Open to you Mary

‘Mary of the Presentation’ has a very particular relevance to the spirit and life of Presentation Sisters.  This feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple (Presentation Day) celebrated on 21^st of November each year as our Congregational Feast, provides an opportunity to recognise and contemplate the resonance of Mary’s life journey in our own lives.

The nine days of novena (prayer) culminating on the feast day itself, enables us as Presentation people to live and journey together through these days open to what Mary wishes to share with us.

The feast of the ‘presentation of Mary’ dates back to the 6th century in the East and the 15th century in the West. It is based on an ancient tradition that says Mary was taken to the temple in Jerusalem when she was 3-years-old and dedicated to God.

We celebrate that on Presentation Day, God chose to dwell in Mary in a very special way. In response, Mary placed her whole self at the service of God.

Every moment since our Baptism, God invites us to be open to his grace and dedicate ourselves to him, as Mary did.

“[Mary] you wait for us
Until we are open to you.
We wait for your word
To make us receptive.
Attune us to your voice,
To your silence,
Speak and bring your son to us …”.

 (by Huub Oosterhuis*: Your Word is Near – p 17)**

Join with us on this Presentation Day journey

You can join us for the Presentation Day Novena (prepared for us this year by the Presentation Sisters of Victoria, Australia) using this link to download the prayers for each day: Nine Days – Presentation Novena 2020

or view online below:

Note: *Hubertus Oosterhuis is a Dutch theologian and poet. He is mainly known for his contribution to Christian music and liturgy in the Dutch language.

**The quote above is taken from this year’s Novena Prayer prepared by the Presentation Sisters of Victoria, Australia.