"The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord"
Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel's comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised;because my eyes have seen the salvationwhich you have prepared for all the nations to see,light to enlighten the pagansand the glory of your people Israel.'
Over the preceding centuries, many prophets had longed to see the Messiah. But they had died without realising their greatest desire. Simeon and Anna were truly blessed to meet the Saviour of the world, even if the meeting was tinged with sadness because of their predictions about the future events in his life. Much like any family life, the promised future included the delights of the growing, developing child, and the background fear that the great destiny of each child may include sorrow and even heartbreak
So in our Gospel today a very young couple with their child enter the temple of God where they meet a much older man and woman. This meeting turned out to be a blessing for both generations. Youth was graced by the wisdom and living faith of age and age was graced by the trust of youth. All of the people who met in the temple today were a blessing to one another Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna and the Child Jesus.
The second reading further describes Jesus as the compassionate and trustworthy high priest.
Jesus this compassionate presence enters the temple of our lives each day as he entered the temple in Jerusalem. He enters our lives in a special way through the Eucharist. We are invited to welcome him as Simeon and Anna did -- Jesus Christ the light of all nations.
No matter what generation we belong to, our calling as followers of Jesus is to a new way of seeing and to be a blessing to one another through our presence.
An old rabbi once asked his students how they could tell when the night had ended and the day had begun. Could it be, asked one of the students, "when you can see an animal in the distance and tell whether it's a sheep or a dog" No, answered the rabbi. Another asked, "is it when you can look at a tree in the distance and tell whether its a fig tree or a peach tree? "No", answered the rabbi. Then when is it?" the students asked. Its when you can look on the face of any man or woman and see that it is your sister or brother. Because if you cannot see this, it is still night.
Tales of the Hasidim
My eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, l. (Lk 2:30-31)
Lord we pray that our eyes may be opened to a new way of seeing and that like Simeon we welcome Jesus among us in the temple of our ordinary lives, the light of the nations the salvation that we have received.
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