feast of the presentation 2022

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Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Lectionary: 524

            Thus says the Lord GOD: Lo, I am sending my messenger             to prepare the way before me; And suddenly there will come to the temple             the Lord whom you seek, And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.             Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who will endure the day of his coming?             And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire,             or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver,             and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver             that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem             will please the Lord,             as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

Responsorial Psalm

R.        (8)  Who is this king of glory?  It is the Lord! Lift up, O gates, your lintels;             reach up, you ancient portals,             that the king of glory may come in! R.         Who is this king of glory?  It is the Lord! Who is this king of glory?             The LORD, strong and mighty,             the LORD, mighty in battle. R.         Who is this king of glory?  It is the Lord! Lift up, O gates, your lintels;             reach up, you ancient portals,             that the king of glory may come in! R.         Who is this king of glory?  It is the Lord! Who is this king of glory?             The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory. R.         Who is this king of glory?  It is the Lord!

Since the children share in blood and flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

R.  Alleluia, alleluia. A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel. R.  Alleluia, alleluia.

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord , and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons , in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.  Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.  He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:             “Now, Master, you may let your servant go                          in peace, according to your word,             for my eyes have seen your salvation,                         which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:             a light for revelation to the Gentiles,                         and glory for your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted --and you yourself a sword will pierce-- so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. OR When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord , and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons , in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.  Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.  He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:             “Now, Master, you may let your servant go                          in peace, according to your word,             for my eyes have seen your salvation,                         which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:             a light for revelation to the Gentiles,                         and glory for your people Israel.”

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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The Feast of the Presentation

According to the Church’s liturgical calendar, the feast held on Feb. 2 each year is in honor of the Presentation of the Lord. Some Catholics recall this day as the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary because such was the feast day named until the 1969 changes in the Church’s calendar.

In fact, according to Luke’s Gospel, the presentation of Jesus and the purification of the Blessed Mother took place in the Temple on the same day, and both are remembered during Mass on Feb. 2. Also, in several countries, Candlemas is simultaneously celebrated on this day and involves a candlelight procession that was popularized in the Middle Ages. Until the Second Vatican Council the feasts on Feb. 2 ended the Christmas season. Today, the season ends in January on the feast of the Baptism of our Lord.

As early as the fourth century Christians commemorated the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, but, at the time, there was no feast name attached. In seventh-century Rome, the Church named the celebration the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Mother Mary, and it remained that way for nearly 1,300 years. In the reforms after Vatican II, the feast was given a stronger focus on Jesus (by stressing the Presentation of Jesus), but clearly the events of purification and presentation that took place when Jesus was 40 days old (see Lk 2:22-39) are tied together and thus commemorated together.

Purification and Presentation

Under Mosaic law found in the Old Testament Book of Leviticus, a Jewish woman who gave birth to a child was considered unclean (see 12:1-8). The mother of a newborn could not routinely go out into public and had to avoid all things sacred, including the Temple. If her child was a male, this exclusion lasted for 40 days. If the child was female, the period lasted 80 days. This was a ceremonial seclusion and not the result of sin or some kind of wrongdoing on the part of the mother.

At the end of the 40 or 80 days the woman presented herself at the Temple to be purified. If the baby was her firstborn male child, the infant was brought along to the Temple to be dedicated to the Lord. The law in Exodus specifies that the first male child belongs to God (see 13:2-16). This law is a tribute to God for His sparing the firstborn Israelite males during the time of the Exodus from Egypt. The firstborn Egyptian male children, of course, were not spared.

The mother’s purification ritual obliged her to bring, or purchase at the Temple, a lamb and a turtledove as sacrificial offerings. The lamb was offered in thanksgiving to God for the successful birth of the child; the turtledove was a sin offering. Families that could not afford a lamb could bring two pigeons or two turtledoves. After these animals were sacrificed, the Temple priest prayed over the woman and she could once again resume her normal role or status.

Mary, the ever spotless Mother of God, certainly did not have to comply with this ritual, but did so to honor God and observe all the rules handed down by Moses. She was the holiest of all women, but she still submitted to the humbling requirements of the law. She remained at home for 40 days, denied herself all association with sacred things and on the day required walked the five miles from Bethlehem to the Temple in Jerusalem. Arriving at the Temple, Mary likely stood in line and waited her turn to see the priest.

Nunc Dimittis

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus, Mary and Joseph go to the Temple offering two turtledoves for Mary’s purification. Along with Mary’s willing submission, Jesus is presented into the hands of the priest and thus to God. In accordance with the Old Testament, the child was blessed and then bought or ransomed back by the family who would pay five shekels into the Temple treasury. The Savior of the world is ransomed in the manner of every other Hebrew boy. “When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord’”(Lk 2:22-24; see Nm 18:15-16).

The Gospel of Luke explains that the old prophet Simeon and the prophetess Anna were at the Temple that day (see 2:22-38). They, like many others, had spent their lifetime waiting, longing for a Messiah, and the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Savior. Among all the children and mothers coming into the Temple, Simeon recognized Jesus as the Christ Child; he held Jesus and exclaimed this hymn of thanksgiving, “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel” (2:29-32). The hymn has traditionally been termed the Nunc Dimittis , from the Latin, “ Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace .”

Like Mary, Jesus the Divine Son of God did not have to undergo these rituals, but His parents willingly complied in order to pay tribute to Jewish laws, to avoid any possible scandal and in so doing demonstrated profound humility. They acquiesced to the law like all poor Jewish families.

The Holy Family must have experienced great joy, even wonder at all that had happened to them. Consider the events of the previous weeks. First, the shepherds miraculously arrived to adore and praise Jesus on the night He was born. And now, Simeon, another stranger, singles out Jesus as the Savior, not only of Israel but of the world. Someday all the other children being presented will know Jesus as their Savior. But here in the Temple there is also pain. The old prophet, moved by the Holy Spirit, tells Mary that she will experience unspeakable grief because of the outrageous way the world would judge and treat her Son. But Mary remained always committed to God’s will and to her Son.

Feb. 2 is on the liturgical calendar as the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, but in addition to the presentation, the Mass recalls Mary’s humble submission to the purification ritual.

D.D. Emmons writes from O’Fallon, Ill.  

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Feast of the Presentation of the Lord 2022

Eucharistic Concelebration with the members of the Institutes of Consecrated life and the Societies of Apostolic Life

“The Spirit moves us to see God in the littleness and vulnerability of a baby, yet we  at times risk seeing our consecration only terms of results goals and success: we look for influence, for visibility, for numbers”. Pope Francis said this in his homily during Mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday afternoon, 2 February [2022], Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, and World Day of Consecrated Life…. The following is the English text of the Pope’s homily. 

Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, await in the Temple the fulfilment of the promise that God made to his people: the coming of the Messiah. Yet theirs is no passive expectation, it is full of movement. Let us look at what Simeon does. First,  he is moved  by the Spirit; then  he sees  salvation in the Child Jesus and finally  he takes him  into his arms (cf.  Lk  2:26-28). Let us simply consider these three actions and reflect on some important questions for us and in particular for the consecrated life.

