THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD
2 FEBRUARY 2020
The
Book of the Prophet Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. We do not know the identity of this
prophet. In Hebrew, the name means “My
Messenger.” The prophet gives the Lord’s
message to the people who had just returned from the Babylonian captivity. Although they had rebuilt the temple that the
Babylonians had destroyed, it is a shadow of its former glory. In addition, the priests are giving lackluster
service, reminding the prophet of Ezekiel’s message. Ezekiel said that the Lord
had left that Temple because of the corruption and wickedness of the
priests. Now, Malachi promises that the
Lord whom they seek will return.
That prophecy
is fulfilled in today’s Gospel. The Lord
returns to the temple as a tiny, vulnerable child. Simeon represents all of Israel, because he
has been waiting all his life for the Lord to enter the temple. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Simeon
recognizes the presence of the Lord in this child, brought by his parents to
fulfill the Law of Moses. He utters a
canticle that we pray every night at Night Prayer, giving thanks to God that
salvation has finally come in this child, who is the light for everyone, including
the Gentiles. An old woman, Anna, also
sees in this child the fulfillment of Malachi’s promises. Instead of remaining cynical and angry as a
young widow, she remains hopeful and confident that God had not abandoned her.
Today is
the fortieth day after Christmas. At
Christmas, we renewed our faith that Jesus Christ is the light of the world dispelling
the darkness of sin, hatred, wickedness, and death. That light warmed and encouraged us. On this fortieth day, we celebrate the
fulfillment of Malachi’s promises by blessing the candles we use in the Liturgy
of the Church and the candles that we use at home, in the domestic Church. While we emphasized the warmth of the light
of Christ at Christmas, we focus today on another aspect of the fire of
Christ’s love. We pay attention to Simeon’s
warning to Mary that this child will be the cause of a sword that will pierce
her heart. We pay attention to the
purifying quality of the fire of God’s love.
As an
adult, Jesus will proclaim a love that not only warms us, but will burn away
whatever hinders us from loving more completely. Like fire that separates pure silver from the
surrounding ground, the fire of his love burns away all that is not love in
us. Once that is gone, we can love
others in the way God loves us – by willing the good of the other.
This
quality of the fire of God’s love can be very painful. We know that pain when we allow the fire of
God’s love to burn away what our secular culture tells us to be true. We know that pain when we speak the truth to
those we love, even if that truth causes them to be angry with us, accusing us
of rejecting them. We know that pain
when we suffer a terrible loss or endure injury or severe illness. We are reminded that the Lord’s love endures,
even when the pain of loss tempts us to think that God is absent.
We
sometimes think that God’s love always involves warm feelings and profound
peace. Sometimes, that is true. But today’s feast reminds us that God’s love
is also present in pain and sorrow. Mary
knew the truth of Simeon’s prophecy when she saw her son rejected and executed
as a common criminal. Once the temple of
his body had been destroyed, it was transformed through the power of the
resurrection. The Lord has definitely
entered into his temple. Through our
Baptism and the presence of the Holy Spirit, we are living stones of that
temple today. We are Christ’s Body,
being purified by the fire of his love.
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