Saturday, February 01, 2014
Presentation of the Lord
February 2, 2014
-- Sunday – Presentation of the Lord
Mal 3:1-4 / Ps 24: 7, 8, 9, 10 / Heb 2:14-18 / Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22-32
First Reading: Mal 3:1-4
Now I am sending my messenger ahead of me to clear the way; then suddenly the Lord for whom you long will enter the sanctuary. The envoy of the covenant which you so greatly desire already comes, says Yahweh of hosts. Who can bear the day of his coming and remain standing when he appears? For he is like fire in the foundry and like the lye used for bleaching. He will be as a refiner or a fuller. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. So Yahweh will have priests who will present the offering as it should be. Then Yahweh will accept with pleasure the offering of Judah and Jerusalem, as in former days.
Second Reading: Heb 2:14-18
And because all those children share one same nature of flesh and blood, Jesus likewise had to share this nature. This is why his death destroyed the one holding the power of death, that is the devil, and freed those who remained in bondage all their lifetime because of the fear of death. Jesus came to take by the hand not the angels but the human race. So he had to be like his brothers in every respect, in order to be the High Priest faithful to God and merciful to them, a priest able to ask pardon and atone for their sins. Having been tested through suffering, he is able to help those who are tested.
Gospel: Luke 2:22-40
When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice as ordered by the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel and he had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law. Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation, which you display for all the people to see. Here is the light you will reveal to the nations and the glory for your people Israel." The child's father and mother wondered at what was said about him. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Know this: your son is a sign, a sign established for the falling and rising of many in Israel, a sign of contradiction, and a sword will pierce your own soul so that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed." There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father's home, she had been seven years with her husband, and since then, she had been continually about the Temple, serving God as a widow night and day in fasting and prayer. She was now eighty-four. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God and spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew in stature, and strength and was filled with wisdom; the grace of God was upon him.
Reflection:
Did Mary and Joseph realize the importance of bringing the Child Jesus to the Temple? They may have simply thought that they were doing what any devout Jewish parents of a first-born son would do. To their surprise, however, they were met by a man named Simeon in whom the Spirit was working. Luke tells us that it was the Spirit that brought Simeon to the Temple at the same time that Jesus, who was born of Mary by the power of the Spirit, was brought to the temple to fulfill the law's requirements. Also present was the prophetess Anna, a widow whose life now was a life of dedication to temple worship. Any onlooker at the scene would most probably see it as something ordinary, not any kind of a special grace-filled coincidence. But for Mary and Joseph the mysterious words of Simeon and Anna caused amazement. There's more than ordinary coincidence here!
The entry of Jesus into the temple was the beginning of an important series of temple episodes in the life of Jesus. At twelve Jesus was "lost" in the temple for three days, already showing himself to being 'at home' in the temple. Later as Jesus began his ministry it was in the temple that he declared the nature of his mission, a declaration that caused both wonder and hostility. During the years that followed, Jesus entered into conflict with the chief priests and Scribes. Defending the temple as his Father's house and a house of prayer, Jesus would eventually be brought to Jerusalem, the city of the temple. In prophetic words, Jesus declared that the new temple, the temple of his own body, would be renewed three days after his death at the hands of his persecutors.
How true the words of Simeon and Anna! The real importance of the events of that day was the whole life and ministry of Jesus that was to follow. And so it is for all of us. Events of our childhood days introduce us to our lives that follow. Step by step, year by year, we grow from childhood to maturity. Our need, therefore, is to continue to nourish our growth. The gospel tells us that after the presentation at the temple Jesus returned to Nazareth where he advanced in wisdom, age, and grace before God and man.
Contemplating the events of the childhood years of Jesus can help us and the Church to be committed to growth and development. The Church must grow beyond what it was centuries ago. Christians must do their part in helping Christ to be present in today's world. The litany of issues facing today's Church and today's Christians is long: injustice, a "culture of death," hurtful discrimination, environmental destruction, and so on and on. Can we let Mary and Joseph bring us to be presented to the Lord to continue to grow as Jesus did?