First,  what moves us?  Simeon goes to the Temple, “moved by the spirit” (v. 27). The Holy Spirit is the protagonist in this scene. He makes Simeon’s heart burn with desire for God. He keeps expectation alive in his heart: He impels him to go to the Temple and he enables his eyes to recognize the Messiah, even in the guise of a poor little baby. That is what the Holy Spirit does: he enables us to discern God’s presence and activity not in great things, in outward appearances or shows of force, but in littleness and vulnerability. Think of the cross. There too we find littleness and vulnerability, but also something dramatic: the power of God. Those words “moved by the spirit” remind us of what ascetic theology calls “movements of the Spirit”: those movements of the soul that we recognize within ourselves and are called to test, in order to discern whether they come from the Holy Spirit or not. Be attentive to the interior movements of the Spirit.

We can also ask, who mostly moves  us ? Is it the Holy Spirit, or the spirit of this world? This a question that everyone, consecrated persons in particular, needs to ask. The Spirit moves us to see God in the littleness and vulnerability of a baby, yet we at times risk seeing our consecration only in terms of results, goals and success: we look for influence, for visibility, for numbers. This is a temptation. The Spirit, on the other hand, asks for none of this. He wants us to cultivate daily fidelity and to be attentive to the little things entrusted to our care. How touching is the fidelity shown by Simeon and Anna! Each day they go to the Temple, each day they keep watch and pray, even though time passes and nothing seems to happen. They live their lives in expectation, without discouragement or complaint, persevering in fidelity and nourishing the flame of hope that the Spirit has kindled in their hearts.

Brothers and sisters, we can ask, what moves  our days ? What is the love that makes us keep going? Is it the Holy Spirit, or the passion of the moment, or something else? How do we “move” in the Church and in society? Sometimes, even behind the appearance of good works, the canker of narcissism, or the need to stand out, can be concealed. In other cases, even as we go about doing many things, our religious communities can appear moved more by mechanical repetition – acting out of habit, just to keep busy – than by enthusiastic openness to the Holy Spirit. All of us would do well today to examine our interior motivations and discern our spiritual movements, so that the renewal of consecrated life may come about, first and foremost, from there.

A second question:  What do our eyes see?  Simeon, moved by the Spirit, sees and recognizes Christ. And he prays, saying: “My eyes have seen your salvation” (v. 30). This is the great miracle of faith: it opens eyes, transforms gazes, changes perspectives. As we know from Jesus’ many encounters in the Gospel, faith is born of the compassionate gaze with which God looks upon us, softening the hardness of our hearts, healing our wounds and giving us new eyes to look at ourselves and at our world. New ways to see ourselves, others and all the situations that we experience, even those that are most painful.  This gaze is not naïve but sapiential. A naïve gaze flees reality and refuses to see problems. A sapiential gaze, however, can “look within” and “see beyond”. It is a gaze that does not stop at appearances, but can enter into the very cracks of our weaknesses and failures, in order to discern God’s presence even there.

The eyes of the elderly Simeon, albeit dimmed by the years, see the Lord. They see salvation. What about us? Each of us can ask: what do our eyes see? What is our vision of consecrated life? The world often sees it as “a waste”: “look at that fine young person becoming a friar or a nun, what a waste! If at least they were ugly… but what a waste”! That is how we think. The world perhaps sees this as a relic of the past, something useless. But we, the Christian community, men and women religious, what do we see? Are our eyes turned only inward, yearning for something that no longer exists, or are we capable of a farsighted gaze of faith, one that looks both within and beyond? To have the wisdom to  look at things  – this is a gift of the Spirit – to look at things well, to see them in perspective, to grasp reality. I am greatly edified when I see older consecrated men and women whose eyes are bright, who continue to smile and in this way to give hope to the young. Let us think of all those times when we encountered such persons, and bless God for this. For their eyes are full of hope and openness to the future. And perhaps we would do well, in these days, to go make a visit to our elderly religious brothers and sisters, to see them, to talk with them, to ask questions, to hear what they are thinking. I consider this a good medicine.

Brothers and sisters, the Lord never fails to give us signs that invite us to cultivate  a renewed vision  of consecrated life. We need to do this, but in the light of the Holy Spirit and docile to his movements. We cannot pretend not to see these signs and go on as usual, doing the same old things, drifting back through inertia to the forms of the past, paralyzed by fear of change. I have said this over and over again: nowadays the temptation to go back, for security, out of fear, in order to preserve the faith or the charism of the founder… is a temptation. The temptation to go back and preserve “”traditions” with rigidity. Let’s get this into our head: rigidity is a perversion, and beneath every form of rigidity there are grave problems. Neither Simeon or Anna were rigid; no, they were free and had the joy of celebrating: Simeon by praising the Lord and prophesying with courage to the child’s mother. Anna, like a good old woman, kept saying: “Look at them!” “Look at this!” She spoke with joy, her eyes full of hope. None of the inertia of the past, no rigidity. Let us open our eyes: the Spirit is inviting us amid our crises – and crises there are –, our decreasing numbers – “Father, there are no vocations, now we will go to the ends of the earth to see if we can find one” – and our diminishing forces, to renew our lives and our communities. And how do we do this? He will show us the way. Let us open our hearts, with courage and without fear. Let us look at Simeon and Anna: although they were advanced in years, they did not spend their days mourning a past that never comes back, but instead embraced the future opening up before them. Brothers and sisters, let us not waste today by looking back at yesterday, or dreaming of a tomorrow that will never come; instead, let us place ourselves before the Lord in adoration and ask for eyes to see goodness and to discern the ways of God. The Lord will give them to us, if we ask him. With joy, with courage, without fear.

Finally, a third question:  what do we take into our own arms ? Simeon took Jesus into his arms (cf. v. 28). It is a touching scene, full of meaning and unique in the Gospels. God has placed his Son in our arms too, because embracing Jesus is the essential thing, the very heart of faith. Sometimes we risk losing our bearings, getting caught up in a thousand different things, obsessing about minor issues or plunging into new projects, yet the heart of everything is Christ, embracing him as the Lord of our lives.

When Simeon took Jesus into his arms, he spoke words of blessing, praise and wonder. And we, after so many years of consecrated life, have we lost the ability to be amazed? Do we still have this capacity? Let us examine ourselves on this, and if someone does not find it, let him or her ask the grace of amazement, amazement before the wonders that God is working in us, hidden, like those in the temple, when Simeon and Anna encountered Jesus. If consecrated men and women lack words that bless God and other people, if they lack joy, if their enthusiasm fails, if their fraternal life is only a chore, if amazement is lacking, that is not the fault of someone or something else. The real reason is that our arms no longer embrace Jesus. And when the arms of a consecrated man or woman do not embrace Jesus, they embrace a vacuum which they try to fill with other things, but it remains a vacuum. To take Jesus into our arms: this is the sign, the journey, the recipe for renewal. When we fail to take Jesus into our arms, our hearts fall prey to bitterness. It is sad to see religious who are bitter: closed up in complaining about things that never go right, in a rigidity that makes them inflexible, in attitudes of supposed superiority. They are always complaining about something: the superior, their brothers or sisters, the community, the food… They live for something to complain about. But we have to embrace Jesus in adoration and ask for eyes capable of seeing the goodness and discerning the ways of God. If we embrace Christ with open arms, we will also embrace others with trust and humility. Then conflicts will not escalate, disagreements will not divide, and the temptation to domineer and to offend the dignity of others will be overcome. So let us open our arms to Christ and to all our brothers and sisters. For that is where Jesus is.

Dear friends, today let us joyfully renew our consecration! Let us ask ourselves what “moves” our hearts and actions, what renewed vision we are being called to cultivate, and above all else, let us take Jesus into our arms. Even if at times we experience fatigue and weariness – this too happens – , let us do as Simeon and Anna did.  They awaited with patience the fidelity of the Lord and did not allow themselves to be robbed of the joy of the encounter with him. Let us advance to the joy of the encounter: this is beautiful! Let us put the Lord back in the centre, and press forward with joy. Amen.

L’Osservatore Romano 4 February 2022, page 3

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

"A Light of Revelation to the Gentiles"

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Known originally as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is a relatively ancient celebration. The Church at Jerusalem observed the feast as early as the first half of the fourth century, and likely earlier. The feast celebrates the presentation of Christ in the temple at Jerusalem on the 40th day after His birth.

Quick Facts

• Date:  February 2
• Type of Feast:  Feast
• Readings:  Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40 ( full text here )
• Prayers:   Nunc  Dimities , the Canticle of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32); see below
• Other Names for the Feast:  Candlemas, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, the Meeting of the Lord, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

History of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

According to Jewish law, the firstborn male child belonged to God, and the parents had to "buy him back" on the 40th day after his birth, by offering a sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons" ( Luke 2:24 ) in the temple (thus the "presentation" of the child). On that same day, the mother would be ritually purified (thus the "purification").

Saint Mary and Saint Joseph kept this law, even though, since Saint Mary remained a virgin after the birth of Christ, she would not have had to go through ritual purification. In his gospel, Luke recounts the story ( Luke 2:22-39 ).

When Christ was presented in the temple, "there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel" ( Luke 2:25 ) When Saint Mary and Saint Joseph brought Christ to the temple, Simeon embraced the Child and prayed the Canticle of Simeon:

Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel ( Luke 2:29-32 ).

The Original Date of the Presentation

Originally, the feast was celebrated on February 14, the 40th day after Epiphany (January 6), because Christmas wasn't yet celebrated as its own feast, and so the Nativity, Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord (Theophany), and the feast celebrating Christ's first miracle at the wedding in Cana were all celebrated on the same day. By the last quarter of the fourth century, however, the Church at Rome had begun to celebrate the Nativity on December 25, so the Feast of the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days later.

Why Candlemas?

Inspired by the words of the Canticle of Simeon ("a light to the revelation of the Gentiles"), by the 11th century, the custom had developed in the West of blessing candles on the Feast of the Presentation. The candles were then lit, and a procession took place through the darkened church while the Canticle of Simeon was sung. Because of this, the feast also became known as Candlemas. While the procession and blessing of the candles is not often performed in the United States today, Candlemas is still an important feast in many European countries.

Candlemas and Groundhog Day

This emphasis on light, as well as the timing of the feast, falling as it does in the last weeks of winter, led to another, secular holiday celebrated in the United States on the same date: Groundhog Day. You can learn more about the connection between the religious holiday and the secular one in Why Did the Groundhog See His Shadow?

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The Presentation of the Lord (Feast)

February 2, 2022.

• Presentation of the Lord

Daily Readings:

Malachi 3:1-4 1 "Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? "For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; 3 he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the LORD. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

Psalms 24:7-10 7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! 9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! [Selah]

Hebrews 2:14-18 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage. 16 For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Luke 2:22-40 22 And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; 30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation 31 which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel." 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; 34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed." 36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phan'u-el, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Luke 2:22-32 22 And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; 30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation 31 which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."

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Pope at Mass: Cultivate a renewed vision of consecrated life

By Vatican News staff reporter

In his homily on Wednesday evening, Pope Francis took his cue from the feast of the Presentation of the Lord which is celebrated this 2 February.

The Pope recalled two elderly people, Simeon and Anna who are waiting in the Temple, “the fulfilment of the promise that God made to his people: the coming of the Messiah.”

Pope Francis noted that Simeon is moved by the Spirit; “then he sees salvation in the Child Jesus and finally he takes him into his arms.”

What moves us?

The Pope then considered these three actions by looking firstly at what moves us?

He explained that like Simeon, the Holy Spirit “enables us to discern God’s presence and activity not in great things, in outward appearances or shows of force, but in littleness and vulnerability.”

Pope Francis then posed the question; “who mostly moves us ?  Is it the Holy Spirit, or the spirit of this world?”   

On this World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life, the Pope was joined in Saint Peter’s Basilica by members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and he remarked that “this is a question that everyone, consecrated persons in particular, needs to ask.” 

He went on to say, “the Spirit moves us to see God in the littleness and vulnerability of a baby, yet we at times risk seeing our consecration only in terms of results, goals and success: we look for influence, for visibility, for numbers.”

The Spirit, commented the Pope, “on the other hand, asks for none of this.  He wants us to cultivate daily fidelity and to be attentive to the little things entrusted to our care.”

Pope Francis stressed that it was important for consecrated persons to examine their interior motivations and discern their spiritual movements, “so that the renewal of consecrated life may come about, first and foremost, from there.”

What do our eyes see?

The Pope then turned his attention to the second question, What do our eyes see?   He noted that God looks upon us with a “compassionate gaze”, and gives us “new eyes to look at ourselves and at our world.”  It is a gaze, he said, “that does not stop at appearances, but can enter into the very cracks of our weaknesses and failures, in order to discern God’s presence even there.”

In off-the-cuff remarks, the Pope noted that it would do people good “to visit our elderly religious brothers and sisters, to look at them, to talk, to ask, to hear what they think. I think it will be good medicine.”  

The Lord, underlined Pope Francis, “never fails to give us signs that invite us to cultivate a   renewed vision of consecrated life.” 

“Let us open our eyes: the Spirit is inviting us amid our crises, decreasing numbers and diminishing forces, to renew our lives and our communities,” he said. 

During his Homily, the Pope also warned against the temptation “to go backwards, for security, for fear, to preserve the faith, to preserve the founding charism.”

“Neither Simeon nor Anna were rigid," he said. “They were free and had the joy of feasting.”

Embracing the Lord

Finally, the Pope focused on the third question: what do we take into our own arms ? 

