This month, on November 21st, the Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of Our Lady, when her parents, St. Ann and St. Joachim, took her to the Temple to offer her in service to the Lord—just as Our Lady and St. Joseph would do with the Child Jesus years later.
The day of her presentation was a day of immense joy for Mary. Her soul, immaculate and filled with grace from the first moment of her conception, desired nothing more than to love and serve her God. This day brought her more fully into his service and allowed her to assist day and night in His house. She said to her angels:
“Messengers of the Almighty, faithful friends, I beseech you to remain with me in this holy Temple of my Lord and to remind me of all that I should do. Please instruct me and direct me so that in all things I may fulfill the Will of God.”
But Our Lady’s Presentation is not mentioned in the Bible—actually, nothing about her life prior to the Annunciation is mentioned at all. How do we know what she said to the angels? Do we know any details about this part of her life?
St. Anne Teaching the Virgin to Read by Murillo
While we do not read about Mary’s childhood in Scripture, God has given some privileged souls private revelations concerning her hidden life. While these revelations do not carry the weight of public revelation contained in the deposit of faith—nor do they constitute historical sources—and while we are not obliged to believe them, those that have met with the approbation of the Church are a wonderful way to illuminate our contemplation of these mysteries.
The quotation above is taken from The Life of Mary as Seen by the Mystics, a compilation of the visions of several saints—Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, St. Bridget of Sweden, Ven. Mother Mary of Agreda, and St. Elizabeth of Schoenau—concerning Our Lady’s hidden life, arranged into a chronological, easy-to-read narrative.
Devotion to Our Lady is an essential aspect of our Catholic faith. As such, it is incredibly important that we introduce our children to Our Lady intercession—she longs to receive them into the fold of her mantel! With the Mary on the Mantel Book and Mary Doll Set, you can introduce Marian devotion to your children while engaging them with fun spiritual activity for Advent! It includes a board book about Mary, daily activity cards with messages from Mary, an Advent coloring sheet, and a plush Mary doll. Order yours today and receive this adorable set before Advent begins!
