The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Year C
Malachi 3:1-4, Hebrew 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40
Forty days ago, the church celebrated the birth of Jesus. Today, we celebrate the feast of the presentation of the Lord and World Day of Consecrated Life.
On this day, Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary and Joseph, goes forth to meet his people for the first time. As Christ was presented in the Temple and Redeemed “bought back”, Mother church invites us to continuously offer ourselves “as a living, holy and pleasing sacrifice to God.” Rom12:1
In the first reading, we have this message of the Lord – the Lord will send a messenger to his people. He reminded His people; I am sending a messenger you have been seeking for. A messenger who will bring you a covenant in whom you desire. The messenger will come like fire to purify the people.
In our hearts there are many things we desire, seek. What do you desire? The Lord said, I know what you desire, my messenger. This messenger will purify the people which will involve passing through fire, the fire of our guilt, our shame and our sins. When we are purified then we can offer sacrifice to God.
The letter to the Hebrews reminds us that Christ is a faithful High Priest. In fulfillment of the prophecy of Malachi, He entered the temple, presented and sacrificed himself to God for our salvation. To achieve this mission, He had to be like one of us by assuming our human nature. He chose that way to purify us. This is the messenger we should hope in him for our purification. This purification of ours come with a cost. He was tested, suffered and died so he can plead on our behalf, knowing who we are and how live our lives on this earth. He can be a compassionate Christ.
Jesus did not need to be presented in the temple but just to fulfill the Jewish law and the fulfillment of what God commanded his people through Moses. A law that the firstborn son belonged to God and had to be “bought back” from God forty days after birth. A way the parents acknowledge that the child belongs to God, who alone has power to give life. Jesus was not born above the law, instead, he fulfilled it perfectly. Joseph and Mary met Simeon and Anna waiting in the temple for the fulfillment of God’s promise. Simeon to Joseph and Mary what their child would become. Simeon and Anna thanked and blessed the Lord for his faithfulness. Truly, “the desire of the righteous shall be granted” (Prov 10:24). Hence, Simeon sang the Nunc Dimittis: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace … for my eyes have seen your salvation.”
Finally, today, as we commemorate the presentation of the Lord and World Day of consecrated Life, let us pray that we, too, may continuously present and consecrate ourselves to God as a living and worthy sacrifice for the salvation of humanity. Today also is the feast day (173rd anniversary of the death of Father Francis Libermann, C.S.Sp. 2nd February 1852), one of the founders of my religious order- The Congregation of the Holy Spirit under the protection of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, also known as the Congregation of the Holy Ghost Fathers and Brothers (Spiritans).
Fr. Alex Osei
SSC-USA Spiritual Director