THEY FOUND MARY

PRAYER MOMENT 

Friday 21 November 2014, the Presentation of Mary

THEY FOUND MARY

                     

Pause. Be still in God’s presence.

Reading: “So the shepherds hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger” (Luke 2:15-20)

Reflection. Following tradition Mary would have been presented in the temple at the age of three and the church has taken this event as a moment to celebrate the consecration of her whole life to God and to his plan that she would be the mother of Jesus. The event gave its name to the group of sisters founded by Nano Nagle in Ireland in the 1770s to teach children at a time when there were no schools and anyway it was forbidden to teach Cathoics. Nano started her first school in secret. She must have known the truth would come out and sure enough a man came to the family home to beg her to accept his little girl into her school. Nano’s family were angry with her at first but they soon softened and came to support her despite the “illegality” of what she was doing. In time her work was accepted and she was venerated at home and broad but she had to face many obstacles.

Prayer. Lord, help us to se what has to be done and give us the courage to do it whatever the obtacles. Amen.  

David Harold-Barry SJ