February 2, 2014

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Reading 1 Mal 3:1-4

Thus says the Lord God:
Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;
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.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner’s fire,
or like the fuller’s lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the LORD,
as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10

R. (8) Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory.
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

reading 2 Heb 2:14-18

Since the children share in blood and flesh,
Jesus likewise shared in them,
that through death he might destroy the one
who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and free those who through fear of death
had been subject to slavery all their life.
Surely he did not help angels
but rather the descendants of Abraham;
therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.

Gospel Lk 2:22-40

When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
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.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
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
—and you yourself a sword will pierce—
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
There was also a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
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.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.

or Lk 2:22-32

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord: Patience, Patience.

(Rembrandt)

"Now, Master, you may let your servant go . . ."

Sunday Readings: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/020214.cfm

More than any other prayer, more than any desire, how often have most of us prayed for patience? Parents are often struck by that need in raising their children. How typical is it these days to recognize how impatient we can be driving in congested traffic, or waiting in line at the movie theatre, grocery store, even a buffet line at a restaurant. “Let’s move it along.” “What’s taking you so long?”

If you’re standing behind someone, we find the person in front of you may apologize, or not, for taking “such a long time” in making a decision. What’s it been – 30 seconds? “Slow down,” “take a deep breath,” “count to ten,” “say three Hail Mary’s,” are things we may do to calm our restless heart. I’ve often said it’s the one prayer that is consistently answered by God. As we wait for his answer, we learn to be more patient.

This Sunday on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord we are taken back to a familiar Christmas scene, 40 days after that beloved feast. According to Jewish law, Jesus is presented in the Temple, as all first born sons would be, and Mary is purified according to that same law. As both she and Joseph are among the poor, only two small birds are purchased as an offering by them.

However, a dramatic moment takes place within this seemingly normal Temple duty. Luke relates: “Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel . . . it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.” How patient are we with the Lord? Simeon waited all his life for this unique moment. Don’t we often become restless and perhaps even give up when our prayers are not “answered” in our time?

Further, Luke presents this scene which may have been at first a bit frightening to Mary. Luke simply states, “. . . a man in Jerusalem.” Then he seems to just swoop in and, “. . . took him (the infant Jesus) into his arms and blessed God saying: Now Master you may let your servant go in peace . . . for my eyes have seen your salvation . . .” Who was Simeon? Did he have any connection with Temple worship or was he just a stranger who happened to be nearby? Nonetheless, both Mary and Joseph were “amazed at what was said about him . . .” For Mary and Joseph it was apparently a gradual unfolding, not an instant answer, to who this mysterious child was. They too were called to patiently wait on the Lord’s time.

Simeon, it strikes me, could be a representation of any of us who are doing our best to live a “righteous and devout” life or certainly are making an effort to be serious about our spiritual life but find ourselves impatient when it comes to prayer. Either we give up when our prayer is not answered according to our time schedule or at a minimum we become distracted by the stuff of life and are inconsistent in our prayer: on again, then off again. While prayer is not always asking for things we may for some reason think that we should be on the mountain when praying rather than in the flat valley with God.

All of his life Simeon was patiently waiting for the Lord’s fulfillment of the prophecies of the Messiah and now he says to God – “I can die in peace.” How many of us could wait patiently on God for a lifetime of hope? Think of St. Monica and her patient years of prayer waiting on the hope that her son Augustine would turn from his pagan, hedonistic lifestyle to a life of Christian moral virtue. Her life of prayer, like Simeon, was fulfilled at the end and she too could leave this world satisfied and grateful.

Luke then adds another figure of patience, an elderly woman of prayer and fasting who was also patiently waiting on the Lord: a prophetess, Anna. Like Simeon she is an obscure figure who appears on the scene and she too rejoices in the birth of this child. She too was patiently waiting for this unique moment.

God comes to us more often in the ordinary and the unexpected than he does in thunder and lightning but are we patient enough, are we humble enough, are we persistent enough to wait patiently for his response?

Our faithfulness and our patience, our trust in God’s promise and faithfulness is a lifetime of practice. Don’t give up but trust and have hope. Let the Simeon and Anna in you be a guide for the spiritual life. In the silence of the Eucharist we approach with hands and hearts of trust that God is always good on his word.

Almighty ever-living God,

We humbly implore your majesty

that, just as your Only Begotten Son

was presented on this day in the Temple

in the substance of our flesh,

so, by your grace,

we may be presented to you with minds made pure.

(Collect for Feast)

Vultus Christi

The Human Face of Divine Mercy

Sunday, 02 February 2014 07:00

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Look closely at this painting (1488) by Bartolomeo di Giovanni; it was commissioned for the Hospital of the Innocents in Florence. The six-sided altar at the centre of the composition points to the Sixth Day Sacrifice of the Cross. There is fire burning on the altar, a sign of the Holy Ghost. The Blessed Virgin Mary’s gesture indicates that she is offering the Infant Christ and participating in His sacrifice. Simeon’s gesture is one of acceptance; he is an image of the Eternal Father. Saint Joseph holds the turtle doves in his cloak; Joseph was chosen by God to veil the mystery. Anna, entering the painting at the extreme left, holds the lighted candle of her faith and hope as she witnesses the arrival in the temple of the long-awaited Priest and Victim, the Consolation of Israel.

