Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/453

 as the  law  of  Moses  prescribed. They carried  with  them  the usual offering  of  the  poor,  a pair  of  turtle-doves Turtle-doves. According to  the  law  a mother  was  considered  unclean  for forty  days  after  the  birth  of  a son,  and  during  that  time  might  not  appear before the  Lord  in  the  Temple. On the  fortieth  day  she  had  to  offer  a sacrifice of purification,  namely  a lamb  and  a young  pigeon; or,  if  she  were  poor,  she  made the offering  of  the  poor,  namely  two  young  pigeons,  one  to  be  a sin-offering,  and the other  a burnt  offering. — Let us  accompany  the  holy  Mother  with  her  Divine Child to  the  Temple. Standing at  the  great  gate  on  the  eastern  side,  which  led to the  outer  court  of  the  women,  Mary  handed  to  the  priest  the  two  pigeons,  the offering of  her  poverty. The priest  then  went  into  the  outer  court  of  the  temple, sprinkled the  blood  of  one  pigeon  on  the  side  of  the  altar  as  a sin-offering,  and burnt the  other  in  the  fire  as  a thank-offering. Mary had  to  stay  at  the  gate,  but in spirit  she  accompanied  the  priest  to  the  altar  and  thanked  God  from  her  heart that He  had  chosen  her  to  be  the  Mother  of  God. Truly, the  offering  of  the most pure  Virgin  was  more  pleasing  to  God  than  the  sacrifice  of  either  Abel  or Melchisedech. After this,  she  presented  the  Divine  Child  as  an  offering  to  the Lord. She handed  Him  to  the  priest,  and,  having  paid  the  five  shekels  (about thirteen  shillings)  redemption-money,  received  Him  back  again. We can  imagine  how wholly she  gave  her  Child  to  the  Lord,  to  belong  entirely  to  Him  and  fulfil  Ilis holy will! Her heart,  indeed,  was  full  of  anxious  forebodings,  for  she  knew  that her Son  was  the  Redeemer,  and  that,  according  to  the  words  of  the  prophets,  He would  suffer  and  die  a violent  death. But she  gave  herself  over  entirely  to  the will of  God. “Take Him,  O Lord”,  she  said,  “for  He  is  Thy  Son. I will bring Him up  for  Thee. Do what  Thou  wilt,  and  if  so  be  I must  see  Him  die  for  the salvation of  men — Thy  will  be  done!”.

There was  at  that  time  in  Jerusalem  a just  and  God-fearing man named  Simeon. He was  looking  anxiously  for  the  coming