“And when the days of her purification according to the Law of Moses were accomplished, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord” (Luke 2:22). The elderly Simeon took Jesus in his arms anduttered a prophecy that filled the Virgin Mary with bewilderment and deep anguish: the suffering she would endure because of her Child would pierce her heart like a double-edged sword (Luke 2:35).
The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple conveys many spiritual messages. Here, we shall focus on one that remains timeless and profoundly important.
In Jewish society, if a woman gave birth to a boy, she refrained from entering the Temple for forty days in order to be purified from the effects of childbirth (Lev. 12:1–4). However, the Virgin Mary gave birth to Christ miraculously, without undergoing the ordinary conditions associated with childbirth. Why, then, did she observe the Law by remaining away from the Temple for forty days? She did so because of her profound humility and her great reverence for the Law of God.
If the Virgin Mary, although she had no need to do so, observed this law, how much more should women who do have such a need observe it, since they do not give birth as Mary gave birth to Christ? This observance points to a broader spiritual lesson: it is not enough merely to consider ourselves members of the Church; we are also called to respect her teachings and practices. Faithful observance of the Church’s guidance can help cultivate humility, reverence, and spiritual discipline,whereas deliberately disregarding it may weaken our respect for sacred things.
Menstruation is not a sin
It must be stated clearly that menstruation is not a sin. It is neither a violation of a divine commandment nor a sign of moral impurity. It is a natural biological function of the human body. Otherwise, every bodily function would have to be regarded as sinful. Ritual uncleanness, as understood within a particular religious tradition, is one thing; personal sin is another.
According to the traditional practice described here, a woman may, out of reverence, refrain during menstruation from venerating icons, entering the church, and, above all, receiving Holy Communion. Such abstention should not be understood as a punishment or as a judgment upon the woman, but as an expression of reverence within that particular ecclesiastical practice. Since pastoral guidance on this matter may differ, the faithful should follow the counsel of their priest or spiritual father.
The purpose of such a practice is to deepen our reverence for the holy house of God and for the sacred things of God. At the same time, it leads us to marvel at God’s forbearance: despite all our sins—that is, despite our unworthiness—He still permits us to enter His holy house, stand before Him, and pray.
Every time we enter the holy house of the Lord, we too should repeat with contrition the words of David: “But as for me, I will come into Thy house in the multitude of Thy mercy: and in Thy fear will I worship toward Thy holy temple” (Psalm 5:7).
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Next in this series: The Holy Family’s Perilous Journey to Egypt.
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