The Face of a Little Child

In today’s splendid Introit the Church sings that we have received Mercy “in the midst of the temple” (Ps 47:10). At the heart of today’s mystery shines the face of a little Child, the human face of Divine Mercy. The four other figures in today’s Gospel — Mary, Joseph, Simeon and Anna — are held in His gaze. In a homily for January 1, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI spoke tenderly of the Face of the Infant Christ. “God’s Face took on a human face, letting itself be seen and recognized in the Son of the Virgin Mary, who for this reason we venerate with the loftiest title of Mother of God. She, who had preserved in her heart the secret of the divine motherhood, was the first to see the face of God made man in the small fruit of her womb.”

Today we meet the gaze of the Infant Christ, “made like His brethren in every respect” (Heb 2:17) and, looking into His eyes, we see that He is already our “merciful and faithful High Priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people” (Heb 2:17).

The Presentation of Christ Our Priest

Today in the midst of the temple the Father presents His Christ, our Priest, to us; and today the Father presents us to Christ our Priest. Of ourselves we have nothing to present; we can but receive Christ and allow ourselves to become an offering in His hands. “We have received your Mercy, O God, in the midst of your temple” (Ps 47:10).
The Infant Christ, presented to us as our Priest, presents us, in turn, to the Father. It is fitting that the symbol of the Infant Christ should be the living flame that crowns our candles. This Child has a Heart of fire, and so the prophet says, “But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire . . . and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the Lord” (Mal 3:2-3).

The Infant Priest and Victim

Today is the World Day for Consecrated Life. Consider the images that the liturgy sets before us: a flame that burns, consuming the wax that holds it aloft; a Child with the all-embracing gaze of the “Ancient of Days” (Dn 7:13); an Infant who is already Priest and Victim.

Identification with Christ the Victim

One consecrated in the monastic life is a taper offered to the consuming flame of love. One so consecrated has eyes only for the gaze of Christ, revealing a Heart that is all fire. One consecrated is presented and handed over to Christ the Priest. One consecrated is inescapably destined for the altar of sacrifice, for identification with Christ the Victim. Monastic life cannot be anything less than this, nor can it be anything more. This is why the Apostle says, “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1).

The Woman Wrapped in Silence

Each of the four figures surrounding the Infant Christ in the temple is an icon of consecrated life, beginning with his all-holy Virgin Mother. How does today’s Gospel present her? She is a woman wrapped in silence. Even when addressed by Simeon, she remains silent. Her silence is an intensity of listening. She is silent so as to take in Simeon’s song of praise, silent so as to capture his mysterious prophecy of soul-piercing sorrow and hold it in her Immaculate Heart. She is silent because today her eyes say everything, eyes fixed on the face of the Infant Christ, eyes illumined by the brightness of his gaze.

Wordlessly, Mary offers herself to the living flame of love. She is the bride of the Canticle of whom it is said, “Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold you are beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil” (Ct 4:1). Consecrated life in all its forms, and monastic life in particular, begins in the silence of Mary that, already in the temple, consents to the sacrifice of her Lamb and to the place that will be hers beside the altar of the Cross.

Joseph and the Divine Desires

Turning to Saint Joseph, what do we see? Joseph shares Mary’s silence. Silence is the expression of their communion in a tender and chaste love, a love that is ready for sacrifice. Joseph listens with Mary. Saint Joseph is the first to enter deeply into the silence of the Virgin. It is his way of loving her. It is his way of trusting her beyond words.

Saint Joseph: Tenderly Focused on the Face of Christ

The silence of Saint Joseph becomes for all consecrated persons a way of loving, a way of trusting, a way of pushing back the frontiers of hope. I recall what Pope Benedict XVI said concerning the silence of Saint Joseph. “The silence of Saint Joseph,” said the Holy Father, “is an attitude of total availability to the divine desires. . . . He stands beside the Church today, silent, listening, tenderly focused on the face of Christ in all his members.” Consecrated life is just that: availability to the desires of God, a listening silence, and a way of focusing tenderly on the face of Christ in all his members.

The Old Priest Sings

Saint Simeon represents the ancient priesthood disappearing into the light of Christ, our “merciful and faithful high priest before God” (Heb 2:17). Simeon is the old priest pointing to the new. He speaks; he sings his praise; he utters prophecy. Saint Simeon models the vocation of every priest charged in the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with the calling down of the Holy Ghost over altar, bread, wine, and people. Simeon has a particular relationship with the Holy Ghost. Three times in as many verses Saint Luke emphasizes the mystical synergy of Simeon and the Holy Ghost: “The Holy Ghost was upon him. . . ” (Lk 2:25); “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Ghost. . . . ; (Lk 2:26); “He came in the Spirit into the temple”; (Lk 2:27). In the Holy Ghost, Simeon contemplates the face of the Infant Christ; in the Holy Spirit he raises his voice in prophecy and in thanksgiving. In all of this Simeon shows us the characteristic traits of the new priesthood called to serve in the Holy Ghost.

