Candlemas

Some news that will not be of great interest to you but I am sharing it anyway is that my niece had a baby last night, Honor Rose, and just made it to the hospital in time, much to the taxi driver’s relief I guess. A man asked to come into church this evening to speak to his mother. He is living in a flat under a couple who play the drums endlessly all day and night and is coming to the end of his tether. With the help of Manna House, which looks after those in difficulties and those on the street, hopefully he will be able to move but as a single guy is well down the housing list. He can see no way out. Fortunately Manna House gives him a place to go and some relief, but how many a stuck in positions like that? Today’s feast was always linked to Our Lady, but now is officially known as The Presentation of the Lord when Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the Temple and make the necessary offering required by the Law for a first-born son. Mary always points us to her son. But, in her role as his mother, at Jesus’ request at the foot of the cross she becomes the mother of and image of the Church. In today’s story she brings her son to the Father as Simeon praises the Messiah. So we ask her help in presenting us to the Father as well, we who need her help far more than her son.