The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in
the Temple
The Feast of the Presentation occurs 40 days after Christmas Day, when
Jesus, as the first-born male, was presented in the Temple, and his parents
undergone purification. Indeed, this
feast is also known as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Because of the theme of light, this day also
became the day to bless the provision of candles for the coming year, hence its
popular name of Candlemas. It is one of
a handful of Major Feast that take precedence when it occurs on a Sunday (see The Book
of Common Prayer, p. 16).
The Collect of the Day
Almighty and everliving God, we humbly
pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we
may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
1st Reading: Malachi 3:1-4
Malachi (a name which means “my messenger”)
comes from the period after the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple in 515 b.c.e.
Later in the book “my messenger" is identified as the prophet
Elijah. There was a tradition in Israel that Elijah would return before “the
day of the Lord” (which was possible because Elijah ascended and therefore did
not die—see 2 Kings 2:1-12). Christians
came to identify this figure as John the Baptist (Luke 1:17 & 7:27).
3:1 See, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to
his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is
coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming,
and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like
fullers’ soap; 3 he will sit as a
refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and
refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
will be pleasing to the Lord as in
the days of old and as in former years.
Psalm 84:1-6
Psalm 84 is a hymn of longing for the Temple, and perhaps a song sung
by pilgrims when journeying to celebrate the Feast of Booths (Deuteronomy
16:13-15). This song celebrates the
nearness of God and the longing that comes from the heart of a pilgrim for that
ever-increasing nearness.
1 How dear to me is your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! *
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
2 The sparrow has found her a house
and the swallow a nest where she may lay
her young; *
by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
3 Happy are they who dwell in your house! *
they will always be praising you.
4 Happy are the people whose strength is in
you! *
whose hearts are set on the pilgrims’ way.
5 Those who go through the desolate valley will
find it
a place of springs, *
for the early rains have covered it with pools of
water.
6 They will climb from height to height, *
and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.
2nd Reading: Hebrews 2:14-18
A major theme of the writer of this
letter is the image of Jesus as the high priest who sacrificed his own life (of
flesh and blood like our own) and now intercedes on our behalf. Jesus knew our
sufferings and trials and so can help us through ours. The high priest of the Jerusalem Temple was
the sole person authorized to enter the most interior chamber of the temple
once a year (on the Day of Atonement) to offer sacrifice for the sins of the
nation.
2:14 Since, therefore, the
children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so
that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that
is, the devil, 15 and free those who
all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he did not come to
help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore
he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he
might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a
sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is
able to help those who are being tested.
Gospel Reading: Luke 2:22-40
Only
Luke tells us this story. It is part of
his wanting to show the parents of Jesus as faithful Jews, who carefully
followed the law in regard to their son.
The first born of all creatures belongs to God (Exodus 13:2, 12 &
15). The law of purification comes from Leviticus 12, as well as the sacrifice
required to redeem the firstborn. Simeon is the fifth person said to be filled
with the Holy Spirit in the birth narrative of Luke, and his is the fourth song
(which is known by its first words in Latin, Nunc
dimittis, and is a canticle prescribed
in the Prayer Book at Evening Prayer or Compline. It is significant that a woman, Anna, is
called a prophet. She is part of Luke’s
frequent pairing of men and women in equal number in his Gospel. The baby presented is celebrated, but there
is also a warning that his life will contain sorrow and rejection.
2:22 When the time came for their
purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to
present him to the Lord 23 (as it
is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as
holy to the Lord”), 24 and they
offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair
of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” 25 Now
there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and
devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit
rested on him. 26 It had been
revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had
seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided
by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the
child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised
God, saying, 29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in
peace, according to your word; 30 for
my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which
you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your
people Israel.” 33 And the child’s
father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his
mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in
Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35
so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword
will pierce your own soul too.” 36 There
was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She
was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her
marriage, 37 then as a widow to the
age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting
and prayer night and day. 38 At
that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to
all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 When they had finished everything required
by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of
Nazareth. 40 The child grew and
became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
The
Scripture quotations (except for the psalm) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ
in the U.S.A. The Collect of the Day and
the Psalm translation are from The Book
of Common Prayer. Commentaries are copyright
© 2020, Epiphany ESources, 67 E. Main St., Hornell, NY 14843, www.epiphanyesources.com. All
rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment