November 21, 2004
Presentation De La Vierge Marie
Cet épisode de la vie de la Vierge Marie ne se trouve pas dans
les quatre évangiles, mais dans un livre apocryphe, le
"protévangile de Jacques". La piété populaire et la spiritualité
mariale en furent marquées, car elle soulignait bien la disponibilité
de la Vierge Marie, à l'égard de la volonté divine. Tant en Orient
qu'en Occident, cette fête connut un grand succès. Marie est bien
prédestinée à devenir le temple vivant de la divinité. La scène est
toute simple, selon cet évangile apocryphe : Anne et Joachim
voulurent remercier Dieu de la naissance de cette enfant. Ils la lui
consacrèrent. Lorsqu'elle eut trois ans, Marie fut conduite au
Temple, un prêtre l'accueille par des paroles qui ressemblent au
Magnificat et l'enfant s'assied sur les marches de l'autel. " Tout le
peuple d'Israël l'aima " . Cette fête est attestée dès le 6ème siècle.
(http://fnicolay.free.fr/saints/21novembre.htm)
"Hail, holy throne of God, divine sanctuary, house of glory, jewel most fair, chosen treasure house, and mercy seat for the whole world, heaven showing forth the glory of God. Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God and raised above all human condition, virgin soil, unplowed field, flourishing vine, fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child, mother without knowing man, hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity, by your most acceptable prayers, strong with the authority of motherhood, to our Lord and God, Creator of all, your Son who was born of you without a father, steer the ship of the Church and bring it to a quiet harbor" (adapted from a homily by St. Germanus on the Presentation of the Mother of God).
Mary’s presentation was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century. A church was built there in honor of this mystery. The Eastern Church was more interested in the feast, but it does appear in the West in the 11th century. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church.
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, theProtoevangelium of James tells us that Anna and Joachim offered Mary to God in the Temple when she was three years old. This was to carry out a promise made to God when Anna was still childless.
Though unhistorical, Mary’s presentation has an important theological purpose. It continues the impact of the feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the birth of Mary. It emphasizes that the holiness conferred on Mary from the beginning of her life on earth continued through her early childhood and beyond.
Posted by Santino at November 21, 2004 05:25 PM