The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-02-01
THE PURIFICATIoN.

The Church this year, on account OF
Quinquagesima Sunday, celebrates the
Publication of the Blessed Virgin on
February instead of February 2. Thir-
'ty-three days after the Circumcision of
Jesus had to elapse, in accordance
with the Jewish custom, before Mary
could visit the Temple, or even go
outside her dwelling, or touch any
thing made sacred by being conse-
Grated to God. Though she was i'm
maculate, she gladly embraced this
opportunity to humble herself before
men and obey the laws of God. When,
at last, the day of her long-desired
visit to the Temple came, Mary, with
her child, had to present themselves in
the Court of the Women as soon as
the morning incense had been offered,
and the nine blasts of the Temple
trumpets had given the signal for
morning prayer.
While the mothers who we're coming
that morning for Publication gradually
gathered, writes Geikie in his Life of
Christ, Mary would have to wait out
side the lofty gate of the Court of
the Israelies, known as that of Mic
canor, because the head and hands of
the Syrian general of that name, slain
in battle by Judas Maccabaeus, had
been hung up on it in triumph.
After a time, the Nicanor Gate was
opened, and the offerings of all the
women who had come for Publication,
which was much the same as church
ing is with us, were taken from them
by the Levites, into the Court of the
Priests, to be burned on the altar,
after the morning sacrifice. Mary
might have had either a lamb or a
pair of young pigeons, for the rite;
but Joseph was poor, and she was con-
tented with the cheaper offering of
doves, probably bought from the Tenn
pie officer who kept flocks of doves,
purchased with the funds Of the Tenn
pie, and sold them to those who were
about to offer, at the market price.
Her own publication" however, was
not the only object of this visit of the
Immaculate Mother to the Temple, af-
ter the birth of her Son. In the patriar-
chial times, the first born son of each
family seems to have been the assist
ant of the Family Head in the priestly
services of the household. Jewish ira
dition has always supported this belief,
and the ancient, commentators appeal
to various passages in support of 1t.
A great change was, however, intro
duced by Moses. Aaron and his sons
were set apart, with the whole tribe
Of Levi, as the only priests and thus
the priestly services of the firstborn
were no longer required. That they
had originally been claimed, however,
was still kept before the people by a
law erelong announced at Sinai, that
the eldest male, of both man and beast
was sacred to God. Of the lower crea'
lures some were to be offered on the
altar; others redeemed at fixed price
The firstborn son was to be presented
before God in the Temple, and conse-
Grated to His service, a month after
birth; but money payment of not
more than five shekels, was accepted
as a redemption" of the rights this
involved. Rabbinical law, in the time
OF Mary, had made refinement on the
original statute of Moses no child be-
ing required to be presented to the
Lord" who was in any way MANNED
or defective, or had any blemish, sc
as to be unfit for priest-a rule
which throws an incidental light or
Mary's Child, such as might have beer
expected. He must have been, in al
points, without physical blemish.
The details of the ceremony, as oh
served in the days of our Lord, haV'
not come down to us, but may, doubt
less, be illustrated by those still Il
force; for the redemption of the first
born" is still observed by strict Jew
as the legacy of immemorial tradition
The Hebrew father invites ten friend
and a Rabbi to his house, on the thirty
first day after the child's birth. TIL
infant is presently brought in by tn
father and laid before the Rabbi, wit
a sum of money. He then formall
tells the Rabbi that his wife, who is a.
Israelite, has borne, as her first borr
a male child, which, therefore he noN
gives to the Rabbi, as the represents
tive of God.
Which would you, then, rather do,
asks the Rabbi, give up your 1rstbor
who is the first child of his mother
to Jehovah, or redeem him for fiv
shekels, after the shekel of the SAM
tuary, which is five gera?" The fathe
of course, answers that he wishes {
redeem his child.
This is my firstborn," says he
here take unto thee the five shekel
due for his redemption" As he hand
the money to the Rabbi, he praise
God for the day. The Rabbi tina
takes the money, and after passing ii
coin round the child's head, as syn
boil of redemption, lays his other han
on It's brow, with the words-Th