Purify the Perfect

Seeing the exalted role of Mary and all women

02/02/2019

Luke 2:22-40  When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Let me just say at the outset that this homily will be a little controversial. And for those to whom it does not seem controversial it will just sound confusing. So, buckle up and hang on to something, or lean on a shoulder a take a nap.

Today’s feast is called the “Presentation of the Lord in the Temple,” or also known as Candlemas. Devout Catholics would bring candles to be blessed today that they later light during a storm for protection. It is also apropos that we use candles to bless throats the following day, February 3, on the Feast of St. Blaise. But the more traditional name for this feast was the “Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” Today’s gospel begins: “When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.” I want to say a word about that purification of Mary; and it is not at all what it sounds like.

The Holy Family was fulfilling a rule that Moses had instituted back in Leviticus 12, that said a woman was “ritually unclean” after giving birth to a male children for 40 days. By the way, February 2 is exactly 40 days after December 25, so we’re right on schedule. As an offering for that “purification” a couple offered two turtledoves or two pigeons, which is exactly what Mary and Joseph did. During this time of uncleanness or impurity, a woman could not enter the Temple; in a sense, she was ex-communicated from Jewish society.

Several years ago, I read a book by Louis Bouyer, a brilliant French theologian, that completely revolutionized by understanding of “purification.” Bouyer insisted that we not only purify items that are dirty, soiled or unholy, but we also purify objects, people and articles that are very holy, and used in sacred liturgies. Think about the purification that occurs at Mass. Priests and Eucharistic ministers carry a white cloth to “purify” the sacred vessels after use at Mass. Do they purify them because they are really dirty and germy? No. The priest purifies the sacred chalice after Communion not because it’s filthy but because it contained the Blood of Christ, something profoundly holy.

Similarly, women were “purified” for 40 days not because they had bled, and who likes the sight of blood, it’s so ooie and gooie and gross! But rather because a woman’s blood is something sacred, her womb is the cradle of life. In other words, a woman was “purified” after childbirth like a chalice is purified after Communion: both have contained sacred blood. I realize that women may have felt like second-class citizens in Jewish society in the Old Testament, but they should have felt like angels. That is the original and authentic meaning of “purification.”

The second point builds on the first point, namely, women naturally enjoy a higher rank, respect and role in society than men. Now, I realize human history has rarely highlighted this, and on the contrary, shows men as at the top of society. But I believe that tragic reversal is because of our human sinfulness and selfishness, but it was not like that in the beginning. Perhaps one way to express how women rank higher than men is to compare us to ants or bees. Who is the head of those little societies? It is the female; the queen ant or the queen bee, and all others are workers. But modern American culture has put such a high premium on working that those who cannot work or choose not to work are looked down upon as a burden to society. But why does work define what is best and most noble in a society?

It’s funny what happens when I go to a family’s home for supper. After dinner I offer to help clear the table and load the dishes in the dishwasher. What does the family quick say? They insist: “Oh, no, Father John, please have a seat and just relax, we’ll do the work.” When I go to mow the grounds at Trinity Junior High, several men came to help me, saying: “You take care of the important priest stuff, and we’ll do the work of mowing the grounds.” Should I be offended by their gestures and words? Are they saying: “Fr. John you are so physically weak and intellectually impaired that you cannot do this work”? Of course not. The role of a priest is higher than that of a worker.

And I would suggest to you that our wonderful women stand in the same company, or at least they should. The reason women were not included in the work force was not because of weakness or incompetence, but because of their exalted role in society. I really admire women who choose to be stay-at-home moms. I know not all moms can do that; my mom had to work and I deeply admire her, too. But those women who choose not to work are like Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus (not working), while Martha was busy with household work, like a worker bee. And Jesus said that Mary had chosen the better part.

We purify a woman like we purify a chalice: both are unspeakably holy. We don’t let a women work like we don’t let a priest work: not because they are lower than a worker, but because they rank higher.

Praised be Jesus Christ!