Today our Church celebrates an event that was presumed to have happened ... The Presentation of Mary in the temple. There are no written accounts in the bible about this day in Mary's life. There are several other writings that offer an account of such an event. There is no unanimity in these texts. The rescan the Church puts this event before us is simple built upon an assumption. Bring good Jewish parents, Joachim and Ann presumably brought their daughter to the temple for a blessing and some learning. For us this feast day is a reminder that Mary course in life was very much like any good Jewish child's upbringing would follow customary practices.

The gospel reading for this Monday of the last week of the liturgical year speaks about the offering of the poor widow to the temple coffers. Her gift far exceeds many others present who gave from what they did not need. Reflecting on the message of this selection, I recall a sentence: "why does a $20 bill for an offering in a church collection seem so large when only the day before it seemed to be so small at the mall?"