Presentation of Our Lord
February 2
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this
discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that
passage.
1st Reading - Malachi
3:1-4
Encouraged by Haggai and Zachariah, the Jews had rebuilt the Temple in
Jerusalem (537-515 B.C.). But the promised prosperity did not appear;
the people became despondent once more. Charging Yahweh with not
keeping His promises, they grew careless in their moral and religious
life. Many cast both Law and Worship overboard and fell into downright
religious indifference. This sad state of affairs is reflected in the
book of the prophet Malachi.
The book is dated between the rebuilding of the Temple in 515 B.C. and
before 458 B.C. Malachi is wholly concerned with the religious
conditions of the Jewish community. With all his might he endeavors to
stem the tide of religious indifference which must inevitably lead to
ruin. He proclaims the approach of the day of Yahweh: His messenger is
already on the way.
1 Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me;
The Hebrew name malachi, from which the title of the book comes, means
“my messenger”. The author here seems to be
emphasizing how God intervenes in sacred history by speaking to
Abraham, Noah, Moses and making covenants.
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. 2 But who will endure the day of his coming? And who
can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire,
Gold and silver are purified by melting and allowing the impurities to
float to the surface.
or like the fuller’s lye.
Also translated as “fuller’s soap”. A
fuller is someone who increases the weight and bulk of cloth by
shrinking and beating or pressing.
3 He will sit refining and purifying (silver),
See 1 Corinthians 3:13-15.
and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like
silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. 4 Then the
sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in days of
old, as in years gone by.
When the abuses are eliminated the sacrifices will be as pleasing to
God as they were in the time of David. Jesus’ sacrifice was
even more pleasing.
2nd Reading - Hebrews
2:14-18
The sacred writer of Hebrews
is unknown – which is why it is placed between
Paul’s writings and those of John. It is ascribed to Paul as
far back as the end of the 2nd century in the church of Alexandria but
Tertullian (A.D. 155-240) ascribes it to Barnabas. In any case, it has
been accepted by the Church as inspired, although Martin Luther tried
to leave it out of his Protestant Bible.
It is theorized that Hebrews
was not written as a letter, but more as a theological treatise. The
purpose was not to expound doctrine, but to ward off the apostasy that
was a real danger to the readers. As such, it is much like a written
homily. In our reading today, the sacred author explains how Jesus,
although superior to the angels, became a human being so that He might
offer the perfect sacrifice; opening the way so that man’s
sins might be forgiven.
14 Now since the children share in blood and flesh,
In the biblical sense, “flesh” means human nature
considered in its weakness and frailty. As such, the
“flesh” is contrasted with the
“spirit” and God. The expression “flesh
and blood” meaning “human being” occurs
in the Old Testament only in Sirach (14:18; 17:26). When flesh and
blood are separated, death occurs. Here, the sacred author speaks of
human nature under the ban of death and sees death as associated with
the devil. After all, death entered the world through the original sin
of Adam and Eve.
he likewise shared in them,
God shared with them because He had a common union (communion) with
them
that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death,
that is, the devil,
Death was not part of God’s original plan for man. By opening
heaven and enabling the forgiveness of sin, God triumphs over the
devil.
15 and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery
all their life.
The sacred author is not here talking about the apprehension we all
have of the ending of this life, rather he refers to the erroneous
conception that at death, man’s relations with God were
severed (Isaiah 38:18; Psalm 115:17-18). Because of Jesus’
death and resurrection the nature of death was changed; heaven was
opened and heaven became a means of passage out of the domain of sin
into the domain of everlasting life and love.
16 Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham;
In the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 22:18, God promised worldwide
blessing to the descendants of Abraham. This was fulfilled in Christ
and His sacrifice. We are Abraham’s children; his
descendants.
17 therefore, he had to become like his brothers in every way,
Since we are God’s children, Jesus is our older brother; the
firstborn who sets the example.
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
Jesus is the faithful high priest, He is worthy of our faith. The high
priest, on the day of atonement, entered the Holy of Holies and offered
sacrifice for the sins of the people and then exited. Jesus, our high
priest, offered Himself on the altar of the cross and still makes this
offering today in our behalf (Revelation 5:6).
to expiate the sins of the people.
This is the duty of the high Priest (Leviticus 16:15-16).
18 Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
The testings of Christ which have qualified Him to help those who are
undergoing temptation were not only the sufferings of His passion, but
also the temptations He encountered throughout His life. He was totally
true to His messianic mission: a mission which was always under attack.
he is able to help those who are being tested.
The temptation the sacred author is addressing here may be apostasy,
but we must be conscious that every temptation to sin is a temptation
to turn our back on God.
