Posted on enero 31, 2025 View all Gospel Reflection
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
“My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all the peoples.” (Luke 2:30-31)
Today’s Feast day on this Sunday is a special day where we remember the custom of how each first born male was brought to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord (Exodus 22:28 and Exodus 34:20). This was in remembrance of the connection to the deliverance of the Jewish people from their slavery in Egypt at the Passover when “Moses said to the people: ‘Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of a house of slavery. For it was with a strong hand that the Lord brought you out from there.” (Exodus 3:3)
Today’s presentation is an act of thanksgiving for the birth of their first bon but more importantly, the presentation of the Lord is an act of thanksgiving for the salvation of the world. As Simeon proclaimed in this Gospel passage from today, he rejoiced in the fulfillment of the promise of God to send us the Messiah as our Savior. And that Savior is Jesus Christ. The church remembers this joyous event every morning when in the Liturgy of the Hours the Canticle of Simeon is recited.
Reflecting on this great moment, we should be asking ourselves how do we give thanks to God for the gift of our Savior. Simeon said “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation…” Simeon said this in thanksgiving to God that his life dream was now fulfilled. So, upon hearing of the fulfillment of this promise to God’s people, we should be asking ourselves how do we present ourselves to the Lord for purification and salvation.
Jesus, now serving as our victim (first born male) and high priest before God (Hebrews 2:17) became like his brothers and sisters (us humans) in every way except sin so that he could expiate our sins. So, in return for this freedom from the slavery to sin, what do we do? Recall that as humans we are flawed and often fickle. Just look at the Israelites themselves… After their liberation from slavery in Egypt, after deliverance from Pharaoh’s army at the parting of the Red Sea, after being fed with quail and manna from heaven in their journey through the desert, when they arrived at Mount Sinai and Moses went up to be with God and receive the Ten Commandments, it was then that they lost their trust. They made the Golden Calf and began to worship that idol.
How many great gifts have we received from God? Have we lost sight of He from whom all good things flow? Have we allowed a “golden calf” to become our idol? It is very easy to be distracted by shiny new things, pressing appointments, work and school responsibilities or just the things in this world that clamor for our attention (i.e., social media). As we proceed into this third week of ordinary time, it is important to take stock of our focus. We should eliminate those false idols and keep our sights on the Lord. We must trust that as we journey united to Christ, that he will purify and refine us like gold or silver in the fire. The Lord, the king of glory wishes us to be united to him. Let us unite our every action to he who is strong and mighty and who will deliver us from sin into eternal life.