Anna of the Face of God

Finally, there is Anna the prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel whose name means “Face of God.” The widow Anna has made the temple her home. Abiding day and night in adoration, she emerges from the recesses of the temple only to give thanks to God and speak of the Child. Drawn into the light of the face of Christ she cannot but praise and immediately publish the good news “to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Lk 2:38).
Anna of the Face of God models the vocation of every consecrated woman called to be at once fully contemplative and fully apostolic. The old woman’s encounter with the Infant Christ energizes and rejuvenates her. In some way, Anna is the first apostle sent out by the Holy Ghost. Before Mary Magdalene and before the twelve, Anna announces Christ. She is compelled to speak but does so out of an “adoring silence.” She appears in the temple to publish the long-awaited arrival of Mercy, and in her eyes shines the light of his Face. Mercy in the flesh was passed like a living flame from the arms of Mary and Joseph into the arms of Simeon and, then, undoubtedly into the embrace of holy Anna. “We have received your Mercy, O God, in the midst of your temple” (Ps 47:10).

The Consuming Fire of the Most Holy Eucharist

We, who welcome Mercy in the midst of the temple, are compelled to present ourselves to Mercy at the altar, to give ourselves back to Mercy, to give ourselves up to Mercy, to surrender to Mercy’s sweet, purifying flame. “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:28-29).

Vultus Christi

Faciem tuam, Domine, requiram

Sunday, 02 February 2014 07:05

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In 2011, my dear friend Richard Chonak performed a spiritual work of mercy for the readers of Vultus Christi by translating this magnificent text of Pope Benedict XVI. Here, again, is Mr. Chonak’s lovely translation. I added the subtitles in boldface that may help those who want to pray their way through it. To illustrate the text, I chose Blessed Fra Angelico’s painting of the Presentation because of its extraordinary luminosity.

Homily of Pope Benedict XVI
Vatican Basilica
Tuesday, February 2, 2011

The meeting of the two Testaments

Dear brothers and sisters! In today’s Feast we contemplate the Lord Jesus, whom Mary and Joseph present at the temple “to offer him to the Lord” (Lk 2:22). In this gospel scene the mystery of the Virgin’s Son, consecrated by the Father, having come into the world to faithfully accomplish His will (cf. Heb. 10:5-7), is revealed. Simeon points him out as a “light to enlighten the nations” (Lk 2:32) and announces with a prophetic word his supreme offering to God and his final victory (cf. Lk 2:32-35). It is the meeting of the two Testaments, Old and New. Jesus enters into the old Temple, He who is the new Temple of God: he comes to visit his people, bringing obedience to the Law to fulfillment and inaugurating the last days of salvation.

The light that comes to enlighten the world

It is interesting to observe closely this entrance of the Child Jesus into the solemnity of the temple, into a great hustle and bustle of so many people occupied by their duties: the priests and Levites with their turns at service, the many faithful and pilgrims desiring to meet the holy God of Israel. But none of them realizes a thing. Jesus is a child like every other, the first-born son of two very simple parents. Even the priests prove unable of grasping the signs of the new and particular presence of the Messiah and Savior. Only two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, discover the great news. Led by the Holy Spirit, they find in this child the fulfillment of their long waiting and watching. Both contemplate the light of God, who comes to enlighten the world, and their prophetic gaze opens into the future, as an announcement of the Messiah: Lumen ad revelationem gentium! (Lk 2:32). In the prophetic attitude of the two venerable elders, the entire Old Covenant expresses the joy of meeting the Redeemer. In the face of the Child, Simeon and Anna grasp intuitively that He is the long-awaited One.

An eloquent icon of consecrated life

The Presentation of Jesus in the temple constitutes an eloquent icon of the total self-giving of life by which so many men and women are called to reproduce “the characteristic traits of Jesus chaste, poor, and obedient” in the Church and in the world, by means of the evangelical counsels. (Post-synodal exhortation Vita consecrata,1). Because of this, today’s Feast was chosen by the Venerable John Paul II to celebrate the annual Day of Consecrated Life. . . . I would like to present three brief thoughts in reflection on this Feast.

The light of divine beauty shines on the face of Christ

First: the gospel icon of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple contains the fundamental symbol of light: the light that, coming from Christ, shines upon Mary and Joseph, upon Simeon and Anna, and through them, upon all. The Fathers of the Church connected this radiance with the spiritual path. Consecrated life expresses that path in a particular way as “philokalia”, love for divine beauty, a reflection of the goodness of God (cf. ibid., 19). On the face of Christ shines the light of that beauty. “The Church contemplates the transfigured face of Christ, in order to be strengthened in faith, and in order not to risk being confused before his face disfigured on the Cross … she is the Bride before her Bridegroom, sharer in his mystery, wrapped in his light, [by which] all her children are united. But those called to consecrated life have a singular experience of the light that proceeds from the Word incarnate. The profession of the evangelical counsels, truly, places them as a sign and prophecy for the community of the brethren and for the world.” (ibid., 15)

True prophecy is born in friendship with God

In the second place, the gospel icon shows us prophecy, gift of the Holy Spirit. Simeon and Anna, contemplating the Child Jesus, speak of his destiny of death and resurrection for the salvation of all the nations and announce this mystery as universal salvation. Consecrated life is called to a like prophetic testimony, tied to its two attitudes, contemplative and active. To consecrated persons, truly, is given to show forth the primacy of God, passion for the Gospel practiced as a way of life and proclaimed to the poor, and to the ends of the earth. “By virtue of this primacy nothing can be set before personal love for Christ and for the poor in whom He lives. True prophecy is born of God, from friendship with Him, from the attentive hearing of his Word in the various circumstances of history.” (ibid., 84) In this way consecrated life, in its daily experience on the roads of mankind, shows forth the Gospel and the Kingdom already present and active.

