presentation of the Lord

Malachi 3:1-4; Ps 24 who is this king of glory? It is the lord; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40

Snippets from the readings:

"And suddenly there will come to the temple the lord whom you seek and the messenger of the covenant you desire...for he is like a refiner's fire..."


"SInce the children share i blood and flesh, Jesus like wise shared in them, that through death height destroy the one who has power of death, that is the devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life..."


"Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested."


"Behold this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in israel, and to be a sign that is contradicted-and you yourself a sword shall pierce -so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

"The child grew and became strong filled with wisdom; the favor of God was upon him."


Today we celebrate the feast of the presentation of the Lord. Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple to offer the necessary sacrifices prescribed by Moses in Exodus 13.

Why did they do that? First of all, everything the Israelites did seemed to be connected to the great act of liberation by the hand of God of leading the people from slavery. They sought to remember this reality, saving event, in all that they did.

Moses reminds the people that they should "remember this day which you came out of Egypt, that place of slavery. It was with a strong hand that the Lord brought you away...when pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed every first born in the land of Egypt.This is why I sacrifice to theLord everything of the male sex that opens the womb and why I redeem every first born of my sons."

IT was a sign of redemption. IT was to remind the people about the cost of redemption. Lives were sacrificed so that they could be set free. This is also a foreshadowing of Christ, the Sacrifice for Freedom.

JEsus is presented as both a sign of those redeemed and the one that will redeemed.


If you look to the words of Simeon, then it seems like another annunciation.

Remember the angel comes to mary with the news of incredible joy speaking about her sons's messianic royalty and also the virginal conception. Rejoice highly favored daughter in deed. SImeon , however, now invites Mary to contemplate the Son's work of redemption through suffering, "a sword shall pierce your heart."

Both realities unite: joy in suffering. This is important for us to remember as we move through life. Not all suffering is bad. Suffering itself is always connected to the joy of redemption.

Lastly we see Simeon and Anna. Both of these represent the fruit of prayer.
As we pray we develop our interior life which sharpens our interior vision thus we are able to recognize the Lord when he comes in the way that he comes.

This is what Simeon and Ana teach us. That prayer over the long haul prepares the soul for the encounter with God.

A priest once told me, that he doesn't pray to experience God in the moment of prayer but rathe the prays so that he may experience GOd when he is busy living.

So to it is the same for us.

Prayer and contemplation is not a waste of time, even if we don't experience consolation, because it is sharpening and refining our ability to see more clearly when the Lord comes to meet us.

Interior life affects our interior vision which prepares us to encounter the Lord when he comes.

Another good recipe for the life of faith.