SECOND DAY - 9 November The Presentation of Mary Most Holy Scripture Passage When the days of Her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a birth offering and the other a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean. (Leviticus 12:6,8) Consideration Let us consider how the parents Joachim and Anne, presented the Most Holy Mary in the Temple, at Her three years of age, such a little Child climbing the fifteen steps of the high scale of the Temple without anyone taking Her hand; because Her inflamed love gave Her wings to climb or fly: A miracle that the Holy Fathers and the Doctors of the Church have not ceased admiring. But the great joy this Sovereign Queen, and with great love that She had for God, from the first moment of Her being conceived, She came to the temple at a tender age to consecrate Herself to God, with perpertual vow of virginity, and to totally dedicate Herself to Him who has given everything to Her, and to correspond to that enormous refinement, that She was awaiting that the Eternal Word would be conceived in Her womb, in order to restore the health of the fallen world. The effects of this same love was that the life of this Child was totally devoted to the highest degree of contemplation in such a way that as St. Ephrem says, that the seraphim came to learn and took from Her lessons of prayer. She would spend several days without eating, and when She ate, She would take the nourishment that was needed to keep alive, and not that which would delight Her taste. She slept out of necessity and not for rest; and then, if Her body slept, Her soul kept watch in prayer. She was indeed the amazement of the priest who looked at Her; the astonishment of the angels that admired Her, and the sweet delight of God Himself who loved Her so much. Reflection Mary, at such a very tender age, has gone up to such a highest level of virtue with the grace of God; and you with the grace of God and Mary, you have not taken a step to glory in so many years? (Continue meditating for a quarter of an hour) Prayer Most Blessed Virgin, of miraculous virtues and abyss of perfection, You who wished at a very tender age to be presented in the Temple for the sake of so much benefit and health of the world. Present our souls in divine compliance, that even if the gift is little and poor, not pure, we all have confidence that being a gift that comes from Your most pure hands, it will be, without doubt, acceptable to the Divine Eyes. Present all our faults, so that the infinite mercy may forgive them. Present our illness and infirmities, so that we may receive remedy. Finally, present us in life and in death, so that the former may be always conformed to, walking without setback through the steps of the divine law, and the latter would be totally precious, holy and full of grace and be the start of eternal glory. Amen. (Pray 5 Hail Marys in honor of the five letters of the most sweet name of MARIA) Nuestra Señora de la Salud, stay close to comfort us!