By Jessel Pradeep Cutinha csc.
Readings: 2 Mac 6:18-31; Mt 12:46-50
Today is the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This day commemorates the presentation of Mary in the temple by her parents, Anne, and Joachim, when she was three years old. The feast was celebrated in Jerusalem in the sixth century and a church was built there in honour of this. Although the feast at times disappeared from the calendar, in the 16th century it became a feast of the universal Church. The feast reminds us that the act of presenting oneself to God reveals how much God means to us and how much we belong to him.
Today’s readings teach us to remain loyal to our faith in God and calls us to broaden our spiritual family. This requires personal sacrifice. In the first reading, Eleazer teaches us to have unwavering faith and commitment to our beliefs. He tells us that our faith should be non-negotiable even at the time of adversity. Therefore, Eleazer undergoes suffering and remains faithful to the Word of God. Today’s gospel reading speaks about Jesus’s familial bond and how he extends it to all of us, not just to his biological family. He invites us to be a part of his family by doing the will of God.
This is a beautiful message that emphasizes the importance of doing God’s will and being a part of a larger community. Jesus also upholds his mother, who did the will of God throughout her life. He valued her sacrifice and dedication at the service of God. Thus, to do the will of God is to hold fast to our faith and recognize the value of sacrifice for our belief like Eleazer and Mother Mary did. Today, Eleazar and Mother Mary call us to a deeper and profound commitment to God’s will even if it means making personal sacrifices for the common good.