Seeking the face of the Lord: true wisdom

In the third place, the gospel icon of the Presentation of the Lord in the temple shows the wisdom of Simeon and Anna, the wisdom of a life dedicated totally to seeking the face of God, his signs, his will; a life dedicated to the hearing and proclaiming of his Word. Faciem tuam, Domine, requiram: your face, O Lord, I seek (Ps 26:8)…. Consecrated life is in the world and in the Church a visible sign of this seeking for the face of the Lord and of the ways that lead to Him (cf. Jn 14:8)…. The consecrated person therefore bears witness to the commitment, joyful and at the same time laborious, to the assiduous and wise search for the divine will.” (cf. Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Instruction “The service of authority and obedience”, Faciem tuam Domine requiram [2008], 1)

Hearers and searchers of the Word

Dear brothers and sisters, be assiduous hearers of the Word, because all wisdom in life is born of the Word of the Lord! Be searchers of the Word, by means of lectio divina, so that consecrated life “is born from hearing the Word of God and taking the Gospel as its norm of life. To live as a follower of Christ chaste, poor, and obedient is, in a way, a living «exegesis» of the Word of God. The Holy Spirit, through whose power the Bible was written, is the same one who illuminates the Word of God with new light for the founders and foundresses. Every charism springs from it, and every rule seeks to be an expression of it”
(Exhortation Verbum Domini, 83).

A luminous testimony to the splendor of truth

We live today, above all in the more developed societies, a situation often marked by a radical pluralism, by a progressive marginalization of religion from the public sphere, by a relativism that touches on fundamental values. This demands that our Christian testimony be luminous and coherent and that our educational effort be every more attentive and generous. May your apostolic activity, in particular, dear brothers and sisters, become a commitment of life that reaches, with persevering passion, to wisdom as truth and as beauty, “the splendor of truth”. With the wisdom of your life, and with trust in the inexhaustible possibilities of true education, may you know how to orient the understanding and the heart of men and women of our time toward the “good life of the Gospel”.

Entrustment to Our Lady

In this moment, my thought goes with special affection to all consecrated men and women, in every part of the world, and I entrust them to the Blessed Virgin Mary:

O Mary, Mother of the Church,
I entrust to you all of consecrated life,
so that you may obtain for it the fullness of divine light:
may it live in the hearing of the Word of God,
in the humility of following Jesus your Son and our Lord,
in welcoming the visitation of the Holy Spirit,
in the daily joy of the Magnificat,
so that the Church may be built up in holiness of life
by these your sons and daughters,
in the commandment of love. Amen.

No ground for boasting in the presence of God

Sunday, 02 February 2014 12:55

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The Preferred Offering

When the holy Mother of God and Saint Joseph go to the temple for her purification and to present the Child Jesus, in accordance with the Law, they bring with them the humble offering of the poor: a pair of turtle doves. Other devout Jews, having the means to do it, would bring the preferred offering: “a lamb fit to be offered” (Leviticus 12:8). This ritual action fulfills what the Lord said to Moses: “Dedicate to me every first-born thing that Israel yields, whether it be man or beast, the first-fruits of every womb; all these are forfeit to me” (Exodus 13:1).

Those Who Wait Upon God

Saint Luke, by making explicit mention of the turtle doves, would have us understand that the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph were humble folk of modest condition. Their offering of turtle doves identifies them with the long–suffering, pious, faithful poor of Israel: the so–called anawim. The Hebrew word anawim means “those who are bowed down.” It refers to the little people oppressed by the rich and powerful, those whose only recourse is God, those who wait upon God to do for for them what they cannot do for themselves and of themselves.

God Has Chosen What Is Nothing

If Our Lady and Saint Joseph were depicted as rich, powerful, and influential, who among us would be able to relate to them? Think of what Saint Paul writes to the Corinthians:

Consider, brethren, the circumstances of your own calling; not many of you are wise, in the world’s fashion, not many powerful, not many well born. No, God has chosen what the world holds foolish, so as to abash the wise, God has chosen what the world holds weak, so as to abash the strong. God has chosen what the world holds base and contemptible, nay, has chosen what is nothing, so as to bring to nothing what is now in being; no human creature was to have any ground for boasting, in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:26–28)

His Grace Enough for Us

We are, all of us, poor, powerless, foolish and of no consequence in the eyes of the world. We are, all of us, incapable of saving ourselves or of changing anything within us or around us. We are, in a word, utterly dependent upon God alone. Thus does Our Lord Jesus Christ say to each of us, as he said to his Apostle, “My grace is enough for thee; my strength finds its full scope in thy weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). And each of us, with the Apostle, can conclude: “More than ever, then, I delight to boast of the weaknesses that humiliate me, so that the strength of Christ may enshrine itself in me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Fragile and Precarious

I am thinking today of the poverty of our means here in this little monastery — the least of all the monasteries of Ireland — and of the poverty of our surroundings. We do have, it is true, a roof (that sometimes leaks) over our heads, and walls to protect us (at least most of the time) from the cold wind and driving rain. We do have, it is true, the occasional puff of heat from the radiator, clothes to keep us warm, and socks and shoes for our feet. Everything about this monastery is, nonetheless, fragile, and precarious, and in need of restoration, including the men who live here.

