COMPASSIONATE AND TRUSTWORTHY

THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD - Luke 2:22-40

This Sunday, on the second of February, we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord. Joseph and Mary, being law-abiding Jews, they went to the Temple in order to fulfil the commandment of the Lord. The firstborn should be presented to the Lord and consecrated to Him. All firstborn belonged to the Lord and should be redeemed by the offering of a sacrifice. So Jesus, still a baby, was consecrated to God and he lived all his life at the service of the Father, doing his will. In the letter to the Hebrews (the second reading), Jesus is presented as the ”high priest of God’s religion”, who proved himself to be “compassionate and trustworthy”. In order to be so, he became “completely like his brothers”. He can “help others who are tempted” because he was tempted. Like all human beings, he shared “the same blood and flesh” and suffered death, “so that by his death he could take away all the power of the devil, who had power over death, and set free all those who had been held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.” (Hb 2:14-18).

In the narrative of the presentation of the Lord, Luke presents the old Simeon coming to the Temple, guided by the Holy Spirit, in order to meet the young child and recognise him publicly as the “light to enlighten the pagans” and the salvation “for all the nations”.

Immediately after this recognition, Simeon addresses himself to Jesus’ mother and hints clearly at a time of suffering and passion, in which Mary will share in the cross of Jesus when “a sword will pierce your own soul too”. Jesus’ passion and death will stand like a sign that is rejected by many. Before his cross, we are forced to choose: either we accept him or we reject him. So “he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many”.

On this day of the Presentation of the Lord, we remember and pray for all the men and women who have consecrated themselves to God, choosing to follow Jesus closely behind. By doing so, they become as well a sign of contradiction, being many times rejected. Let us pray that they may remain always faithful to Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.