Reading 1
1 Jn 2:3-11
Beloved:
The way we may be sure that we know Jesus
is to keep his commandments.
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:
whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.
Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you
but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
And yet I do write a new commandment to you,
which holds true in him and among you,
for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.
Whoever says he is in the light,
yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness;
he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Gospel
Lk 2:22-35
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus 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,
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:
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of 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.”
Meditation: Luke 2:22-35
The Holy Spirit was upon him. (Luke 2:25)
Few people noticed anything unusual about the young couple who entered the Temple that morning or the child they brought in to consecrate to God. Simeon, however, was different. This was the moment he had been waiting for! This was the child he had been told about, the One who would save Israel from their sins. This was Jesus, the Messiah. But why was he one of only two people who recognized him that day?
Simeon recognized Jesus because he was looking for him. He had faithfully sought to follow God’s laws and had always watched for “the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). And so when the Spirit spoke, he was attuned to his voice, and he listened. In fact, one way to translate Simeon’s name is “one who hears.” That particular day, God told him to go to the Temple, and he went. And for his fidelity, he was greatly rewarded. He saw Jesus at last, and his life was complete.
Notice, too, that this whole scene takes place in the Temple, the house of the Lord. It was in the context of worship, an environment of prayer, that Simeon was able to recognize the Messiah in an unlikely form. Surely there was something about being in this setting that helped Simeon hear the Lord and see Jesus. He was in a holy place, and he was prayerful himself. Such a combination is sure to unlock the treasures of God’s blessings!
What about us? Every Sunday, we gather at the house of the Lord to sing hymns of praise, to hear God’s word, and to lift up our hearts to him. And every Sunday, we have the opportunity to recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread. We can be like Simeon—prayerfully and eagerly looking for Jesus and ready to receive him. Or we can be like the other people in the Temple that day—going about our business with our minds fixed on more mundane issues. Jesus is there, waiting for us in the Eucharist. Let’s open our eyes so that we can see him!
“Lord, open the eyes of my heart so that I can see you, embrace you, and be transformed by you!”
No comments:
Post a Comment