Feast of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“As with Mary’s birth, we read of Mary’s presentation in the temple only in apocryphal literature. In what is recognized as an unhistorical account, the Protoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was 3 years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.”
It is interesting that on this day the gospel is Luke 21:1-4.
”When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, ‘I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.’“
On this day of the feast of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we can just imagine Anna and Joachim offering their precious Mary to God. Just as the widow in the gospel offered her two small coins, Anna and Joachim offered all the wealth they had: Mary.
Saints Anna and Joachim, pray for us.