So Much Going On This 4th Sunday after Epiphany

And just like that January 2025 has left us and we're already two days into February, the 4th Sunday after Epiphany. 

So much going on this blessed Sunday - and we don't mean that it's "Ground Hog Day"! We Catholics know that it's the Feast of Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, although in the newfangled calendar, it's rather the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

Why the switch? Maybe something to do with an aversion to the idea that a woman needed "purification" after child-birth? But that is, of course, why Mary went to the Temple. But let's not try to parse through this issue today. We have something special to consider regarding Our Blessed Mother.

As we meditate on Mary entering the Temple to perform the rites expected of her, we recall that all began with Annunciation and Mary's "Fiat": Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to Thy word. She determines to do whatever it was that God willed. And that Fiat was not some arbitrary, spur of the moment, ad hoc decision. Mary's entire life, from the moment of her conception in her mother Anne's womb, was one of always putting God first. Remember, she was conceived without stain of Original Sin. And her life on this earth never saw sin encumber her soul. She was, in a sense, always free to do God's Will always and everywhere.

    “There is a wondrous naturalness and simplicity in St. Luke’s account of the Annunciation. We are actually transported to the scene, and made to witness the event itself. The angel first dispels Mary’s fears by announcing to her that she is acceptable to God. The phrase ‘thou hast found grace,’ is a pure Hebraism. It is a common expression in the Old Testament to express the goodwill and favor of one agent towards another. Of itself it would not manifest any singular prerogative of Mary over any other one with whom God was pleased; but, in fact, we know that it does express a degree of the divine love never given to any other creature. And yet what had Mary done to merit such love? God’s love for Mary was not mere caprice. To be sure, God’s preventing grace, and his co-operating grace, had been given in large measure to her, but she had not been an inert agent, dragged to her height of perfection, without contributing anything thereto. And yet her life was uneventful; she had not impressed her age. The great world was quite oblivious of her. There is one great truth illustrated by Mary’s life – that one does not need to startle the world by great deeds to please God. God judges not as man. The things that the world prizes are set at naught by God. One upward soaring of Mary’s soul to her Creator availed more in this appreciation than all the great deeds chronicled in the records of men. There is a practical lesson in Mary’s life for all. Most lives must be commonplace and uneventful. Sometimes, instead of making use of present opportunities in the uneventful life that is our portion, we sigh for a broader sphere of action in which to serve God. No doubt God sometimes calls chosen souls to a broader field, but these are isolated cases. The great mass of humanity must labor and strive in the ordinary, uneventful spheres of human life. Mary’s life teaches us that the highest sanctity can be achieved in the lowest, meanest walk of life. The devils can do great deeds; we cannot equal them. God cares not for such. There is a path to heaven from the lowest, dingiest place where human life drags out its brief span from eternity to eternity. God asks not of man brilliant, dazzling achievements; he asks what Mary gave him, the love of a pure heart; this everyone can give. Sanctity consists in doing the little deeds well – and in loving God.” - Fr. A.E. Breen (1908)

Without Mary's "Fiat" there would be no Jesus, no salvation. But the real wonder in Father Breen's comments comes from the simple fact of the ordinary life that Mary led. Most of us can appreciate this ordinary life. We likely lead such lives. And here, with Mary, we can accept our ordinariness and resolve to live, best we can, as did she - totally devoted to do God's Will.

It may be quite a stretch for most of us, but, of course, Our Lady's intercession will call down God's Grace. With His Grace we can at the very least strive to do His Will and never give up no matter how many times we may slip and fall.

Happy Sunday!