Waiting

It takes very little to throw everything here out of balance. There is no real security. There are no resources put aside for emergencies. There is nothing to create the illusion of being in control, of having enough, of living apart from the struggles of humble folk everywhere. Of late, even the generous alms of a few good benefactors have been held up somewhere in the strangling bureaucracy of the banking system, and so we find ourselves, day after day, waiting and waiting for the gifts that, for the love and glory of God, are destined for our support.

Abandonment to Divine Providence

The reality of our humble condition can move us to one of two responses. Either we can become discouraged and fearful, or we can trust in the care of God and, therefore, be at peace. God does not want us to live in constant discouragement and fear. All of Sacred Scripture attests to His loving care for those who depend on Him alone, and invites us to abandonment to His Providence.

I say to you, then, do not fret over your life, how to support it with food and drink; over your body, how to keep it clothed. Is not life itself a greater gift than food, the body than clothing? See how the birds of the air never sow, or reap, or gather grain into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them; have you not an excellence beyond theirs? Can any one of you, for all his anxiety, add a cubit’s growth to his height? And why should you be anxious over clothing? See how the wild lilies grow; they do not toil or spin; and yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If God, then, so clothes the grasses of the field, which to-day live and will feed the oven to-morrow, will he not be much more ready to clothe you, men of little faith? Do not fret, then, asking, What are we to eat? or What are we to drink? or How shall we find clothing? It is for the heathen to busy themselves over such things; you have a Father in heaven who knows that you need them all. Make it your first care to find the kingdom of God, and his approval, and all these things shall be yours without the asking. Do not fret, then, over to-morrow; leave to-morrow to fret over its own needs; for to-day, to-day’s troubles are enough. (Matthew 6:25–34)

This, then, is the first part of the message of the pair of turtle doves mentioned in the Gospel:

Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are the patient; they shall inherit the land. Blessed are those who mourn; they shall be comforted. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for holiness; they shall have their fill. (Matthew 5:3–6)

The Lamb Fit to Be Offered

The second part of the message is not as easily grasped as the first. It lies in the apparent absence of the “lamb fit to be offered” (Leviticus 12:8). It would not at all have been seemly for Our Blessed Lady and Saint Joseph to make the offering of a spotless lamb when, in reality, the Lamb to be offered was the Child held in His Mother’s arms, and even given to the aged Simeon, to comfort him at the end of his life and to reward his perseverance in hope. There is but one Lamb. Saint Luke cannot conceive of putting two lambs into his verbal icon, his mystic depiction of this event. When the fulfillment of past images arrives, and when the reality of what was merely signified in the prescriptions of the Law appears, what is old gives way to what is eternally new.

Today celebrates the fulfillment of those mysterious words of Abraham to his dear son Isaac as they made their way together to the summit of Mount Moriah: “Isaac said to him, Father. What is it, my son? he asked. Why, said he, we have the fire here and the wood; where is the lamb we need for a victim? My son, said Abraham, God will see to it that there is a lamb to be sacrificed.” (Genesis 22:7–8)

The Appearance of the Lamb

One who fails to see in today’s glorious liturgy the long–awaited appearance of the Victim, the Lamb fit to be offered in sacrifice, is still blind to the “the light which shall give revelation to the Gentiles, the glory of God’s people Israel” (Luke 2:32). It is only in the radiance of the Most Holy Eucharist that all becomes clear; it is only in the splendour surrounding the altar that all of us, poor blind folk, are, at last, given eyes to see.

See, then, and recognize the arrival of the Lamb in the temple. Confess the Holy Sacrifice of the Cross renewed and made present upon the altars of the Church from the rising of the sun until its setting. Partake of the adorable mysteries of the Flesh and Blood of the immolated Lamb. Becomes one victim with Him.

Nothingness Makes us Fit for the Sacrifice

At the incandescent heart of today’s feast, there is the Lamb, the very Lamb who appeared at Knock with the Mother of God and with Saint Joseph — just as He appears in the Gospel today. Behold the Lamb of God, “the pure victim, the holy victim, the spotless victim” as the Roman Canon names Him. He would unite us to Himself. No longer are we mere contributors bearing gifts to the temple to be immolated upon its altar; Christ Jesus, the Child of Mary, the Eternal High Priest has taken us to Himself, and made us with Him victims fit for immolation. No poverty, no insecurity, no lack of means can keep us from entering into the heart of the mystery. On the contrary, it is nothingness that makes us fit for the sacrifice. “God,” says Saint Paul, “has chosen what is nothing” (1 Corinthians 1:28). The less we have, the more we have to offer; and the less we are, the more do we become victims of adoration “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

Ewgnum Christi

Speaking from the Heart of Christ

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Luke 2:22 - 40

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord," 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. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. 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. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel." The child´s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; 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 (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. 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. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I open my heart to receive the power of your Spirit flowing from your heart into mine. I wish to carry it zealously as a light from my heart to my family, to my friends, to the weak and empty of heart. With the fire of your love in me, I want to acknowledge you as true light and as the glory and splendor of every human person. I long to be filled with a consuming love for you.

Petition: Lord, help me to penetrate the meaning of my baptism by contemplating your consecration in the Temple and on the cross.

