Presentation of the Lord Homily

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord which was known in the old liturgical calendar as the Feast of the Purification of Mary. Our Gospel taken today from Luke encompasses both of these events which reveal the reality that Christ came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. It is easy for us as Christians here in the year 2014 to forget that the Old Testament was not abolished, but instead it was fulfilled through Christ's birth, death, and resurrection. Therefore when we read the Law that was handed down to the Jewish people we should not do so as if this has been abolished and therefore of no use for us here today. Instead we should realize in our reflection of these passages of scripture that they were leading up to one event in the life of the world, and that event was the coming of the Messiah. Through the reality of the coming of the Messiah to come and dwell with us here on this earth these passages are finally receiving the true meaning of which they were always leading towards.

Following the birth of Christ, Mary had to follow the law which stated in Leviticus that she had to be purified in water in order to be made clean. The purpose for this purification was brought about due to the fact that the woman was no longer a virgin and therefore was in need of this purification prior to entering the temple. With Christ we are able to see how this came to be fulfilled through Mary's obedience to the Law. She was still a virgin, but through her obedience to the Law would go to the temple to be purified. Her child is the very one who was born to go out into the world and truly begin to purify it from its relationship to sin. Mary surrenders herself to this purification which signals for us our own need to be purified each day from our relationship with sin. If Mary would of ran away from the temple & thus not submitted herself to this purification we would all be free to run away from our purification from sin. Instead the example given by our Blessed Mother was not to run, but to embrace our daily need for purification.

Following the Purification, the Law required that the first born son would be presented inside of the temple by his family. This requirement was due to Exodus which expected that every first born son be taken to the temple forty days following his birth to be presented to the Lord. Through this presentation it was being shown that this child now belonged to the Lord. Again we should see the contradiction of this action because Christ was the Son of God and therefore was already well known by His Heavenly Father. Despite the holy family's knowledge of this reality they remained obedient to the Law and brought their Son to the temple which signals to us once more that it was Christ who has come not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. In His presentation inside of the temple we are each shown our own need to prepare ourselves each day to truly be able to belong to the Lord. If we desire to belong entirely to the Lord we will allow ourselves to be separated from each sin which hurts our relationship with Christ and His Church.

Finally, these two episodes bring us to encounter Simeon who shares his profound understanding of what is taking place by stating in what has become known as the Canticle of Simeon: "Lord, now you let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel." In this statement Simeon is professing his profound understanding that Christ is truly the Messiah who has come to bring about a fulfillment to all that has been promised throughout sacred scripture. As people were bound through darkness prior to Christ they will now forever encounter the light that has been revealed to the nations. Due to this profound revelation this day is also often known as Candlemas because from the darkness of sin the light of Christ always shines forth similar to the light that is brought about from a candle.

This day may each of us here come to this same understanding that Simeon felt when he came to present Christ to the Lord inside of the temple. May we realize that all scripture has led up to this moment where we too can proclaim Christ as our Messiah. May we also realize that through this reality we can no longer make the excuse that the darkness of sin is acceptable inside of our lives. Instead of excepting sin and the lies that are brought about by Satan we must move ourselves each day to the light of Christ that shines rays of mercy upon us. 

When we receive our Lord this day present in the Holy Eucharist may we realize that in our reception of such a great gift that we join ourselves to the honor that Simeon received inside of the temple. This is the same honor that Anna the Prophetess came to adore inside of the temple which we also come adore in Eucharistic adoration. In Holy Communion we see the fulfillment of scripture because from the rising of the sun to its setting a pure sacrifice has been offered From the honor of receiving Christ, this pure sacrifice, present in the Holy Eucharist we are forever challenged to turn ourselves away from the darkness of sin and embrace the light that shines forth from Christ's abundant mercy.