Pray! : February 2, 2014

« February 2 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Lectionary: 524

Reading 1MAL 3:1-4

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

This is a reference to St. John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Note that the Lord God says that he is the Messiah because his messenger is preparing the way for him.

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

The messenger here has a double meaning. It is either St. John the Baptist or Jesus Christ. But it more likely represents Jesus Christ because he is God whom we seek.

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.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.

This confirms that the messenger is a reference to Jesus Christ, God, the second person of the holy Trinity, whose presence is like fire:

Hebrews 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the LORD,
as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

This is a reference to the Eucharist. Which is the sacrifice that pleases the Lord.

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!
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.
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!
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!

Jesus Christ is the King of glory. Glory is another word for heaven. Jesus Christ is the King of heaven.

Reading 2 HEB 2:14-18

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

The children who share blood and flesh represents humankind. Jesus Christ took upon himself the blood and flesh in order to become one of us.

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

Jesus Christ was conceived in Mary's womb and born in order to die upon the cross and thus to destroy the devil's power.

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

by dying upon the cross and rising again, Jesus freed those who were afraid of death and thus subject to the devil's power.

Surely he did not help angels
but rather the descendants of Abraham;

Angels do not die therefore, Jesus death and resurrection did not help their status. It only helped those men who have faith. That is why Abraham is here mentioned. Because all have faith in God our children of Abraham.

therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.

Therefore, Jesus had to become like us in order that we would recognize that he suffered like us.

Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.

By our knowledge of his sacrifice we begin to understand how much he loves us.

Gospel LK 2:22-40

Jesus was obedient to the law of God from the time he was born. Mary and Joseph brought him to the temple to be consecrated to God in accordance with the law of Moses. Thus, his parents fulfilled God's will for him just as we fulfill God's will for our children when we baptize our infants.

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.

St. Simeon was a very holy man who had received a revelation from God that he would not die before he saw the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed Savior of the world.

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.”

This is a beautiful prayer which the Catholic Church has prayed every night before we go to bed.

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.”

St. Simeon forewarned Mary of the suffering which she and her child would face in the future. When her child died upon the cross it was as though a sword had pierced her in two.

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.
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.

God also revealed to St. Anna the prophetess about the Christ child. And she spoke about this to all who came to the temple.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of 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.

And when Mary and Joseph had fulfilled the law of Moses with respect to Jesus Christ they went back home. And Jesus grew up physically strong and very wise and beloved of his heavenly Father.

The alternate gospel reading is a subset of the original and needs no further comment.

Or

LK 2:22-32

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

“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.”

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February 2, 2014