Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

The origin of today’s feast lies in ancient Jewish custom.  On the 40^th day after birth, parents brought their child to Jerusalem to present the child to the Lord.  The presentation of Jesus in the temple marks the public recognition and reception of Jesus Christ.  In this touching scene, we encounter four individuals who embrace the new life of Jesus held in their arms: the elderly and faithful Simeon, the old, wise prophetess Anna, and the young couple, Mary and Joseph.

Two important perspectives for ourselves flow from this deeply touching Gospel story.  The Presentation of Jesus into Jerusalem’s majestic temple takes place amidst the many comings and goings of various people, busy with their work: priests and Levites taking turns to be on duty; crowds of devout pilgrims anxious to encounter the God of Israel in his earthly dwelling in Jerusalem.  Yet none of them noticed anything special about the scene unfolding before them.  Jesus was a child like the others, a first-born son of very simple, humble, holy parents.

The temple priests, too, were incapable of recognizing the signs of the new and special presence of the Messiah and Savior.  Rather it was two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, who were able to discover the great newness present in the person of the child Jesus.  Upon seeing the child, Simeon and Anna understood that he was the long Awaited One.  He was the fulfillment of their hopes and dreams.  Simeon and Anna, coupled with the simplicity and piety of Mary, Joseph and the baby reveal the sheer humanity of this meeting.

The old man holds the child in his arms – the torch of life somehow spanning two generations of faithful Jews.  Holding this child in his arms, he knows that he is holding his very future close to his heart.  He is embracing in his arms the continuity of his own life.  The old man rejoices that others will continue his work.  He is happy that in his own decline there is indeed a future that is opening up.  Anna, too, is not afraid to bless the newness and challenge that this child brings.  Simeon and Anna embody a hopeful, youthful vision.  We too are standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us.  We must never forget this fact.

The second unique perspective of the Gospel scene is that of bearing Christ to the world.  If our parish worship and outreach do not bear Jesus to the world, and do not speak about him openly, then we are not fulfilling the mission entrusted to us by God and the church.  The effectiveness of our pastoral efforts lies in immersing ourselves deeply in the Word of God and the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, so that the living Jesus can act and speak through poor instruments like us.

Pope Francis is a magnificent example of the new evangelization in his words and actions.  He speaks so often about the “culture of encounter” that brings us face to face with other human beings.  If you want to know what evangelization looks like, feels like, smells like, look at Francis, himself an elderly man, who lives “the smell of the sheep.”  He writes in his recent apostolic exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, that “the Gospel tells us constantly to run the risk of a face-to-face encounter with others, with their physical presence which challenges us, with their pain and their pleas, with their joy which infects us in our close and continuous interaction….  The Son of God, by becoming flesh, summoned us to the revolution of tenderness.”

We all lead busy lives.  We do important, good works.  Do we forget to notice Jesus in our midst?  Jesus comes to us in the distressing disguise of the poor, the unbalanced, the angry, sad and confused people who make up our worlds.  Jesus comes to us from very simple, humble, holy parents who cannot do anything for us, except simply to be there.  How do we see God’s glory in our lives?  Do we thirst for justice and peace?  How am I truly light and salvation for other people?  Am I capable of warming human hearts by my life?  Do I radiate joy or announce despair?  How does Christ Our Hope Parish really live the “Gospel of Joy?”

Paul A. Magnano

Pastor