Home Bible CATHOLIC MASS: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord 2.2.15 – Video, Links, Readings Excerpts

CATHOLIC MASS: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord 2.2.15 – Video, Links, Readings Excerpts

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“Bible-200‘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.'”

Mass Readings 2.2.15 – FIRST READING: Malachi 3:1-4 – PSALM 24:7, 8, 9, 10 – GOSPEL: Luke 2:22-40 or GOSPEL: Luke 2:22-32 – FIND A MASS: MassTimes.org – FIND A MASS: TheCatholicDirectory.com – Readings excerpts and brief annotations follow below.

 

FIRST READING

FIRST READING: Malachi 3:1-4

Malachi prophecies the coming of the Messiah, including His Arrival specifically into the temple, just as the Infant Jesus will come into the temple starting at His Presentation.

Thus says the Lord God: … 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.

He also prophecies that the Christ will refine and purify us, including those of the Priestly tribe of Levi, that we may be better formed and better able to offer due sacrifice and worship to God.

… who will endure the day of His Coming? … who can stand when He Appears? For He is like the refiner’s fire … He will sit refining and purifying … he will purify the sons of Levi … 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.

With the reference to years gone by, we see a theme of renewal and rebirth, of new life, as God not only purifies and refines, yet also restores.

At the same time, note the question about who can endure Christ’s Arrival. We require God’s Help, and God loves us enough to give us that Help.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALM 24:7, 8, 9, 10

Who is this King of Glory? It is the Lord!

 

GOSPEL

GOSPEL: Luke 2:22-40 or GOSPEL: Luke 2:22-32

Mary and Joseph take the Infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord, in accord with Jewish law.

… 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 …

They encounter the righteous and devout Simeon, who has the Holy Spirit upon him. The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that while still alive on earth, Simeon would see the Christ.

… Simeon … was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel … 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 … when the parents brought in the Child Jesus … he took Him into his arms and blessed God …

Under the effect of the Holy Spirit, Simeon confesses that the Infant Jesus is the Christ, referring to Him as God’s Salvation, a source of Light and Glory. He prays:

‘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.’

Mary and Joseph are amazed. Simeon blesses them and declares that the Child Jesus was destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel and that Mary a sword would pierce:

The Child’s father and mother were amazed … Simeon blessed them and said 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.’

Note that Mary would not be martyred. Yet she sometimes is depicted in art as having her Immaculate Heart pierced by a sword. She would indeed endure sufferings, including seeing her Beloved Son Jesus, the Son of God, brutally tortured and murdered before her, as He laid down His Life upon the Cross to Redeem us for our sins and Save us for Eternal Life.

Also in the temple at the time of the Presentation of the Infant Jesus is a prophetess named Anna. Anna is an older widow who spends all of her time in the temple.

Like Simeon, she realizes the significance of the Baby Jesus. She comes forward and gives thanks to God, and speaks of the Child to many.

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.

Mary and Joseph later take the Baby Jesus back to Nazareth, where the Holy Family presumably lives quietly and humbly.

We then are told, in summation, all we know from Scripture about Jesus’ childhood and youth, other than the later story about the finding of Jesus in the temple when he will be twelve.

Jesus grows and becomes strong and is filled with Wisdom, and the Favor of God is upon Him.

… 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.

LINKS & RESOURCES

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