts for Mary’s feast day on November 21. Let us be open and be attentive to the Word of God, as found in chapter five, of St. Matthew’s gospel: The Beatitudes. These Beatitudes are a path of hope and joy that can transform us as we reflect on what Jesus is calling us to.
Mary is the one who leads us to Jesus, she is always near us.
Let us offer to her, the difficulties, problems and joys of our lives. Each day as you read and reflect on one Beatitude, ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you to see how you may live it in your daily life. Let us live the Spirit of the Beatitudes which is a new way of living and very important to a Christian life. The Beatitudes present a way of letting God take possession of our lives to change and transform us.
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to him and he began to teach them. He said:
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you because of me. (New American Bible)
author Niebuhr
