"The Glory of the Lord Enters In" for the Presentation of the Theotokos

   For Sunday, November 22, 2020

The Sunday nearest the Great Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple 

OT Reading at Vespers for the Feast: Exodus 40: 1-5, 9-10, 16, 34-35

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. You shall put in it the ark of the Testimony, and partition off the ark with the veil. You shall bring in the table and arrange the things that are to be set in order on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and light its lamps. You shall also set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the Testimony, and put up the screen for the door of the tabernacle... “And you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it; and you shall hallow it and all its utensils, and it shall be holy. You shall anoint the altar of the burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar. The altar shall be most holy... Thus Moses did; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did... Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 

 

Video

Kontakion for the Presentation of the Theotokos

The most pure Temple of the Savior;

The precious Chamber and Virgin;

The sacred Treasure of the glory of God,

Is presented today to the house of the Lord.

She brings with her the grace of the Spirit,

Therefore, the angels of God praise her: 

"Truly this woman is the abode of heaven."

Discussion Questions:

1. Why did God have the Israelites build the Tabernacle? Did he need a house or a throne?

2. How is the Theotokos like the Tabernacle?

3. How are the rod, tablets, and manna like Christ?

4. How can you be a tabernacle for Christ?

Lesson:

We read this passage on the feasts of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple because the Tabernacle and the Ark are types of the Theotokos. That means they are like her and tell us something about her. 

God entered into the Tabernacle, and the Ark was like his throne. When Mary went to live in the Temple it shows us that she is like the Tabernacle and the Ark that was kept in the Temple. God also entered into the Theotokos when she bore Christ in her womb. She was his throne when he came to the earth in the flesh.

Do you know that the Ark also held three very special things? Inside the Ark was the rod of Aaron, the tablets with the Ten Commandments, and a jar of Manna. Each of these things tells us about Christ’s birth through the virgin Mary! The rod of Aaron was just a walking stick, and yet it budded to show that he had been chosen as God’s priest. This is like Mary, who was a virgin, and yet bore the true priest Christ in her womb. The tablets held the words of God’s law for the Israelites, but Christ is the word of God who brought the gospel for all men. And finally the manna was the bread that came down from heaven to feed God’s people. This was a type of Christ, the true bread from heaven, who gives himself for the life of his people in the Eucharist. 

In the Kontakion for the feast today, we sing of the Theotokos, “She is truly the heavenly tabernacle,” because through her Christ came to dwell among us! Mary carried Christ in the flesh, but when we love and follow him, we carry him in our hearts. Let us also enter into service and love of God and make our hearts a tabernacle for Christ, too!

Craft: 

Coloring page: This printable coloring page compares the Theotokos and Christ to the Ark of the Covenant and the things it holds. Print, color, and discuss!

Matchbox Ark Craft: The squares below are the appropriate size to cover a match box. Print and color the icon, then paste it onto an empty matchbox. Children can keep treasures inside. 

Word Search: