Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple Homily
Brethren, we come to meet the Lord who enters His temple. Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord which occurs forty days after the birth of Jesus and is also known as Candlemas Day, since the blessing and procession of candles is included in today's liturgy.
Founded by Pope St. John Paul II in 1997, today is the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. He attached it to "Candlemas Day" because the consecrated men and women are to be the light in the world, imitating Jesus, the Light of the World.
Today's First Reading gives us an important insight to understand profoundly the mystery of the Lord’s Presentation in the Temple by Mary and Joseph, in accordance with the Mosaic Law. The Lord God promised that He would send a Precursor to prepare His way. Since there is only 6 months between the birth of St John the Baptist and Jesus, the prophecy meant that suddenly after the Precursor, the Lord Himself would come.
Soon after the Baptist’s birth, God Himself entered His temple. Jesus’ presentation signifies God’s entrance to His temple. God-made-man entered His temple, presenting Himself to those who were really searching for Him.
Simeon and Anna were two venerable elderly people dedicated to prayer and fasting, so their strong religious spirit rendered them able to recognize the Messiah. Simeon’s response when he met the infant Jesus was to pray; he blessed God. His prayer has become part of the official night prayer of the Church. Anna’s response on meeting the child Jesus was to speak about Jesus to others, especially to those who were waiting for God to visit them in a special way.
Whereas Simeon lifted his heart in prayer, Anna bore witness to Jesus before others. Simeon’s meeting with Jesus and his parents led him to look towards God in prayer; Anna’s meeting with Jesus and his parents led her to look towards others in witness. Simeon and Anna have each something to say to us about how to receive the Lord. We too are called to receive the Lord in prayer and in witness.
We bless God, we thank God, in prayer for the gift of his Son, the light to enlighten all people, and we proclaim God’s gift to others, by witnessing to the Lord in our lives, by what we say and do. The Lord, who entered the temple in Jerusalem as the light of the world, has entered all our lives; today we look to Simeon and Anna to show us how to respond to his gracious coming.
On this day, let us also pray for more vocations to the consecrated life that those who have been called may respond positively to their calling.
Fr. Clement Piruwa
