Wednesday 29 December 2010

Octave of Christmas, Day 5. Nunc Dimittis

Wednesday, December 29
Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
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From: Nivard ...
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Subject: Octave of Christmas, Day 5. Nunc Dimittis


Presentation: Circumcision: Epiphany???
Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple to present him to the Lord.      
   Mary, the living temple brought Jesus to the temple of stones to present her Child and the Father’s to Simeon the priest, to be offered back to God. This is an unheard-of new presence of God in Jesus.  
   Thus we have three steps of God’s presences in ascending order: 

   1. The Temple of stones in Jerusalem. This sums up the Old Testament.  

   2. Mary is the living temple. The Son of God makes human nature itself the house in which he dwells,  

   3. The Church is the spiritual temple of God’s presence.  Acts shows Mary as the living connection between the earthly life of Jesus and the Mystery of the Church as Body of Jesus.

Prayer
Almighty and unseen God, the coming of your light into our world has made the darkness vanish. Teach us to proclaim the birth of your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever.  
 
Bidding Prayer:                        Father, we thank you for the joy you have given us in the birth of your Son. Make us also welcome the pin pricks that shape us into the likeness of this same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
 Prayer after Communion,
    Father of love and mercy, grant that our lives may always be founded on the power of this holy mystery. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.


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