"Behold the heavenly tabernacle" ...

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Feast Day - November 21*

*The Feast celebrates Mary as a temple,

where God dwelt in a special way through her role as Mother of Jesus.

"Go then, go, O Queen of the world, O Mother of God, go joyfully to

the house of God and there await the coming of the divine Spirit

who will make you the Mother of the divine Word." - St Germanus (+ 730)

 

From the Byzantine liturgy:

 "The most pure temple of the Savior, His most precious bridal chamber, the Virgin, sacred treasury of God's glory, enters today into the house of the Lord, bringing with her the grace of the divine Spirit.  Wherefore the angels of God are singing: "Behold the heavenly tabernacle!" ... Wherefore let us cry out to her with all our strength: "Joy to you, fulfillment of the Creator's plan!" At the moment when the young girl Mary was presented in the glorious Temple, "everything that humans build was already diminished by the praise in her heart." (Rilke)

 

"God Himself, with the whole heavenly court, 
was greatly pleased and glorified the day when He beheld His spouse being led 
to the Temple.  Never had He seen a holier creature, 
nor one whom He loved so tenderly, come to offer herself to Him."
- Bernardine de Bustis (+1515)

"Hail, Holy throne of God, divine sanctuary, house of glory, jewel most fair, chosen treasure house, and mercy seat for the whole world, heaven showing forth the glory of God.  Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God and raised above all human condition, virgin soil, unplowed field, flourishing vine, fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child, mother without knowing man, hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity, by your most acceptable prayers, strong with the authority of mother hood, to our Lord and God, Creator of all, your Son who was born of you without a father, steer the ship of the Church and bring it to a quiet harbor." - St Germanus, homily on the Presentation of Mary 

 
"Hers was the happiness of first bearing in her womb
 Him whom she would obey as her master." - St Augustine

Click here: Presentation of Mary - YouTube (2 mins)

various works of art depicting Presentation of Mary + Hail Mary sung

Click here: The Presentation of Mary - YouTube (2 mins)
Click here: Catholic Fire: The Feast of the Presentation of Mary

Contemplating, listening, following...

FEAST of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel*
*Title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary,

in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order
July 16

The Carmelites see in the Blessed Virgin Mary a perfect model of the interior life of prayer and contemplation to which Carmelites aspire, a model of virtue, as well as the person who was closest in life to Jesus Christ. She is seen as the one who points Christians most surely to Christ, saying to all what she says to the servants at the wedding at Cana, "Do whatever He [Jesus] tells you." Carmelites look to Mary as spiritually their mother and sister.

  

“Contemplating Mary, we will understand better

the transforming force that the Eucharist possesses.

Listening to her, we will find in the Eucharistic

mystery the courage and strength to follow Christ

the Good Shepherd and to serve Him in our brothers.”

Pope St. John Paul II

June 10, 2004

Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel is expressed through the scapular.

“The scapular is an external sign of the filial relationship established between the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Mount Carmel, and the faithful who entrust themselves totally to her protection, who have recourse to her maternal intercession, and who are mindful of the primacy of the spiritual life and the need for prayer” (Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, 205).

Click here: Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel - YouTube  (CNA - 2 mins)

Click here: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - YouTube  (Apostleship of Prayer - 2 mins)

Click here: Spiritualdirection.com | Flos Carmeli - Flower of Carmel -

More info on scapulars and use, incl where to obtain one for yourself: http://www.fisheaters.com/scapulars.html 

 Our Lady of Mt Carmel, pray for us

and lead us to your Son!

Blessed Feast Day to all Carmelites
and all scapular wearers!

The first tabernacle...

Feast of the VISITATION

May 31

Blessed is she who believed that what the Lord

has said would be fulfilled. ~ Luke 1:45

"O noble Virgin, truly you are greater than any other greatness. 

For who is your equal in greatness, O dwelling place of God the Word? 

To whom among all creatures shall I compare you, O Virgin? 

You are greater than them all, O Ark of the Covenant, clothed 

with purity instead of gold! You are the Ark in which is found 

the golden vessel containing the true manna, that is, 

the flesh in which Divinity resides." ~ St Athanasius

 “Mary also anticipated, in the mystery of the Incarnation, 
the Church’s Eucharistic faith.  When, at the Visitation, she bore 
in her womb the Word made flesh, she became in some way a ‘tabernacle’ – the first ‘tabernacle’ in history – 
in which the Son of God, still invisible to our human gaze, 
allowed Himself to be adored by Elizabeth radiating His light 
as it were through the eyes and the voice of Mary.

And is not the enraptured gaze of Mary …

that unparalleled model of love which should inspire us 
every time we receive Eucharistic communion?" 

Pope St John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 55

Painting: The Visitation - Karl von Blaas

Tabernacle at St Peter Catholic Church - St Charles, Missouri - USA

“Is it not this also the joy of the Church, which receives Christ

incessantly in the holy Eucharist and takes Him to the world

with the testimony of active charity, full of faith and hope?

Yes, to receive Jesus and to take Him to others is the true joy of the Christian! Let us follow and imitate Mary’s profoundly Eucharistic

soul, and our whole life will become a Magnificat.”

Pope Benedict XVI

31 May 2005

"Let Mary's soul be in each of you to proclaim the greatness of the Lord. 
Let her spirit be in each to rejoice in the Lord. 
Christ has only one mother in the flesh,
 but we all bring forth Christ in faith." - St Ambrose

Blessed Mother Mary and St Elizabeth, pray for us!