Feast of the Presentation of our Lord
FORTY days after we joyfully celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ, we observe today the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord. This solemn feast recalls the event narrated in the Holy Scriptures.
In obedience to the Mosaic Law that every firstborn male be consecrated to the Lord, Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after His birth to complete Mary’s purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn (cf. Luke 2:22-40).
At the temple, they encountered the old man named Simeon, who, according to the Gospel of Luke, had been promised by the Lord that he would not die until he had seen the promised Messiah. Upon seeing the child Jesus at the temple, he immediately acclaimed, "Lord, let your servant go in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people, a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel." (Luke 2:29-32).
Today, the universal Church uses this canticle, now popularly known as the Nunc Dimmittis, as the gospel canticle for the night prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours. The liturgy begins with the ancient rite of blessing of the candles – a practice that can be traced back to the middle of the fifth century. This is done near the entrance of the Church. Then the procession to the Church begins.
The lighted candle symbolizes Jesus Christ who is the "light of revelation to all nations." But it also calls to mind Jesus’ challenge to us in the Gospels that we too are meant to be the light of the world. The procession to the Church signifies that we, too, are called to meet the Lord and follow Him.
All of us can be a light of Christ if only we will remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus. By choosing to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ not only through words but by our own witnessing to love, truth, justice, and peace, we can make known to all the magnitude of God’s love for humanity.
In a world faced with fear and hopelessness because of the crises we are experiencing, may we radiate the light of hope that comes from Jesus. May our lives serve as a candle that shares the light of hope that comes from Jesus Christ to others.
And as we put our hope in him, may we all experience his consoling presence in our midst. We are sure that like Simeon who finally saw the fulfillment of God’s promise, we, too, will experience the warmth of the love of Jesus, our only hope.