Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 2,22-40
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,”
and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
The Presentation
1) Light. This reminds us that we are here to illuminate. We are called upon to bring light where there is so much darkness. It is the Lord who moves us and calls us to always go forth with the truth and that, in the face of so much darkness around us, there is and will always be something that will make things clearer. May Mary help us to see clearly those things that we do not understand in our lives.
2) Simeon. This man had a clear hope. He wanted to see the Messiah. Put your hope in God as it is only in him you can rest. Lean on him. Maybe you are already tired of waiting and I understand sometimes it is hard, but trust in the Lord and abandon yourself in him.
3) A sword will pierce your heart. When following Jesus, a sword will appear in your life – the sword of bureaucracy, or the sword of indifference or ridicule – and it will pierce your heart. Still, look at Mary. She put everything in Jesus’s hands. At that moment she did not understand, but she came to understand. The same thing will happen to you. What hurts today, you will understand later on.
God bless you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Don’t forget Heaven is our goal.