“Sometimes we risk losing our bearings, getting caught up in a thousand different things, obsessing about minor issues or plunging into new projects,” yet, Pope Francis said, “the heart of everything is Christ, embracing him as the Lord of our lives.”

The Pope warned, “if consecrated men and women lack words that bless God and other people, if they lack joy, if their enthusiasm fails, if their fraternal life is only a chore, it is not the fault of someone or something else.  It is because our arms no longer embrace Jesus.”

He continued by saying that when that happens, “our hearts fall prey to bitterness, to complaining about things that do not go like clockwork, to rigidity and inflexibility, to the illusion of our own superiority.” 

A renewed vision

In conclusion, Pope Francis invited all consecrated people to “renew our consecration,” asking what it is that “‘moves’ our hearts and actions, what renewed vision we are being called to cultivate, and above all else, let us take Jesus into our arms,” just like Simeon and Anna did.   

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Perspectives on the Presentation—A Homily for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

The liturgical focus of the Feast of the Presentation, which we celebrate today, is light. Christ is our light, and the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light! In the Gospel, Simeon holds the infant Jesus and calls Him “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” Thus, this feast has long featured the carrying of candles by the faithful in procession and the blessing of candles. For this reason, the feast was often called Candlemas.

Today’s feast celebrates the “purification” of Our Lady. As a Jewish woman, she presented herself forty days after giving birth to be blessed and welcomed back to the community. I have written more on the history of that practice here:   The Churching of Women .

In this reflection, we will attend to four teachings or perspectives gleaned from the readings. We are taught that our relationship with Jesus is cleansing , consoling , compelling , and communing .

Cleansing – The Gospel opens with this description:   When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

It might strike us as odd or even irritating that a woman would need to be purified after giving birth, but ancient Jewish practice exhibited great reverence for the rituals of both birth and death. On account of the deep mysteries of life represented by these events, as well as the fluids (e.g., blood, amniotic fluid) that accompanied them, a purification or blessing was deemed necessary for return to the community. (Read more at the link above.)

Remember that this is not a moral purification, for nothing immoral had been done. Rather, it was a ceremonial purification wherein one was cleansed or made fit again to enter into the public worship and liturgical actions of Israel. Consider, for example, that even in our culture a person who has been outside working and comes back sweaty and in soiled clothes is expected to bathe and put on clean clothing before going to Mass; this does not mean that there is anything sinful in good, honest, necessary work. The Jews extended this idea much further than we do today and there were detailed (frankly, often bewildering) rules about what made one unclean and how/when one should be purified. Very early on, the Church simplified and/or largely abrogated these ideas about certain foods being unclean and what made a person unclean (see Acts 15).

While we may wonder (or even scoff) at these older notions, all of us need purification and cleansing. We are sinners, and we live in a world tainted by sin. The Lord must purify us all; unless this happens, we will never be able to endure the great holiness, glory, and purity of God.

Jesus our savior alone can cleanse and purify us to make us able to endure the glory of God. The first reading describes our need for purification and points to Jesus as the one who purifies us:

But who can endure the day of [the Lord’s] coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in the days of old, as in years gone by (Mal 3:2-4).

Yes, only the Lord Himself can purify us to endure His glory. Thank you, Jesus, our light and our savior, for the sanctifying grace without which we could never hope to endure and rejoice in the glory that awaits. Thank you, Jesus for your grace and mercy, by which we are able to stand before our Father and praise Him for all eternity. Thank you, Jesus, our purifier, our savior, and our Lord.

Consoling – Well aware of the burden of sin, ancient Israel longed for a savior. The pious knew well that sin brought strife, pain, and grief. Among the pious who longed for the Messiah were Simeon and Anna, who frequented the Temple looking and longing.

Of Simeon  we are told:

[He] was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

Of Anna, who is described as   among those who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem , we are told:

[She was] a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

Simeon and Anna are two of the pious of Israel longing and looking for the Messiah who would save the people and bring consolation and peace.

What does it mean to have true consolation and peace? It is to be reconciled to the Father, Abba; to once again see Him and be able to walk with Him in the Garden in the cool of the morning. True consolation and peace are found only when the gates of Heaven are opened, and we look once again upon the glorious and serene face of our Father who loves us.

This is a gift that can come only by the ministry of Jesus, for no one knows the Father but the Son and anyone to whom the Son reveals Him. Jesus is our peace and our consolation by leading us back to His Father in and through His Sacred Heart and by His Holy Passion.

Holding the baby Jesus, Simeon is holding the Gift of the Father , a tremendous gift of peace and consolation come to him in a kind of prevenient way. So, Simeon can say,

Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.

Such a consolation it was to hold the infant Jesus and know that God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to save us! Simeon could now go forth in peace from this world for He had beheld the light of God’s saving love in Jesus.

Compelling – In today’s Gospel we are told that Jesus is no inconsequential figure. He is the one on whom all human history, collective and personal, hinges. The “hinge” is our choice either for or against Jesus.

Simeon says to Mary,

Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted—and you yourself a sword will pierce—so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Jesus compels a choice. We are free to choose for or against Him, but we must choose. Upon this choice depends our rise or fall.

Jesus says, Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters (Matt 12:30).

St. Paul writes (in Acts), In the past God overlooked ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:30). And in Corinthians he writes,   We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20).

Where will you spend eternity? That depends on your stance toward Jesus. Will you choose Him? You are free to choose, but you are   not free   not to choose! On this choice your very life will rise or fall.

Communing – Jesus did not merely save us from on high. He became flesh and lived among us.

In today’s Gospel we read,

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Consider the intimacy of Jesus dwelling among us then and tabernacled among us now in the Blessed Sacrament and in the temple of our heart through His Spirit. Our Lord seeks communion with us and is not ashamed to call us His brethren (Heb 2:11).

On this Feast of the Presentation, allow the Lord into the temple of your heart.  Give Him access to your soul by receiving Him in Holy Communion and seeking His presence tabernacled in our churches. Today, Jesus is presented not only in the ancient temple but to you . Reach out to hold on to Him. Like Simeon, receive Him in your heart. Like Anna, run and tell others to come.

Jesus, our light and our salvation, is here. He brings with Him cleansing , consoling , and communing . He also compels a choice. Choose Him now; run to Him. He is here, and He is calling!

2 Replies to “Perspectives on the Presentation—A Homily for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord”

Thank you for this BEAUTIFUL homily. It has deepened my understanding and appreciation for this feast day.

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The Presentation of the Lord: A Symbol of the Messiah’s Embrace

According to the ancient custom of the people of Israel, 40 days after the birth of a firstborn child, he was to be brought to the Temple for his presentation.

Every Feb. 2, the universal Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Mary and Joseph bring the newborn Jesus to the Temple, the holy place, the house of God. The presentation of the firstborn son is equivalent to his “consecration” — it is an act of thanksgiving for the gift received from the hands of the Creator, the source of life.

