Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Today's Mass Readings

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This is the day that commemorates Mary and Joseph taking Jesus to the Temple after his birth. The very idea of Jesus’ presentation is remarkable: here in this most holy of places is presented he who is even holier. In the midst of the stone building is the true and living Temple, the King of Glory. What’s more, this King appears to be a helpless infant: a weak child in the midst of this strong and sturdy structure. Who would have thought that God would come to his people in this way? Who would have guessed that God, whose presence was already in that Temple would enter the Temple in an even more profound way? And yet, this is exactly what happens: the King of Glory enters incarnate, as a human being. Most people at the Temple that day probably took no notice of his coming. Unlike today’s psalm, they did not recognize and celebrate the Lord’s coming. One exception, however, was the prophet Simeon. He had been anticipating this moment; indeed, he had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Christ. This waiting, the hope and the faith in God is what allowed him to recognize incarnate Love when Simeon held Jesus in his arms.

We too can share in Simeon’s faith, hope, and love. For while he held the child in his arms, we hold the same Jesus in our hands every time that we receive the Eucharist. And while Simeon recognized Jesus as the Christ, we know him to be the Christ because we have shared in the mysteries that followed his presentation. We know of his ministry, his passion and death, and his resurrection.

Today, let us take the opportunity to reflect on Jesus the Christ, who comes to us as an infant to save us from our sins so that we might share in his resurrection. Let us pray that we might accept this Love with open arms, as did Simeon.

- Maria Morrow