In the Old Testament, Israel got the idea one day to build a temple where God might dwell on earth, much as other nations have done with their deities - much as we do today when we build churches and other structures to house God on earth. Yet, God did not want the Temple built. God reminded them that throughout their many journeys through the desert that God had dwelt among his people in a humble dwelling.
The fact is that God had already built many temples: every human being is a temple God has made for the divinity to dwell within It remains only for us to accept this purpose for our lives and to make it manifest by the way we live. This is the point of today's feast: Mary chose to be the temple of God, the vessel through which Jesus would be manifest to the world. That is our purpose in life as well: to bear the divinity within us and bring forth God's presence to the world by our deeds of mercy and love.
Like Mary, our acceptance of this role carries with it many risks and misunderstandings. But Mary knew God provided for her cousin Elizabeth; God provided and cared for women throughout the tradition who accepted God's call. Mary believed God would provide for her in the midst of the misunderstandings and dangers she would face. God will provide for us as well in this task.
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