21st November

The Presentation of the Virgin commemorates when Mary, as a child, was brought to the temple by her parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne, as a symbol of surrender and consecration to God. It is an act of faith and obedience. By taking their daughter to the temple, St. Joachim and St. Anne demonstrate a deep commitment to her spiritual education and her future service to God.

Mary, from her earliest age, is instructed in these traditions and in the spiritual life, which will prepare her for her crucial role in salvation history. This reminds us that great vocations often begin with small acts of faith and dedication. It invites us to be open to the plans God may have for us, even when they may seem challenging or uncertain.

Undoubtedly, St. Nazaria, who gave her life on the 21st November on the eve of her first communion, saw Jesus on the way to Calvary with the cross on his shoulders, who said to her ‘Follow me’ and she answered: ‘I will follow you, Lord, as close as a human creature can’. It is incredible to think that a nine-year-old girl would say such profound words. Yet, as in Mary’s life, God was at work in Nazaria’s life. And the most important thing is that they both sensed and prepared themselves for what God was inspiring them to do.

Just as Mary and Nazaria are chosen and given such a great mission, each of us has a role in God’s great design, and we are called to live with faith and trust in the path that lies before us.

With these examples given to us by both the Virgin Mary and St. Nazaria, let us listen to the voice of the Lord, and discover what God wants of us.

H. Akhila Burugu