The Feast of the Presentation of Our Lady | Monday 21 November 2022

Welcome to Pray As You Go’s first music week. Tomorrow is the feast of St Cecilia, the patron saint of music. Therefore, we want to use this week to celebrate our musicians who help to make these daily reflections what they are. Each day we will highlight a different musical artist. We invite you to pray for their work on these days and to perhaps learn a little bit more about them. Information will be available on our app, our newsletter and social media channels. This week will also be voiced by Joe Wells from One Hope Project, and Anita Tatlow from Salt of the Sound.


Today is Monday the 21st of November, the Presentation of Our Lady, in the 34th week of Ordinary time.


What better way to begin our week of music than with the Magnificat, Mary’s song?

As you listen to the Choir of Royal Holloway sing, perhaps there is a moment in Mary’s life as a mother to Jesus which you would particularly like to reflect on… What inspires you about her?

My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded: the lowliness of his handmaiden:
For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel:
As he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end.
Amen.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.


Luke 21:1-4


He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.’

Today we have a very Catholic sounding feast: The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It commemorates the presentation of Mary in the Temple in Jerusalem as a three-year-old girl.


It’s a symbol of the gift of herself to God.


In the feast and in the reading today, we note the significance of women whom the dominant culture would have paid no attention to. Jesus, however, pays attention. Can you imagine him sitting beside the Temple and watching the wealthy making a big show of their generosity? And then, you notice that he is interested in this poor woman. Watch him watching her. What happens in him? He prepares to speak . . .

Listening again to this gospel, catch the tone of Jesus’ words. How is he speaking?

Who are the hidden women known to you? Look at one of them now in imagination and notice how Jesus is looking at her. Tell him what you want for her . . .

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.