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| “Presentation of Jesus in the Temple“ by Jan van Scorel,1524-26 |
Reading 1: Malachi 3:1-4
Thus says the Lord God:
Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;
And suddenly there will come
to the temple
the Lord whom you seek,
And the messenger of the
covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the
Lord of hosts.
But who will endure the day
of his coming?
And who can stand when he
appears?
For he is like the refiner’s
fire,
or like the fuller’s lye.
He will sit refining and
purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons
of Levi,
Refining them like gold or
like silver
that they may offer due
sacrifice to the Lord.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the Lord,
as in the days of old, as in
years gone by.
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Commentary on Mal 3:1-4
In this passage, from the final chapter of the Book of the Prophet
Malachi ("My Messenger"), the prophet’s visions first of John the
Baptist (“Lo,
I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me”) and then of
the coming of the Messiah (“And suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you
seek”) are presented. The scripture proposes that on feast of the
Presentation of the Lord we see Malachi’s prophecy fulfilled.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up, O gates, your
lintels;
reach up, you ancient
portals,
that the king of glory may
come in!
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Who is this king of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up, O gates, your
lintels;
reach up, you ancient
portals,
that the king of glory may
come in!
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Who is this king of glory?
The Lord of hosts; he is the
king of glory.
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
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Commentary on Ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10
In Psalm 24 we hear a longing for the
coming of the Lord to his people. The psalmist
gives us the image of the inanimate gates of the New Jerusalem, God’s Heavenly Kingdom Temple
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Reading II: Hebrews 2:14-18
Since the children share in
blood and flesh,
Jesus likewise shared in them,
that through death he might
destroy the one
who has the power of death,
that is, the Devil,
and free those who through
fear of death
had been subject to slavery
all their life.
Surely he did not help angels
but rather the descendants of
Abraham;
therefore, he had to become
like his brothers and sisters
in every way,
that he might be a merciful
and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the
people.
Because he himself was tested
through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who
are being tested.
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Commentary on Heb 2:14-18
The Letter to the Hebrews
presents an apology on the Lord’s humanity.
The author is eloquent in logic as he says; “Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham”
meaning he came as man not as spirit in support of sons of Abraham. By assuming
humanity, the Lord became the perfect vessel in which the sins of all mankind
were assumed and contained. As
additional proofs of Jesus’ humanity, the Lord’s passion is referenced as a
source of strength for those who are likewise tested on account of their faith.
He came as the sacrificial offering that through his suffering and death, those
he loves may not have to endure the fate reserved for those who live in
darkness.
The language used at the
beginning of the passage “blood and flesh” makes reference to human nature- its
weakness and frailty in contrast with the “spirit” and God (see Psalm 78:39, Isaiah 31:3, 2 Chronicles 32:8). From
the “Fall” mankind has been under the bane of death. Now in the Christian
paradox Christ’s death defeats death and sin (also Romans 8:3).
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Gospel: 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
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 Christ
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 the
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
Band 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.
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Commentary on Lk 2:22-40
At
the Temple in Jerusalem
Simeon’s prediction, a man who
“was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel”. was told by the
Holy Spirit that he would not pass away until he had seen the Messiah. He has
declared that this promise has been fulfilled and then turns to Mary and makes
the prediction about the nature of Christ’s ministry and the nature of the
sorrow she will endure.
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Or: Luke 2:22-32
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
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 Christ
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 the
sight of all the peoples:
a light for revelation to the
Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel
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Commentary on Lk 2:22-32
In
the shorter version of the Gospel the focus is brought more to the revelation
of the Christ as opposed to the impact of this revelation on Mary, the Mother
of God. St. Luke’s account of Jesus
being presented at the Temple Nazareth
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Reflection:
The rituals and celebrations
of the Church provide more than just a theme or focus for our worship of God in
Christ Jesus. These feasts, memorials,
and solemnities, taken as a whole, are a constant teaching tool for the
faithful. In the Advent and Christmas
seasons just completed, we recall the incarnation of Christ. How God’s great plan came to a climax as He
sent his only Son as a final and complete proof of his great love for us. Through the many touch points of those
seasons, from Christmas, the Solemnity of Mary, Epiphany, and the Baptism of
Jesus we were introduced to the idea that Jesus came to fulfill the promises of
the Prophets and the Spirit of the Law of Moses.
These celebrations and events
are like a giant quilt, assembled and reinforced that becomes both a tapestry
of unimaginable beauty and a covering that protects us and warms us. The feast celebrated today is another
important square in that quilt of our faith.
In the Eastern Church (and in
the Roman Church before Vatican II) this celebration is called “Candlemas”. In the early Church it continued the events
started by the Lord’s Nativity. Mary was
to return to the Temple forty or eighty days following the birth of her child
(forty if a boy, eighty if a girl) to be ritually purified (the blood of the
birthing processes according to ancient Hebrew Law made her ritually unclean cf
Leviticus 12:2-8). Further instruction from the
Law (Numbers 18:15-16) required that any new life, human or animal was to be dedicated to
the Lord – the author of life.
Although the timing is
confused because of the history of the Holy Family, their flight to Egypt and
the requirements of the law, we are told that Mary did as the Law of Moses
required. Candlemas celebrated Jesus first
entry to the Temple
of God
Today we continue to weave
our own quilt of faith and we place within it an important square – this one
shows the Holy Family in the House of God with the infant Son of God. The inscription might be "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 the
sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for
your people Israel." With that thought in our mind, we pray that
we too may see the Lord of Salvation face to face.
Pax
In other Years: Fourth
Sunday in Ordinary Time
[1]
The picture today is “Presentation of Jesus in the Temple“ by Jan van Scorel,1524-26
[2]
ALTRE
[3]
The readings are taken from the New
American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were
developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB
and is for private use only.
[4]
See NAB Footnote on Luke 2:22
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