First Sorrow of Mary – The prophecy of Simeon
(Luke 2:22-35) When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. He took Jesus up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples. And His father and His mother marveled at what was said about Him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”
THE FOURTH JOYFUL MYSTERY:
THE PRESENTATION AND CONSECRATION OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE
“This child is destined to be ... opposed (rejected) ... and you yourself shall be pierced with a sword. ” (Lk 2:34)
Meditation:
The Joy of Consecration
“Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength!”
(see Nehe 8:10b)
As Mary presented and consecrated Jesus in the temple, we ask her now to consecrate and present us to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mary took Jesus to the temple because He Himself would become the New Temple who makes sacred and holy the house of God through His Eucharistic Presence on earth.
Simeon’s prophecy of Jesus being rejected continues in our age as the Holy Eucharist is an embarrassment to the proud today, just as His incarnation, and His Cross was a stumbling block to those not open to God’s plan of salvation 2000 years ago.
This is why your visit to Him today is so important. You console Him for those who turn away from His Eucharistic love. Simeon’s joy is our joy today as in the Blessed Sacrament we behold what Simeon proclaimed at the Presentation: “My eyes have seen the salvation … for all the peoples to see: a revealing light to the Gentiles, the glory of Your people.”
In our consecration to Mary, she takes all our thoughts, words, and actions and makes them pleasing to Jesus BY PURIFYING THEM IN HER LOVE, clothing them in her merits, and presenting them to His Eucharistic Heart that He may see and love in us what He sees and loves in His Mother. This is the joy of consecration!
Blessed Sacrament Prayer :
Jesus take our wretched hearts, and give us a ‘new heart’ by giving us Your very own. During this mystery, we renew OUR TOTAL CONSECRATION to the Immaculate heart of Mary Through Mary, we offer to Your Eucharistic Heart all that we have and all that we are, “totally Yours, totus tuus”.
(Fr.Martin Lucia: Come to Me in the Blessed Sacrament)