Prayer Requests:
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+
Mal 3:1-4 / Ps 24: 7, 8, 9, 10 / Heb 2:14-18 / Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22-32
First Reading: Mal 3:1-4
Now I am sending my messenger ahead of me to clear the way; then suddenly the Lord for whom you long will enter the sanctuary. The envoy of the covenant which you so greatly desire already comes, says Yahweh of hosts. Who can bear the day of his coming and remain standing when he appears? For he is like fire in the foundry and like the lye used for bleaching. He will be as a refiner or a fuller. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. So Yahweh will have priests who will present the offering as it should be. Then Yahweh will accept with pleasure the offering of Judah and Jerusalem, as in former days.
Second Reading: Heb 2:14-18
And because all those children share one same nature of flesh and blood, Jesus likewise had to share this nature. This is why his death destroyed the one holding the power of death, that is the devil, and freed those who remained in bondage all their lifetime because of the fear of death. Jesus came to take by the hand not the angels but the human race. So he had to be like his brothers in every respect, in order to be the High Priest faithful to God and merciful to them, a priest able to ask pardon and atone for their sins. Having been tested through suffering, he is able to help those who are tested.
Gospel: Luke 2:22-40
When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice as ordered by the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel and he had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law. Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation, which you display for all the people to see. Here is the light you will reveal to the nations and the glory for your people Israel." The child's father and mother wondered at what was said about him. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Know this: your son is a sign, a sign established for the falling and rising of many in Israel, a sign of contradiction, and a sword will pierce your own soul so that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed." There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father's home, she had been seven years with her husband, and since then, she had been continually about the Temple, serving God as a widow night and day in fasting and prayer. She was now eighty-four. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God and spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew in stature, and strength and was filled with wisdom; the grace of God was upon him.
Reflection:
Did Mary and Joseph realize the importance of bringing the Child Jesus to the Temple? They may have simply thought that they were doing what any devout Jewish parents of a first-born son would do. To their surprise, however, they were met by a man named Simeon in whom the Spirit was working. Luke tells us that it was the Spirit that brought Simeon to the Temple at the same time that Jesus, who was born of Mary by the power of the Spirit, was brought to the temple to fulfill the law's requirements. Also present was the prophetess Anna, a widow whose life now was a life of dedication to temple worship. Any onlooker at the scene would most probably see it as something ordinary, not any kind of a special grace-filled coincidence. But for Mary and Joseph the mysterious words of Simeon and Anna caused amazement. There's more than ordinary coincidence here!
The entry of Jesus into the temple was the beginning of an important series of temple episodes in the life of Jesus. At twelve Jesus was "lost" in the temple for three days, already showing himself to being 'at home' in the temple. Later as Jesus began his ministry it was in the temple that he declared the nature of his mission, a declaration that caused both wonder and hostility. During the years that followed, Jesus entered into conflict with the chief priests and Scribes. Defending the temple as his Father's house and a house of prayer, Jesus would eventually be brought to Jerusalem, the city of the temple. In prophetic words, Jesus declared that the new temple, the temple of his own body, would be renewed three days after his death at the hands of his persecutors.
How true the words of Simeon and Anna! The real importance of the events of that day was the whole life and ministry of Jesus that was to follow. And so it is for all of us. Events of our childhood days introduce us to our lives that follow. Step by step, year by year, we grow from childhood to maturity. Our need, therefore, is to continue to nourish our growth. The gospel tells us that after the presentation at the temple Jesus returned to Nazareth where he advanced in wisdom, age, and grace before God and man.
Contemplating the events of the childhood years of Jesus can help us and the Church to be committed to growth and development. The Church must grow beyond what it was centuries ago. Christians must do their part in helping Christ to be present in today's world. The litany of issues facing today's Church and today's Christians is long: injustice, a "culture of death," hurtful discrimination, environmental destruction, and so on and on. Can we let Mary and Joseph bring us to be presented to the Lord to continue to grow as Jesus did?
Prayer Requests:
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+
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# posted by F O O D F O R T H O U G H T @ 2:26 AM 
