Today we offer something new – an essay by Father Abram Ryan on the Purification of Blessed Virgin Mary. Father Abram Joseph Ryan was a remarkable man and a Catholic Chaplain in the War Between the States who called New Orleans his home for many years. Here is his sermon given in New Orleans regarding our Most Blessed Lady’s Purification.
“Now dost Thou dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word, in peace. Because mine eyes have seen Thy salvation. Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples. A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.”— Luke 2, 29-32.
In the Temple
Forty days after the birth of Jesus, His blessed Mother accompanied by Joseph went up to the Temple for her purification and His presentation.
Sinless as Mary was there was no real need for her compliance with the ceremony of purification as there had been no need of our Lord’s subjecting Himself to the rite of circumcision. They complied with the requirements of the law in order to leave us an example of obedience. And besides the mystery of her Motherhood and the divinity of the child were in this way to remain unrevealed.
Mary the child of the Temple re-enters its gates; a Virgin Mother bearing in her arms the everlasting God. Joseph carried the turtle doves as humble offerings. Never had God received such homage in heaven or on earth as when Mary presented her child in the Temple. It was an infinite offering and the little Christ gave to His Father in that hour infinite homage.
Into the Temple, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit came the aged Simeon, a just man and devout, “who had been waiting for the consolation of Israel.”
For it had been revealed to him that before death he would see with his own eyes the Lord’s Christ. Mary he had known in the days of her childhood. He had been present at her presentation. A great joy filled his aged heart. He took the child in his trembling arms, and blest God. And then his voice arose in song:
“Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, Lord, according to Thy word in peace. Because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples : A light to the revelation of the gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.”
Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary the Mother:
“Behold this child is set for the ruin and resurrection of many in Israel and for a sign that shall be contradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed.’
Simeon read in prophetic vision the whole future history of the child and he tells it to the Mother; for she is to be involved in it – to be part and portion of it.
Anna the prophetess, also entered the Temple and gave thanks to the Lord. There were listeners in the Temple, but they did not understand Simeon’s song and prophecy and Anna’s blessing. The wondrous beauty of the young mother, the resemblance between her face and that of the child a-nestling in her arms, the gentleness of Joseph – all this attracted their attention; but though they were almost touching the mystery of mysteries they knew it not.
Heedless
How often we are face to face with the supernatural and it passes us by unheeded? Are we not surrounded by mysteries, sacraments, facts above nature filling all hours and somehow we seem blind to their presence. Are we not dwelling in the awful every-whereness of God from first to last of life half-the-while heedless of the mystery?
So they in the Temple, the lookers-on in the day of Mary’s purification and Christ’s presentation stood in the shadow of the supernatural – but they went their ways merely passing wondering remarks upon Mary and Joseph and the child.
And Mary went her way – the sharp point of the sword of sorrow entering her heart – but as day follows day it will sink in deeper until her soul shall be trans- fixed with sorrow.
The Mother of the victim must also be a victim. “The Man of sorrow” must have a mother of sorrow. Few the joys of their lives, but countless and intense the pangs.
She saw, in spirit, every footstep of Christ until the nailing of His feet on Calvary. No wonder that the sorrowful hasten to the Mother of sorrows! She can compassionate sorrow’s every pang because she suffered them all.
And where the Mother of sorrow is, with her will be found the Man of Sorrows – Mother and child together. Seven great mysteries of sorrow divide the days of her life.
The world worships joy, goes forth to meet it, welcomes it,—walks in its light;—but flies or tries to fly from grief. And yet after all that, earth-joy is vain, fleeting and unsatisfying. A ghost of grief haunts the footsteps of every joy.
Only spiritual joys can satisfy the soul, joys that spring from prayers, graces, sacraments, obediences to God’s laws. And these fill the heart with that holy peace which this world can neither give nor take away.
For such souls beside the greatest earthly sorrows the highest spiritual joys can be found inter-clasping one another. Sorrow was to be one of the most powerful elements in the holiness of the Blessed Virgin.
Remember that from the moment of her immaculate conception on up until the moment of her death, her life was ascensional. Every moment she rose higher in sanctity. Her graces and merits were constantly multiplying; until she reached heights to no other creature accessible and though finite manifested, more than all other beings combined…
Mary’s Martyrdom
As towards all other creatures, her holiness was and is incommunicable. No being ever bore the image and likeness of God as Mary did and does now in heaven. We are His images but imperfect. But in Mary the divine image is perfectly mirrored. .. And the sign of that spiritual work is sorrow. Her life before Calvary was a martyrdom of suspense and fear and expectation. Her martyrdom on Calvary is only surpassed by that of her Saviour-son. And after Calvary she suffered the martyrdom of waiting. And always in perfect conformity to the will of God.
Sweet is the spiritual fragrance of the flower of the purification. It is a mingling of obedience to the law—of joy in presenting such a child, God’s own equal, to God Himself and of sorrow for His foretold sufferings.
Purification
On the second day of February, Holy Church who is also a virgin mother, keeps the feast of Mary’s purification. But all the days of all the years our beautiful Church holds festivals of Purification. The Bride of the Lamb forever, her mission is to purify the world of error and sin. The gates of her temples are ever open that those who may need to be purified may enter and be cleansed.
The ceremony of purification never ceases. At the baptismal font, – from the pulpit, in the confessional, on the altar the purifying power is always active.
Blessed are they who, needing to be purified come in imitation of Mary, who, though not in need of it went up to the Temple in obedience to the law. And then to each of us the Saviour with the gentleness of a child and the mercy of a God will be presented. Once she presented Him to the Father; – but now her love is to present Him to sinners in the hours of their purification.
Aspiration
“We have received Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy temple: according to Thy name, God, so also is Thy praise, unto the ends of the earth: Thy right hand is full of justice.” Psalm 47.
“Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain.”
Prayer for the Purification
Almighty everliving God, we humbly beseech Thy Majesty, that as Thine only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh so we also may, with purified hearts, be presented unto Thee.
Remember – Our Lady needs us to obey: First Saturdays of Reparation, daily rosary, at least 5 mysteries, wear her brown scapular and live your Total Consecration to her Immaculate Heart, offering daily duties in reparation and for the conversion of poor sinners.
Open your hearts to the Lord and serve Him only: and He will free you from the hands of your enemies. With all your heart return to Him, and take away from your midst any strange gods” (I Kings 7:3)
✝︎ Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of our hearts, Mother of the Church, do thou offer to the Eternal Father the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for the conversion of poor sinners, especially our Pontiff.
✝︎ Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come! Viva Cristo Rey!
✝︎ St. Joseph, protect us, protect our families, protect our priests.
✝︎ St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Pray the Rosary for a Pope and Bishops who will obediently consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
~ by evensong for love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, King.
Vouchsafe that I may praise thee, O Sacred Virgin!
Give me strength against thine enemies!
Thus spoke St. Augustine, when he thought over his past life, which he had spent incessantly in the abominable vice of impurity. As often as the thought occurred to him, his heart was torn and devoured by repentance. “Oh, my Lord,” he exclaimed, “I have lived without loving Thee; oh, my Lord, how many precious years have I lost! Deign, O Lord, I implore Thee, to efface from Thy memory my past faults!”
The writings of Sister Josefa echo in many ways the writings of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and one can discern a hint of them in Sister Lucia’s writings as well. I strongly suspect that the true writings of Sister Lucia would bear even more resemblance to both of them were we to have access to them. This is because Our Lord Jesus Christ has been telling us in no uncertain terms, what is necessary to counter-act the spiritual terrorism of the arrogant pride prevailing in the world today.
