This is one of those Marian feast days I’d never thought much about until I had kids. Mary and Joseph, in accordance with the Jewish law, take the baby Jesus to the temple. A nice outing; a happy day; end of story. Right?
There’s so much more to it, though. I picture Mary, particpating in this ritual of her faith, proud that her son is being formally welcomed. I felt the same way at the baptism of my boys: those baptisms moved me more than I had expected. We were participating in something bigger than ourselves. I was granting my boys a place to start from, a beginning point of belief. Hopefully it will be their end point, too, though I know from my own experiences that the journey into adult faith is one of hills and valleys and switchbacks.  All you can really do is pray for your children, and trust that they do not stray too far from the paths that will ultimately lead them home.