In the Temple, the Holy Family — Jesus, Mary, and Joseph — meet two elderly people, faithful keepers of God’s law: Simeon and Anna. That simple event contains a profound Christian symbolism: It is the embrace of the Lord of his people, who await the Messiah. That is why the liturgy sings: “You, Lord, are the light that enlightens the nations and the glory of your people Israel” (Acclamation before the Gospel, Lk 2:32).

The Law of Moses

On this day, simultaneously, we remember the ritual purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary after she gave birth to the Savior: “When the time for Mary’s purification according to the Law of Moses had passed, she and Joseph brought the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, according to what is written in the law, ‘Every firstborn male child shall be consecrated to the Lord,’ and also to offer, as the law says, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” (Lk 2:22-24).

According to the ancient custom of the people of Israel, 40 days after the birth of a firstborn child, he was to be brought to the Temple for his presentation. For this reason, the Church counts 40 days after Christmas Day (Dec. 25) to the feast of the Presentation of the Lord on Feb. 2.

The Prophecies of Simeon and Anna

Arriving at the Temple, the parents of Jesus with the child in their arms meet Simeon, the man whom the Holy Spirit promised would not die before seeing the Savior of the world. It was the same Spirit who put in the mouth of this prophet that this little child would be the Redeemer and Savior of mankind:

“This child is destined to bring about the fall of many in Israel, and also the rise of many others. He was sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will come to light, and a sword will pierce your own soul” (Lk 2: 34-35, from the Canticle of Simeon, Lk 2:22-40, known as “Nunc Dimittis” because of the Latin words with which it begins: “Now you leave”).

“Also that day there was in the Temple the daughter of Phanuel, of the Tribe of Asher, named Anna. She was a woman of very advanced age; she had been widowed only seven years after her marriage and remained so until she was 84 years old. Anna walked day and night in the Temple, worshipping God, offering fasting and prayers. When she saw the child, she recognized him and began to proclaim to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem that salvation had come” (Lk 2:36-38).

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Feast of the Presentation of the Lord ~ February 2, 2022

“he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before god to expiate the sins of the people.” (hebrews 2:17).

Reflections on the readings for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2, 2022): MAL 3:1-4, PS 24:7,8,9,10; HEB 2:14-18; LK 2:22-40

MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days. 

We can only ask ourselves about the depth of our own faith...    

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord dates back to the 4 th century. Now we focus primarily on Jesus’ first visit to the temple of Jerusalem, when, like all Jewish baby boys, He was offered to Almighty God. Yet, this day also commemorates the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary after the birth of her Child. In the Gospel, we hear about a devout man named Simeon who  was promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he saw the Messiah. So when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, Simeon knew that the moment he had yearned for so long had come. “He took Him into his arms and blessed God, saying: ‘Now, Master, You may let Your servant go in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for Your people Israel’” (Luke 2:27-32). Simeon went on to tell the Blessed Mother that Jesus would change the lives of many and that her own heart would be pierced by suffering.  

Then we meet another person dedicated to God: the prophetess Anna, a widow, who had spent years worshipping in the temple. She, too, was given the special blessing of recognizing Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. And she proclaimed the good news to all. We cannot know what the people in the temple that day made of what they saw and heard. After all, the Son of an obviously humble husband and wife were acclaimed by two holy people as the Anointed One. Those present must surely have remembered such an unusual event. It’s even possible that a few of them were there twelve years later when Jesus was in the temple talking with learned scholars when His parents came looking for Him. Or, again, years after that when Jesus started His ministry and often visited the temple. These encounters must have made an impression on people. But whether this eventually led to their faith in Christ we cannot know. We can only ask ourselves about the depth of our own faith in the Redeemer who came to light our way home to Him.  

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Daily Gospel Reflection for February 2, 2022: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Feb 2, 2022 12:15:00 AM  |  by Cassandra Spellman

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

For those in the northern hemisphere, these days are short and there are many hours of darkness. Halfway between the winter solstice and spring equinox, winter feels long and bleak. Today though, in the Feast of the Presentation, we are reminded that—even in the darkness of winter—Jesus, the Light of the World, is here!

Mary and Joseph, in obedience to the Mosaic Law, bring the Christ Child to the temple to offer Him to God.  Simeon and Anna, devoted to prayer and sacrifice, are in the temple that day and they recognize the Light that has come into their midst. It is precisely their time of contemplation that has prepared their souls for this pivotal meeting. Their prayer has brought them in tune with the Holy Spirit, Who opens their eyes to see the Son of God before them. In this meeting of Simeon and Anna with Christ, we see the meeting of the Old and New Testaments.

Simeon then bursts into his canticle, reiterating the Epiphany message that Christ is the “light for revelation to the Gentiles.” Christ is the Light Who enlightens us!

Yet, in this Light, there is also an indication of shadows. Simeon foretells the suffering that our Blessed Mother will experience: the sword of sorrow that will pierce her heart. Saint John Paul II calls this prophecy Mary’s second Annunciation: “She will have to live her obedience of faith in suffering, at the side of the suffering Savior.”\

Many of us have stored away our Christmas decorations. Yet, the Feast of the Presentation today is a Christmas feast, and also points us forward to the light of the Paschal Candle at Easter. Jesus is the Light, come to destroy the darkness of death through His death and resurrection.

Like Simeon and Anna, am I committed to daily prayer and sacrifice, to prepare my soul to recognize Jesus, the Light, and to be enlightened by Him?

Thank you, Lord, for dispelling the darkness and bringing the light of Your love! Help me when I am feeling depressed and discouraged to find hope in You and to be obedient in my faith, just like my Blessed Mother.

Click to tweet: Simeon and Anna's time of prayer has brought them in tune with the Holy Spirit, Who opens their eyes to see the Son of God before them. #dailygospel

Copyright 2022 Cassandra Spellman

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About the Author

Cassandra Spellman

Cassandra Spellman is grateful to God for the gift of her Catholic faith and her vocation as wife and mother. She and her husband wrote The Shadows of Freedom series, a Christian dystopian trilogy. They blog about faith, marriage, philosophy, and literature at SpellmanBooks.com .

