Homily for the Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today, the Church celebrates the Presentation of Mary, who was devoted to following God's plan for her life from a very young age. Her unwavering faith and commitment resulted in God choosing her to become a living temple, a vessel through which He could uniquely embody Himself. Mary's openness to divine inspiration from an early age allowed her to become a dwelling place for God's Son, Jesus, in a real and physical sense.

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus speaks of those who "do the will of [His] Father in heaven." Mary is the first and most perfect example of this. Her lifelong dedication to God's will made her a fitting vessel for His Son to enter the world.

We, too, are called to do God's will so that we may become temples of the Lord, carrying His presence to others. As St. Paul wrote, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

On this day, we ask Mary to intercede for us and pray that we may always seek to do the Father's will so that we, too, may become living temples of the living God, with His Spirit dwelling within us.