The Lives of the Saints Volume 1 - St. Patrick's Basilica

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and abasement, they shun all distinction and esteem, which they clearly
see their own nothingness and baseness to be most unworthy of: they give
all glory to God alone, to whom it is due. Devotion also and zeal to
honor God by every observance prescribed by his law, prompted Mary to
perform this act of religion, though evidently exempt from the precept.
Being poor herself, she made the offering appointed for the poor:
accordingly is this part of the law mentioned by St. Luke,[4] as best
agreeing with the meanness of her worldly condition. But her offering,
however mean in itself, was made with a perfect heart, which is what God
chiefly regards in all that is offered to him. The King of Glory would
appear everywhere in the robes of poverty, to point out to us the
advantages of a suffering and lowly state, and to repress our pride, by
which, though really poor and mean in the eyes of God, we covet to
appear rich, and, though sinners, would be deemed innocents and saints.
A second great mystery is honored this day, regarding more immediately
{338} the person of our Redeemer, viz. his presentation in the
temple.[5] Besides the law which obliged the mother to purify herself,
there was another which ordered that the first-born son should be
offered to God: and in these two laws were included several others, as,
that the child, after its presentation, should be ransomed[6] with a
certain sum of money,[7] and peculiar sacrifices offered on the
occasion.
Mary complies exactly with all these ordinances. She obeys not only in
the essential points of the law, as in presenting herself to be
purified, and in her offering her first-born, but has strict regard to
all the circumstances. She remains forty days at home, she denies
herself all this time the liberty of entering the temple, she partakes
not of things sacred, though the living temple of the God of Israel; and
on the day of her purification, she walks several miles to Jerusalem,
with the world's Redeemer in her arms. She waits for the priest at the
gate of the temple, makes her offerings of thanksgiving and expiation,
presents her divine Son by the hands of the priest to his eternal
Father, with the most profound humility, adoration, and thanks giving.
She then redeems him with five shekels, as the law appoints, and
receives him back again as a depositum in her special care, till the
Father shall again demand him for the full accomplishment of man's
redemption. It is clear that Christ was not comprehended in the law;
"The king's son, to whom the inheritance of the crown belongs, is exempt
from servitude:--much more Christ, who was the Redeemer both of our
souls and bodies, was not subject to any law by which he was to be
himself redeemed," as St. Hilary observes.[8] But he would set an
example of humility, obedience, and devotion: and would renew, in a
solemn and public manner, and in the temple, the oblation of himself to
his Father for the accomplishment of his will, and the redemption of