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"For my eyes have seen Your salvation." [Lk. 2:30] These are the words that echo the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord that we are celebrating today. The events surrounding this special Feast are found in Chapter 2, verses 22 to 40 of the Gospel of Luke. As some of you may be aware, the Feast of the "Presentation of the Lord" in the Temple, always observed on February the second in the Roman Rite, is also known as "Candlemas Day" and the "Purification of the Blessed Virgin." Some may ask, what does "Candlemas Day" means? During the eleventh century, the liturgical calendar required that the First Reading be the Book of Zephaniah versus today's reading from the Book of Malachi. In the Book of Zephaniah, it states, "At that time, I will search Jerusalem with lamps..." [Zeph. 1:12] In harmony with the words of this biblical verse, the faithful of those days participated in a candle light procession. Nowadays, the Catholic liturgy still permits a procession. Using the rite in the sacramentary, the candles are blessed at the beginning of the Mass. For the procession, the priest wears a chasuble or cope. Now you may wonder why today's Feast is also called, the "Purification of the Blessed Virgin?" In the days of the birth of Jesus, the Jewish custom commanded that a woman who gave birth to a son remain in semi-seclusion for 40 days. Counting from December 25 th as the first day, the fortieth day fell on February 2 nd, which is today's date. The Book of Leviticus tells us, "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the people of Israel, saying: If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven (7) days: as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three (33) days; she shall not touch any holy things, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed." [Lev. 12:1-4] When the days of her purification are completed, (7 + 33 = 40) whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. He shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement on her behalf; then she shall be clean from her flow of blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, male or female. If she cannot afford a sheep, she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf, and she shall be clean." [Lev. 12:6-8 and Exo. 13:11-13; 22:29; Numb. 18:15-16; Deut. 15:19] Therefore, the Blessed Virgin Mary's Presentation of the Lord to the Temple was executed in obedience with the precept of the Law. She redeemed her first-born from the Temple and she was purified by the prayer of Simeon the righteous in the presence of the prophetess Anna. [Lk. 2:22-36] While today's readings echo both, the Presentation of the Lord to the Temple and the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, in its wisdom, the Catholic Church deemed it more praiseworthy to place emphasis on the Feast of the Lord Jesus. As previously stated, today's First Reading was taken from the Book of Malachi. [Mal. 3:1-4] This reading was prophetic in nature. While speaking to the prophet Malachi, God said that He was sending His messenger to prepare His way. And the Lord that the people were seeking would suddenly come to His Temple. [Mal. 31; Mt. 11:10; Mk. 1:2; Lk. 1:76, 7:27] Continuing with the same reading, it states, "But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?" [Mal. 3:2; Joel 2:11; Rev. 6:17] "For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap;" [Mal. 3:2] "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness." [Mal. 3:3; Tit. 3:14] These words echo the words of Jesus Who Himself stated that He would be the cause of division. Jesus said, "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." [Lk. 12:49-53] On the same matter, John the Baptist stated, "I baptise you with water for repentance but One who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire . His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and will gather His wheat into the granary; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire." [Mt. 3:11-2] Jesus "gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people of His own who are zealous for good deeds." [Tit. 3:14] "For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctified those who had been defiled so that their flesh was purified, how much more will the Blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God." [Heb. 9:13-4] Our sanctification was constantly on the mind of Jesus. It was on His mind during His ministry. And it was on His mind when He prayed after the Last Supper. In His words, while praying to the Father, Jesus said, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth." [Jn. 17:17] "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself so that they also may be sanctified in truth." [Jn. 17:19] Our purification, our sanctification, had its beginning when we received the Sacrament of Baptism. First came baptism by water; then followed our baptism by fire, our sanctification by the power of the Holy Spirit. "For indeed our God is a consuming fire." [Heb. 12:29] Those who believe and submit themselves to the guidance and teachings of the Holy Spirit, they will be saved. Those who reject the grace of God, they will be lost forever. Naturally, having a free will, as Jesus foretold, some family members will welcome the grace of God while others will reject it. Today's Second Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews [Heb. 2:10- 11, 13b-18] teaches us that Jesus had to become like His brothers and sisters in every respect. To bring us to glory, Jesus was made our source of perfect salvation through sufferings. [Heb. 2:10] As we suffer in life, He suffered for our sake. Jesus was rejected by most of His own people. And He was even accused of being possessed by evil spirit. All of this He wholeheartedly endured for us. "The one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters, saying, 'Here am I, and the children whom God has given me.'" [Heb. 2:12-3] As our Saviour, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is the devil, Jesus emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. [Heb. 2:14; Phil. 2:6] Through this tremendous act of love, He freed all of us who were held in slavery by the fear of death. [Heb. 2:15] When Jesus came into this world, He did not come to save the angels. He came to save the spiritual children of Abraham, all of us who believe in Him. [Heb. 2:16; Rom. 4:12] For the sins of the people, Jesus made the perfect sacrifice of atonement to God, the self-sacrifice of every spark of life that was within Himself. As a merciful and faithful High Priest in the service of God who has been tested by what He has suffered, He is now able to help us who are being tested. [Heb. 417-8] Today's Gospel Reading [Lk. 2:22-40] is summarized by the words of Simeon. "For my eyes have seen your salvation." [Lk. 2:30] When the time had come for the purification of the Virgin Mary in accordance to the Law, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord God. For it was written, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord." As required by the Law, Mary and Joseph offered the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. [Lk. 2:22-4; Lev. 12:6- 8] At the Temple, they met Simeon, a righteous and devout man who longed for the consolation of Israel. [Lk. 2:25] Filled with the Holy Spirit, it had been revealed to Simeon that he would not die until such time as he had seen the Lord's Messiah. [Lk. 2:26] As we heard earlier, guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the Temple; and when Joseph and Mary brought in the Child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying, 'Master, now You are dismissing Your servant in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a Light for revelation to the Gentiles , and for glory to Your people Israel.'" [Lk. 2:27-32] These words acknowledged the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophecies of the prophet Isaiah. "Through You I will make a Covenant with all peoples; through You I will bring Light to the nations." [Is. 42:6, 49:6, 52:10] "Then Simeon blessed the Holy Family, saying to Mary, 'This Child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed - and a sword will pierce your own soul too.'" [Lk. 2:34-5] In other words, Jesus would be the cause of division within families, some accepting Him, others rejecting Him. Also present at the Temple was the prophetess Anna, the daughter of Phanuel. When she saw Jesus, she began to praise God and to speak about the Child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. [Lk. 2:36-8] These events confirm to us that Simeon and Anna, both being filled with the Holy Spirit, were chosen by God to meet Jesus and to affirm that He was the promised Messiah. Now both, having met the Lord of their salvation, could go in peace . Equally, we as members of the Catholic Church that is led by the Spirit of Christ, have also met in our lives the Lord Jesus, our Redeemer. Therefore, when we depart after the celebration of the Holy Mass, it can be said that we too go in peace . * * * * * * * * * * The readings... [The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.] * * * * * * * * * * First Reading... "Thus says the Lord God: "See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight - indeed, he is coming," says the Lord of hosts. "But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years." [Mal. 3:1-4] OR "It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, 'Here am I, and the children whom God has given me.' Since the children share flesh and blood, Jesus himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that Jesus did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because Jesus himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested." [Heb. 2:10-11, 13b-18] * * * * * * * * * * Gospel Reading... "When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, 'Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord,') and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, 'a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.' Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, 'Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.' and the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, 'This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed - and a sword will pierce your own soul too.' There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When the parents of Jesus had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him." [Lk. 2:22-40] * * * * * * * * * *

