A Triple Celebration

 

(Note:  Hoping to see if a late night task pays off in seeing this posted between 9 and 11 am.)

Luke 2: 22-32

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss^[c] your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

A liturgically busy day:  The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, Candlemass Day and World Day of Prayer for the Consecrated Life. The Presentation was  a major event in the lives of Mary and  Joseph as the fulfilled the prescription of the LAW to dedicate their first-born to God, an event highlighted by the presence of Simeon and his prophetic exclamation of his dreamed fulfilled, seeing the promised Messiah.  Anna too makes this a special occasion.  Picking up on the theme of the Light of the World, this is the traditional day for the blessing of the candles to be used in the parish for the coming year.  The Honoring of those who have chosen the Consecrated Life is a more recent addition to the Church Calendar and this year it falls in with these other celebrations...One could also add:  Groundhog Day,  but for some  reason, that has not made it into the official Church calendar, but gives us hope for a shorter winter, (which never seems to happen)   At any rate, may we dedicate our lives to sharing in the mission to make the Light of Christ shine in our often weary and dark world.

Bro. Rene