God Keeps His Promises"

Today's Mass Readings

In the readings that we have for today’s feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple there is a strong theme of promise making and promise keeping.
In the first reading from the prophet Malachi, we have the promise of God to His chosen people to send first a messenger to prepare the way for the Lord Himself who will come among His people to the Temple. This passage would later be quoted by Jesus as referring to John the Baptist (see Matthew 11:10). Malachi tells us further that part of his task with be to purify, that is in the manner of gold tested in fire. Particularly, we hear that this messenger will purify the sons of Levi, who were the priests of the Jewish people, that is those who offered sacrifices in the Temple. In the Letter to the Hebrews we hear about the fulfillment of this promise. Not only did God send a messenger, but took on the very flesh and blood of our humanity to save us from our enslavement to the fear of death by his death on the cross. We have here the image of Jesus as the high priest, the one who offers the perfect sacrifice of Himself on the cross. By this ultimate sacrifice, he conquers death and enables us to share in eternal life with God. We need no longer fear death as separation from God.

In the gospel, there is another instance of God keeping his promises to the old man Simeon who was promised to see the Messiah before meeting death. Indeed Simeon sees Jesus. As part of Jewish tradition, the first born son was dedicated to God. Mary and Joseph prove themselves faithful Jews as they bring Jesus to the Temple to be dedicated.

The Presentation is really a confluence of trust in God’s faithfulness. Among Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna, we have four examples of devout Jews who trust in God to keep His promises. In Jesus, we have the fulfillment of all of God’s promises who offers the ultimate sacrifice, so that we may have life eternally.

For this Feast of the Presentation, let us meditate upon the wonder of God’s promises fulfilled in Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself. In so doing, let us reflect on the motivation of our actions, the actions of our community, and the actions of our nation. What is it that drives us? Fear? Our endless search for security? or Trust in the One who keeps His promises?

– Timothy Gabrielli