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2 February: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

by popadmin | Feb 2, 2022 | CIC Saint Writeups

2 February: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Also known as Candlemas , this feast commemorates three distinct but related historical events in the life of the Holy Family. It marks the day when Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem, exactly 40 days after his birth. The Mosaic Law required them to consecrate their firstborn son to God (Exodus 13). Additionally, the law required Mary to submit to ritual purification forty days after childbirth (Leviticus 12:2-8). The ritual involved making a sacrificial offering in the temple. The Gospel of Luke tells us that as Mary and Joseph were poor, they took the option provided for those who could not afford a lamb, sacrificing “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:22-24). Neither Mary (perfectly pure and conceived without sin) nor Jesus (God himself) were in need of being purified and consecrated to God; however, they submitted themselves in perfect obedience to God and to the Law of Moses. Our current church calendar focuses this day on the Presentation but in previous eras the Church highlighted the Purification of Mary. {There also used to be a Church custom of “churching” or blessing women forty days after childbirth. It reintroduced the woman to society after her period of recovery at home. Today, churching has disappeared as a custom and now blessing of the mother takes place at the baby’s baptism ceremony.} Today’s feast also commemorates the encounter in the temple between the Holy Family and Saint Simeon the prophet and Saint Anna the prophetess. This is the third and final infancy epiphany of Jesus (the first was to the Hebrew shepherds; the second to the Gentile kings; this third one to the elders of the Israelites). The next epiphany in the life of Jesus will be to the public, at his Baptism in the Jordan. Today’s feast is known by the title Candlemas because of the words of Saint Simeon when he met the child Jesus in the temple: “For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:30-32). Jesus is the Light of the World , the Messiah who has come not just for the Jew but the gentile; not just the righteous, but the sinner. On this feast day, the Church blesses candles for use throughout the year (this has been a church tradition at least since the seventh century). Traditionally, families also bring their own candles to church to be blessed on this feast. The candles represent the fact that the light of the world is here; the light is coming into a dark world as the Church calendar progresses towards the brightness of Easter.

Ideas for celebrating this feast day:

• Go to mass and bring a stack of candles to be blessed for use over the next year! Prince of Peace has mass and blessing of the candles at 8:30am and 7pm on 2 February.
• If you are unable to go to mass, do a family Candlemas procession and prayer at home. Instructions here .
• Candlemas is known in France as “crepe day”. Make savory crepes for dinner (use whole wheat flour and fill them with ham, cheese, etc.) and sweet crepes for dessert (use white flour and top them with fruit, chocolate, whipped cream).
• A Candlemas tradition is to spend the day without electric lights – or at least to eat dinner only by candlelight (using your blessed candles!)
• Say a family rosary by candlelight; the Presentation in the Temple is one of the Joyful Mysteries.
• Meditate on the constant  fiat of Our Lady of Sorrows, who embraced the will of God even as Simeon predicted that a sword would pierce her heart.
• If you haven’t taken down your Christmas decorations yet, today’s the day! Candlemas marks the very end of the liturgical season of Christmas.
• Read this  article to learn about the connection between Candlemas and Groundhog Day.
• Read Fr. Butler’s article: The Purification, Commonly called Candlemas-Day and Pope St. JP II’s article: Presentation Prefigures the Cross .

(Sources: catholicculture.org; Catholic All Year Compendium by K. Tierney; Catholicstraightanswers.com)

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What moves me? Pope’s homily for Feast of Presentation (full text)

REMO CASILLI / POOL / AFP

On February 2, the World Day for Consecrated Life and the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Here is a Vatican translation of the full text of his homily (emphases ours):

Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, await in the Temple the fulfilment of the promise that God made to his people: the coming of the Messiah. Yet theirs is no passive expectation, it is full of movement. Let us look at what Simeon does. First,  he is moved  by the Spirit; then  he sees  salvation in the Child Jesus and finally  he takes him  into his arms (cf.  Lk  2:26-28). Let us simply consider these three actions and reflect on some important questions for us and in particular for the consecrated life.

First,  what moves us?  Simeon goes to the Temple, “moved by the spirit” (v. 27). The Holy Spirit is the protagonist in this scene. He makes Simeon’s heart burn with desire for God. He keeps expectation alive in his heart: He impels him to go to the Temple and he enables his eyes to recognize the Messiah, even in the guise of a poor little baby. That is what the Holy Spirit does: he enables us to discern God’s presence and activity not in great things, in outward appearances or shows of force, but in littleness and vulnerability. Think of the cross. There too we find littleness and vulnerability, but also something dramatic: the power of God. Those words “moved by the spirit” remind us of what ascetic theology calls “movements of the Spirit”: those movements of the soul that we recognize within ourselves and are called to test, in order to discern whether they come from the Holy Spirit or not. Be attentive to the interior movements of the Spirit.

We can also ask, who mostly moves  us ? Is it the Holy Spirit, or the spirit of this world? This a question that everyone, consecrated persons in particular, needs to ask. The Spirit moves us to see God in the littleness and vulnerability of a baby, yet we at times risk seeing our consecration only in terms of results, goals and success: we look for influence, for visibility, for numbers. This is a temptation. The Spirit, on the other hand, asks for none of this. He wants us to cultivate daily fidelity and to be attentive to the little things entrusted to our care. How touching is the fidelity shown by Simeon and Anna! Each day they go to the Temple, each day they keep watch and pray, even though time passes and nothing seems to happen. They live their lives in expectation, without discouragement or complaint, persevering in fidelity and nourishing the flame of hope that the Spirit has kindled in their hearts.

Brothers and sisters, we can ask, what moves  our days ? What is the love that makes us keep going? Is it the Holy Spirit, or the passion of the moment, or something else? How do we “move” in the Church and in society? Sometimes, even behind the appearance of good works, the canker of narcissism, or the need to stand out, can be concealed. In other cases, even as we go about doing many things, our religious communities can appear moved more by mechanical repetition – acting out of habit, just to keep busy – than by enthusiastic openness to the Holy Spirit. All of us would do well today to examine our interior motivations and discern our spiritual movements, so that the renewal of consecrated life may come about, first and foremost, from there.

A second question:  What do our eyes see?  Simeon, moved by the Spirit, sees and recognizes Christ. And he prays, saying: “My eyes have seen your salvation” (v. 30). This is the great miracle of faith: it opens eyes, transforms gazes, changes perspectives. As we know from Jesus’ many encounters in the Gospel, faith is born of the compassionate gaze with which God looks upon us, softening the hardness of our hearts, healing our wounds and giving us new eyes to look at ourselves and at our world. New ways to see ourselves, others and all the situations that we experience, even those that are most painful.  This gaze is not naïve but sapiential. A naïve gaze flees reality and refuses to see problems. A sapiential gaze, however, can “look within” and “see beyond”. It is a gaze that does not stop at appearances, but can enter into the very cracks of our weaknesses and failures, in order to discern God’s presence even there.

To have the wisdom to look at things – this is a gift of the Spirit – to look at things well, to see them in perspective, to grasp reality.