1. Glory of the Father, Light of the Nations: Contemplate this scene from God’s perspective. The Son, now in human history, enters the Temple for the first time. The Son enters the house of the Father. He, the perfect Lamb for whom no earthly sanctuary is holy enough, accepts to be consecrated in this place built by men, this place that was dedicated to the memory of the signs that were all in expectation of him. The True Lamb arrives at last to the place of offering. The Temple was above all a place of sacrifice in order to gain God’s favor. It was a place of expiation to free oneself of the inheritance of sin, and a place of prayer to offer fitting honor and praise to the one true God. And here, on this day, in the arms of Mary, comes the only sacrifice that counts, for without him no other sacrifice has meaning, whether in sacred rituals or in our personal lives.

2. “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord”: Contemplate this scene through the heart of Mary. In the simple rite of consecration; the Son is going to recognize his belonging to the Father, but he will do it through Mary’s fidelity to the prescribed ritual. Yet, who can speak for this child? Can anyone speak for the zeal of his heart, the hunger of his heart to suffer for souls? Mary’s pure and humble heart emerges as his spokesperson, and it speaks the language of self-giving and donation, though under the rituals prescribed by the law. “For their sake I consecrate myself.” She reflects to the world what has been communicated to her by her Son, who is flesh of her flesh. In our ordinary life we elevate the meaning of small events in union with Christ. Flesh of our flesh by grace, he enables us to live a consecration to a mission in his name. Our acts are made from the power of Christ’s living presence moving our heart and will.

3. “A sword shall pierce your heart”: Now contemplate the true temple of Christ’s body on the Cross, where every consecration is made perfect. Yes, Christ gives us the privilege to speak the words that echo from his heart. Over time he perfects this language in us, if we are faithful to the cross in our life.

My own baptismal consecration is all about speaking from what is in the heart of Christ, so that his words ‘pierce my own heart’ and replace that heart of stone with a new heart. I seek to speak like Christ––chaste, poor, and obedient––with a language forged and pounded into full authenticity at the Cross. My death to sin and egoism will call forth the risen life of the new man of the Kingdom––possible only through the fire of the Spirit that flows from the open side of Christ.

Conversation with Christ: O Jesus, make my soul a temple worthy of your entry. May the walls of my heart be adorned with purity, honesty and upright intention in all I say and do. May its floors, upon which you walk, be sealed with modesty and sincerity, and lead you to an undivided heart.

Resolution: Today I will renew my personal consecration to the Heart of Christ in a visit to the Eucharist, and I will remember in a special way all consecrated persons throughout the world who renew their vows today.

Scripture Speaks: Presentation of the Lord

by Gayle Somers on January 31, 2014 ·

When Joseph and Mary took the infant Jesus to the Temple to fulfill Jewish law, they also fulfilled a treasured a Messianic prophecy. How?

Gospel (Read Lk 2:22-40)

About a month after Jesus was born, His parents took Him to the Temple in Jerusalem to fulfill the law of Moses concerning firstborns (see Ex 13:1-3). What was that law? During the time of Israel’s deliverance from bondage in Egypt, God gave to His people, through Moses, an ordinance requiring that every firstborn child born to Hebrew parents must be “dedicated” to the Lord. This requirement would constantly remind the Israelites of how all their firstborn children were spared from death by the blood of the Passover lambs on their doorposts. They owed their existence as a nation to God’s supernatural protection of them. The firstborn could be dedicated to God to serve as a priest or could be bought back with a modest redemption offering.

When Joseph and Mary arrived at the Temple, they were “amazed” at what greeted them there. Simeon and Anna, a man and a woman who represented all the “righteous and devout” people of Israel were there actively, faithfully “awaiting the consolation of Israel.” They recognized Jesus as the fulfillment of all their Messianic hope. The Holy Spirit revealed to both of them that this ordinary-looking infant was anything but ordinary. Simeon swept Jesus into his arms and spoke directly to God: “Now, Master, You may let Your servant go in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation.” God had promised this faithful man “that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.” With the prompting of the Spirit, Simeon knew God had kept His promise in this Child. He went on to prophetically describe the Child’s future. Jesus would be both “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for [God’s] people, Israel.”

Then, speaking directly to Mary, Simeon describes a shadow that would accompany this Child’s life: “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted.” The Child’s mission would stir up trouble and call for decisions that would create division and opposition. What mother wants to hear that? There was more, of course: “You yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” How difficult this must have been for a new mother, in her first public maternal action, to learn! Suffering for both her Son and herself lay ahead. In fact, Simeon was bringing together many Messianic prophecies in this amazing benediction over Jesus and His mother. God’s long-promised salvation for the whole world was right here, lying as an infant in his arms, and Simeon says He will grow up to become the Suffering Servant of Isaiah’s majestic prophecies in the Old Testament. God had said even at the dawn of time in Eden, after the Fall, that a “woman” and her “seed” would take up the definitive battle against His primordial enemy, the devil (see Gn 3:15). Simeon knew, in fulfillment of all that God had earlier revealed, that great pain and great glory lay ahead.