Gospel - Luke 2:22-40
(also heard on the Feast of the Holy Family, Cycle B)
Our Gospel reading for this
feast stresses the holy family’s strict obedience to the Law
of Moses. Luke 2:21 says “On the eighth day, when it was time
to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him
before he had been conceived.” The requirement for
circumcision is found in Genesis 17:12. Circumcision is a sign of the
covenant between Abraham and God. a mark which designates that they
belong to God’s chosen people. Although not mentioned in the
Gospel, Exodus 13:11-13 requires the sacrifice of all firstborn males
(either of the flock or the family), with the provision that donkeys
and sons shall be redeemed with a lamb, or if not redeemed its neck
shall be broken. Numbers 18:16 states that the redemption shall take
place at the age of one month (we are now at the 40th day since
Christmas) and places a price of 5 silver shekels (a shekel is about 11
1/2 grams or $50 at silver prices in 2012) as the price of redemption.
22 When the days were completed for their purification according to the
law of Moses,
See Leviticus 12:1-8.
they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,
There is no regulation in the Old Testament about presentation, but 1
Samuel 1:22-24 tells of Samuel being presented in the Temple after
being weaned. Perhaps this is Old Testament tradition which was
practiced but not recorded.
23 just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male
that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” 24 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.
Leviticus 12:8, the offering of the woman who can not afford a lamb.
One for a holocaust of adoration, and the other as a sin offering.
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
“Simeon” means “He [Yahweh] has
heard”. The Greek form is “Simon”.
This man was righteous and devout,
Denotes care in observing the moral obligations of the Law.
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
According to the rabbis, this denoted the final, unrecorded words that
passed between Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2:11) and that which would be
made known when Elijah reappeared.
and the holy Spirit was upon him.
God is at work in saving His people.
26 It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not
see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. 27 He came in the
Spirit into the temple; Although not a priest, Simeon (and
later Anna) represent the heart of the temple cult –
faithfulness to God.
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom
of the law in regard to him, 28 he took him into his arms and blessed
God,
The rabbis took children into their arms to bless them.
saying: 29 “Now, Master, you may let your servant
go in peace, according to your word,
Simeon, the faithful watchman, can be released from duty.
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you prepared in sight
of all the peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and
glory for your people Israel.”
This reflects Isaiah 42:6;49:6; 52:10. Salvation is universal, not just
for the Jews. John often uses light as an image of revelation, brought
from darkness to light.
33 The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said
about him; 34 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
The goals and goodness preached and practiced by the Messiah, will
force men to face up to their great sinfulness (their fall). This
knowledge can completely destroy, as it will the proud; or it can
prompt the humble to turn to the Messiah and through Him to rise to a
new life. The Greek word for “rise”, anastasis, is
used by Luke elsewhere exclusively to denote resurrection from the
dead.
35 (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many
hearts may be revealed.”
The sorrow experienced by a humble person because of the demands of an
exalted vocation.
36 There was also a prophetess, Anna,
Means “grace” or “favor.” A
prophetess witnessed to God’s will, at least by holiness of
life, sometimes by speaking in His name. Rabbinical literature
recognized seven (as a symbolic number) prophetesses: Sarah, Miriam
(Exodus 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4), Hannah (Samuel’s
mother, 1 Samuel 2:1), Abagail (wife of David, 1 Samuel 25:32), Huldah
(2 Kings 22:14), and Esther. Holy Scripture also mentions
Isaiah’s wife as a prophetess (Isaiah 8:3).
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
“Phanuel” means “face of El
(God)”. The tribe of Asher had the territory north
of Mount Carmel on the Mediterranean coast after the entrance into the
promised land, the area later occupied by the Phoenicians. In the
blessing of Jacob (Genesis 49:20) and the blessing of Moses
(Deuteronomy 33:24-25) the tribe is described as very prosperous. It is
mentioned as one of the tribes which answered the summons of Gideon
(Judges 6:35; 7:23).
She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband
after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
Or “for 84 years”. In the latter translation, this
would make her 104 years old which would place her symbolically in the
person of Judith, the devout widow who lived to 105 (Judith 16:23).
Both Jewish and Christian tradition found an honorable place for widows
in the service of the community.
She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and
prayer. 38 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.
Here, the city is representative of all the elect, those who will find
themselves in the Heavenly Jerusalem.
39 When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the
Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The
child grew and became strong,
This points to the necessity for Jesus’
“hidden” life as a child: He must grow strong in
the full experience of a human nature.
filled with wisdom;
God’s all-embracing plan of salvation
and the favor of God was upon him.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic
Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org