The eyes of the elderly Simeon, albeit dimmed by the years, see the Lord. They see salvation. What about us? Each of us can ask: what do our eyes see? What is our vision of consecrated life? The world often sees it as “a waste”: “look at that fine young person becoming a friar or a nun, what a waste! If at least they were ugly… but what a waste”! That is how we think. The world perhaps sees this as a relic of the past, something useless. But we, the Christian community, men and women religious, what do we see? Are our eyes turned only inward, yearning for something that no longer exists, or are we capable of a farsighted gaze of faith, one that looks both within and beyond? To have the wisdom to  look at things  – this is a gift of the Spirit – to look at things well, to see them in perspective, to grasp reality. I am greatly edified when I see older consecrated men and women whose eyes are bright, who continue to smile and in this way to give hope to the young. Let us think of all those times when we encountered such persons, and bless God for this. For their eyes are full of hope and openness to the future. And perhaps we would do well, in these days, to go make a visit to our elderly religious brothers and sisters, to see them, to talk with them, to ask questions, to hear what they are thinking. I consider this a good medicine.

Brothers and sisters, the Lord never fails to give us signs that invite us to cultivate  a renewed vision  of consecrated life. We need to do this, but in the light of the Holy Spirit and docile to his movements. We cannot pretend not to see these signs and go on as usual, doing the same old things, drifting back through inertia to the forms of the past, paralyzed by fear of change. I have said this over and over again: nowadays the temptation to go back, for security, out of fear, in order to preserve the faith or the charism of the founder… is a temptation. The temptation to go back and preserve “”traditions” with rigidity. Let’s get this into our head: rigidity is a perversion, and beneath every form of rigidity there are grave problems. Neither Simeon or Anna were rigid; no, they were free and had the joy of celebrating: Simeon by praising the Lord and prophesying with courage to the child’s mother. Anna, like a good old woman, kept saying: “Look at them!” “Look at this!” She spoke with joy, her eyes full of hope. None of the inertia of the past, no rigidity. Let us open our eyes: the Spirit is inviting us amid our crises – and crises there are –, our decreasing numbers – “Father, there are no vocations, now we will go to some island of Indonesia to see if we can find one” – and our diminishing forces, to renew our lives and our communities.

Brothers and sisters, let us not waste today by looking back at yesterday, or dreaming of a tomorrow that will never come; instead, let us place ourselves before the Lord in adoration and ask for eyes to see goodness and to discern the ways of God.

And how do we do this? He will show us the way. Let us open our hearts, with courage and without fear. Let us look at Simeon and Anna: although they were advanced in years, they did not spend their days mourning a past that never comes back, but instead embraced the future opening up before them. Brothers and sisters, let us not waste today by looking back at yesterday, or dreaming of a tomorrow that will never come; instead, let us place ourselves before the Lord in adoration and ask for eyes to see goodness and to discern the ways of God. The Lord will give them to us, if we ask him. With joy, with courage, without fear.

Finally, a third question:  what do we take into our own arms ? Simeon took Jesus into his arms (cf. v. 28). It is a touching scene, full of meaning and unique in the Gospels. God has placed his Son in our arms too, because embracing Jesus is the essential thing, the very heart of faith. Sometimes we risk losing our bearings, getting caught up in a thousand different things, obsessing about minor issues or plunging into new projects, yet the heart of everything is Christ, embracing him as the Lord of our lives.

Sometimes we risk losing our bearings, getting caught up in a thousand different things, obsessing about minor issues or plunging into new projects, yet the heart of everything is Christ, embracing him as the Lord of our lives.

When Simeon took Jesus into his arms, he spoke words of blessing, praise and wonder. And we, after so many years of consecrated life, have we lost the ability to be amazed? Do we still have this capacity? Let us examine ourselves on this, and if someone does not find it, let him or her ask the grace of amazement, amazement before the wonders that God is working in us, hidden, like those in the temple, when Simeon and Anna encountered Jesus. If consecrated men and women lack words that bless God and other people, if they lack joy, if their enthusiasm fails, if their fraternal life is only a chore, if amazement is lacking, that is not the fault of someone or something else. The real reason is that our arms no longer embrace Jesus. And when the arms of a consecrated man or woman do not embrace Jesus, they embrace a vacuum which they try to fill with other things, but it remains a vacuum. To take Jesus into our arms: this is the sign, the journey, the recipe for renewal. When we fail to take Jesus into our arms, our hearts fall prey to bitterness. It is sad to see religious who are bitter: closed up in complaining about things that do not go like clockwork. They are always complaining about something: the superior, their brothers or sisters, the community, the food… They live for something to complain about. But we have to embrace Jesus in adoration and ask for eyes capable of seeing the goodness and discerning the ways of God. If we embrace Christ with open arms, we will also embrace others with trust and humility. Then conflicts will not escalate, disagreements will not divide, and the temptation to domineer and to offend the dignity of others will be overcome. So let us open our arms to Christ and to all our brothers and sisters. For that is where Jesus is.

When we fail to take Jesus into our arms, our hearts fall prey to bitterness.

Dear friends, today let us joyfully renew our consecration! Let us ask ourselves what “moves” our hearts and actions, what renewed vision we are being called to cultivate, and above all else, let us take Jesus into our arms. Even if at times we experience fatigue and weariness – this too happens – let us do as Simeon and Anna did.  They awaited with patience the fidelity of the Lord and did not allow themselves to be robbed of the joy of the encounter with him. Let us advance to the joy of the encounter: this is beautiful! Let us put the Lord back in the centre, and press forward with joy. Amen.

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Celebrating the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ

By: fernanda pierorazio.

This celebration is marked by two biblical events, which are the presentation of the baby Jesus in the temple and the purification of the Virgin Mary

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Pope Francis’ homily for the Presentation of the Lord and World Day for Consecrated Life

Pope francis, thursday, february 3, 2022.

Yesterday evening in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Pope Francis celebrated Mass for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This feast, also known as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Candlemas , has been celebrated for hundreds of years on February 2 – that is, 40 days after Christmas. Because this is also the feast during which we remember the witness of Simeon and Anna in the Temple in Jerusalem, since 1997 it has also been celebrated within the Church as the World Day for Consecrated Life. Read the full text of the Holy Father's homily below:

Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis

Feast of the presentation of the lord 26th world day for consecrated life wednesday, 2 february 2022.

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Easter: April 8th

Solemnity of the annunciation of the lord.

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April 08, 2024 (Readings on USCCB website)

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Collect prayer.

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord: O God, who willed that your Word should take on the reality of human flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, that we, who confess our Redeemer to be God and man, may merit to become partakers even in his divine nature. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

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The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord is a mystery that belongs to the temporal rather than to the sanctoral cycle in the Church's calendar. For the feast commemorates the most sublime moment in the history of time, the moment when the Second Divine Person of the most Holy Trinity assumed human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Thus it is a feast of our Lord, even as it is of Mary, although the liturgy centers wholly around the Mother of God. — The Church's Year of Grace , Pius Parsch

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