The prophetess, Anna, whom St. Luke identifies as “of the tribe of Asher,” is also prompted by the Spirit, after a faithful life of prayer and fasting, to recognize the Child as the One for whom “all who were waiting the redemption of Jerusalem” sought. The tribe of Asher had been one of the ten northern tribes that were “lost” when the Assyrians conquered them in God’s just judgment against their covenant unfaithfulness. She represents God’s intention to recover all that was lost to Him through sin. Both Simeon and Anna saw in a tiny, newborn baby the hope of the whole world.

It is fitting that these prophetic announcements about Jesus were made in the Temple. This was the place intended by God for the most intimate contact between Himself and His people. It was the holiest place on earth, because it was where God visited His people on the Day of Atonement every year, in the liturgical work of the high priest. Long before His earthly life unfolded, Jesus’ work as both priest and victim were foreshadowed in this Temple visit. Jesus would return to the Temple, of course, at the beginning of His manhood and during the course of His public ministry. Eventually, He would prophesy its utter destruction. Why would that happen? He was born to become the New and living Temple where, for all eternity, God and man would meet.

So many signs, so many wonders were present in this simple action by devout parents to obey God’s law for family life. This gives us much to ponder, doesn’t it?

Possible response: St. Joseph and St. Mary, please pray for parents today to be faithful in raising their children according to God’s Word.

First Reading (Read Mal 3:1-4)

Here is a dramatic prophecy from the very last of the Old Testament prophetic books. When we read it, we can perhaps understand why devout Jews in Jesus’ day, like Simeon and Anna in our Gospel, spent so much time in the Jerusalem Temple. God says, through His prophet, “Lo, I am sending My Messenger to prepare the way before Me; and suddenly there will come to the Temple the Lord whom you desire.” This amazing prophecy goes on to say that when God’s “Messenger” appears, His work of “refining” and “purifying” God’s people means that “the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.” Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for sin, a sacrifice pleasing to God, because He offered Himself sinless, with a pure heart, out of love for sinners.

No wonder Simeon and Anna were waiting and hoping to see this “Messenger” with their own eyes.

Possible response: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to refine and purify Your people. May the gratitude and joy of Simeon and Anna for this gift be ours today, too.

Psalm (Read Ps 24:7-10)

This psalm is traditionally ascribed to King David, written to celebrate the entrance of Israel’s recovered Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. At that time, the Ark contained the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, written by God’s own finger. (By Jesus’ day, the Ark of the Covenant had been lost.) King David recognized the presence of the true King of Israel in those tablets and the Ark itself. Even though the Temple did not exist at this time (it was built later by David’s son, Solomon), the liturgy of the Day of Atonement, which included the sacrifice of one animal and the exile of the “scapegoat” to atone for the sins of the people, was celebrated in the presence of this Ark. Its “mercy seat” served as the altar upon which the animal’s blood was placed. So, as the Ark entered Jerusalem, David wanted to sing at the city gates, “Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in!” Today, because we know that Jesus is the New Temple, the Word of God in flesh and blood, not stone tablets, we can sing, “Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!” Interestingly, on the day of Jesus’ Presentation in the Temple, not only did the New Temple visit His people but the New Ark of the Covenant, the one who carried God’s living Word in her womb, did, too.

Possible response: The psalm is, itself, a response to our other readings. Read it again carefully to make it your own.

Second Reading (Read Heb 2:14-18)

Our epistle reading touches on so many themes we have already seen in our others readings. Jesus, God’s flesh and blood “Messenger,” came to destroy the devil, who held all mankind in bondage to the fear of death. This reminds us of Simeon’s prophecy of future suffering in store for the Child in his arms. The “woman” and her “seed” were destined to do battle against God’s enemy. Jesus took on our human nature and lived a human life like ours, made present in our Gospel when His parents, in simple human obedience to their religion, took Him to the Temple. Jesus came to be the expiation of our sins, so that in Him we can now offer God a pure and pleasing sacrifice. Lastly, Jesus is “able to help those who are being tested.” He is not a Savior remote from us but One Who loves us, hears us, helps us. This is why He is a “light” to the Gentiles and “the glory” of His people, Israel.

The baby of the Presentation grew up to be the King of all creation. “Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!”

Possible response: Lord Jesus, Simeon and Anna welcomed Your nearness in Your first Temple visit. You are always near Your people. Help us to live in the peace You want to give us.

Two Messengers and Heavenly Bleach in Malachi

by Dr. Mark Giszczak on January 31, 2014 ·

February 2, 2014, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/020214.cfm

On this Feast of the Presentation, the Lord comes to his Temple. But this time he comes not in a cloud of glory on the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, but in the meekness and humility of a baby. Mary and Joseph bring the baby Jesus to be circumcised on the eighth day of his little life to fulfill the Old Testament law (Lev 12:3). His coming to the Temple is anticipated by the prophet Malachi in the first reading for today.

Two Messengers

At the beginning of this passage, Malachi announces that the Lord is sending a messenger, “my messenger,” a forerunner who will prepare the way for the coming of the Lord himself (3:1). But immediately after this announcement, he tells us that “the messenger of the covenant” will come, who is identified as the Lord himself. The prophet explains the forerunner messenger more completely in 4:5-6. The forerunner will come as Elijah, to initiate a ministry of reconciliation, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and children to their fathers. After Elijah comes, the day of the Lord will arrive.

