Presentation of the Lord (C)

Author's note: The readings for the Presentation of the Lord are the same for all the liturgical years, Year A, Year B, and Year C.

(Edited) Sunday reflections (from) liturgical years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

February 2, 2013
Liturgical readings
Malachi 3:1-4
Psalm 24
Hebrews 2:14-18
Luke 2:22-40

"A revealing Light to the Gentiles, the glory of your people Israel."

The Feast of the Lord's Presentation in the Temple of Jerusalem.
It was the custom of Jewish parents to present their first-born son to Yahweh in the Temple of Jerusalem. Following this custom of the Jewish religion at that time, Joseph and Mary brought their son Jesus to the Temple - where prophet Simeon and the prophetess Anna were also present. As both Simeon and Anna saw the child Jesus presented by His parents, inspired by the Holy Spirit, both of them took turns at speaking marvelous things about the child Jesus - who according to their prophetic intuition, represents the fulfillment of Israel's redemption and salvation as promised by Yahweh.

This story described in the gospel of Luke presents not only the child Jesus to Yahweh, but in some way, can be said as presentating also God's salvific will to all humanity (and to all the faithful in the present times). Jesus our Savior was presented this way in the gospel of Luke:

• first, to His foster father Joseph and to the Blessed Virgin (Lk 2:6-7);
• second, He was made known to the shepherds (Lk 2:16);
• third, to a just and pious man named Simeon (Lk 2:27);
• fourth, to the prophetess Anna (Lk 2:38);
• and fifth, to the people of the town of Nazareth - where Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and in favor before God and man (Lk 2:51-52).

Jesus our Saviour was presented in the Temple of Jerusalem to both God and man - as represented by all present in that event. In the same manner, throughout Christian history and spirituality, each baptism is a reflection of that event, where each one to be baptized is presented also to God and man through the Church and her sacrament. Each one's baptism washes away the sin that has been inherited from the disobedience of Adam and Eve. And by the obedience of our Savior Christ Jesus, (the new Adam), we inherit the life of grace that the Lord has purchased for us on the Cross in our own baptism. Through baptism, the Lord elevates all the baptized to a life of grace and makes him share in the divine life of the Trinity. That sinless Light of the world, gives His Light to us. It is a Light that is never dimmed but eternally bright in every baptism.