February 2, 2013

USCCB » Bible » Daily Readings

February 1 | February 3

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Read more about the Presentation of the Lord

Read about the feast once called the Candlemas

Lectionary: 524

Reading 1 from the Holy Book of Malachi
Mal 3:1-4

Thus says the Lord God:  Lo, I am sending my messengerto prepare the way before me;

God sent a messenger to prepare the way for Christ.

And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.

God Himself came to His people in the flesh. And His messenger came before Him.

Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.  But who will endure the day of his coming?  And who can stand when he appears?  For he is like the refiner’s fire,or like the fuller’s lye.

It sounds as though this has changed from the time of the visitation of Christ, Suffering Servant, to the time of the visitation of Christ, the Just Judge, who will come to judge the sins of the world.

He will sit refining and purifying silver,and he will purify the sons of Levi,  Refining them like gold or like silverthat they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.  Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalemwill please the LORD,as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

And again, it seems to change to the time of the Church, when we offer the Pure Oblation, The once for all sacrifice of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10

R. (8) Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!

Christ is the King of Glory. We must open our doors that He may come in.

R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Who is this king of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.

God is the King of Glory. His dominion is everlasting.

R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!

Our Lord is the King of Kings and we should open the doors of our heart that 

He may come in and dine with us.

R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Who is this king of glory?
The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory.

R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Christ is the King of Glory.

Reading 2 from St. Paul's epistle to the Hebrews
Heb 2:14-18

Since the children share in blood and flesh,Jesus likewise shared in them,

Children in a family share the same flesh and blood of their parents. Therefore, Christ, in order to become one of us, took flesh.

that through death he might destroy the onewho has the power of death, that is, the Devil,

Christ did so in order to die. Christ is God. And by dying He showed that dying is really no big deal to those who have life everlasting. And thus, He destroyed the Devil's power over us.

and free those who through fear of deathhad been subject to slavery all their life.

Because it is the fear of death which keeps us in bondage to sin. We sin because we think that this life is all there is and therefore we lust for everything in it. But now we know that we will have a life everlasting and death is no more threat to us.

Surely he did not help angels  but rather the descendants of Abraham;  therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sistersin every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people.  Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

The Angels do not have bodies of flesh and were not enslaved to sin. Therefore Christ did not help them when He sacrificed His Body for us. They were already saved and united to God.

A reading from St. Luke's Gospel
Lk 2:22-40 Or 2:22-32

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalemto 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.

The Law of Moses dictated that every first born male child was to be set aside for the Lord.

The mother was also to offer a sacrifice for her uncleanness. This is probably associated with her discharge of blood in the birthing process. It was strictly a ceremonial practice since no actual sin was committed.

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.

A holy man, St. Simeon, lived in Jerusalem and was awaiting the coming of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit was upon him this day.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see deathbefore he had seen the Christ of the Lord.  He came in the Spirit into the temple;and when the parents brought in the child Jesusto perform the custom of the law in regard to him,he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

He was in the temple when Mary and Joseph came in with the holy Child. and he took the Child in His arms and praised God with these words:

“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.”

And he declared that the Child was the salvation of 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.”

And Mary and Joseph were amazed at his words. Then Simeon turned to Mary and warned her that she would suffer much in union with her Son.

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.  She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

There was also there a holy woman named Anna. She had lived in the temple many years since becoming a widow.

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.

She also recognized that Jesus was the Messiah and told all who would hear about the salvation of Israel.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptionsof the law of the Lord,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.

When they obeyed all the prescriptions of the law, Mary and Joseph took the Child home to Nazareth, where He grew strong and was filled with the grace of God.

or the alternate Gospel reading which is only a subset of the primary reading above. Therefore I will post it without comment.

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalemto 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 ofa 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: 

“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.”