Profane vs. Pleasing Sacrifice

To get a full picture of what’s going on in this passage, a little context will help. Early in the prophecy of Malachi, the Lord accuses the priests and Levites (those responsible for the ministry of Temple worship) of profaning the Temple sacrifices, making a mockery of true worship. Instead of offering pure and unblemished animals to the Lord, they have been sacrificing blind and lame animals—a serious insult to the Lord (Malachi 1:8).These acts demonstrates where their hearts are—far from faithfulness to the Lord. The Lord invokes his special covenant with the Levites (2:5) to ground his response to their offensive behavior. The Levites were especially called by God and so ought to have been especially faithful.

In Malachi 3, the Lord is announcing the “day of his coming,” the coming of the Lord to enforce the covenant agreements he has with the Levites. The Lord will come to judge and to purify, to mend his relationship with his priestly family. Repeatedly in the New Testament the concept of worshipping with a pure heart is emphasized. Jesus teaches us to be reconciled with one another before we worship (Matt 5:23-24). He describes how the Lord desires “mercy, not sacrifice” (Matt 9:13). St. Paul tells that real fidelity to the Lord is a matter of the heart, not just a matter of external practices (Rom 2:29). The Lord wants his people to offer pleasing sacrifices from a pure heart, not profane sacrifices coming from a duplicitous heart.

Two Metaphors for Judgment

Malachi describes the judgment of the Lord using two powerful metaphors. The first metaphor focuses on refining people in the way that precious metals are refined, with an especially hot fire. The Lord’s purpose in judgment is not to destroy his people, but to purify them, to make them holy by his judgment. He wants to restore them, not to destroy them. (You can watch the process of refining gold here) The second metaphor also highlights a process of purification: bleaching. The “lye” used for bleaching here is most likely vegetable lye, a caustic alkaline substance derived from certain kinds of plant ash. This chemical would have been used by “fullers” for bleaching fibers for cloth. Fullers weren’t exactly laundrymen. Rather, they were responsible for taking partially processed fibers and preparing them to be made into cloth, by cleansing them from natural oils and dirt, so they could by dyed. As with refining, the metaphor of bleaching focuses on the purifying power of God’s judgment, not its destructive force.

Restoration and Fulfillment

This whole passage points to God’s desire to restore a right relationship with his people. It looks to the “days of old” with fondness, as a time of covenant love and fidelity. The roles of the forerunner and the divine messenger are about reconciliation and restoration, bringing God’s people back to him. This passage looks forward to fulfillment in the New Testament. John the Baptist comes in the spirit and power of Elijah, as the forerunner (Matt 17:10-13). Jesus comes to the Temple as the “messenger of the covenant,” first as a little baby and later as a suffering king. He comes to the Temple to teach, to worship, and to cleanse it from the money-changers. Jesus comes to restore God’s relationship with his people and to bring it to a whole new level.

We can draw several conclusions from this passage in Malachi: God takes his loving relationship with us very seriously and he expects us to do the same. He desires for us to worship him with a pure heart—offering a pleasing sacrifice of praise. He doesn’t want to destroy us when we are unfaithful to him, but to restore us, to purify us, to bring us back. He is a God who keeps his promises to us and he helps us to keep our promises to him. May his refining fire and his heavenly bleach purify us!

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All Issues > Volume 30, Issue 2

<< Sunday, February 2, 2014 >>

Presentation of the Lord

Malachi 3:1-4
Hebrews 2:14-18
View Readings

Psalm 24:7-10
Luke 2:22-40
Similar Reflections

THE LAST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

"When the day came to purify them according to the law of Moses, the couple brought Him up to Jerusalem so that He could be presented to the Lord." —Luke 2:22

According to Jewish law, forty days after their baby boys were born, parents were obliged to present them to the Lord (Lv 12:3-4). Therefore, we celebrate the Lord's Presentation forty days after Christmas, His birthday. So today's feast day is connected with the number "40" and with Christmas.

The number "40" indicates a period of great change, hopefully ending in fulfillment. For instance, the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years before entering the promised land. Noah's flood lasted forty days. Moses was in God's presence on Mount Sinai for forty days. Nineveh had forty days to repent. Jesus fasted for forty days and ascended forty days after His resurrection. Today, the Lord is offering us the grace of a "40," that is, the grace of transformation and fulfillment.

Did you "have a good Christmas"? Is your life transformed by what the Lord did this past Christmas? If not, you can be transformed by the graces of today. Today may be your last chance for Christmas. Give your life to the Christ of Christmas. Jesus is a Sign of contradiction and your "Downfall" if you reject Him. He is your "Rise" if you accept Him (Lk 2:34). Give your life to Jesus today and have Christmas.

Prayer: Father, may this be the best Christmas ever — all that You want it to be.

Promise: "Since He was Himself tested through what He suffered, He is able to help those who are tempted." —Heb 2:18

Praise: Alleluia! Praise Jesus, the Light to the nations and the glory of Israel! (Lk 2:32)

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Feast of the Presentation of the Lord: Patience, Patience.

Scripture Speaks: Presentation of the Lord

Two Messengers and Heavenly Bleach in Malachi

Two Messengers

Profane vs. Pleasing Sacrifice

Two Metaphors for Judgment

Restoration and Fulfillment

One Bread, One Body

THE LAST DAY OF CHRISTMAS

Marriage=One Man and One Woman 'Til Death Do Us Part