Sunday 2 February 2025 - Presentation of the Lord
Day of the Consecrated life
Mass Readings: Mal 3:1-4
Ps 24 Heb 2:14-18 Lk 2:22-40
Key Verse to Meditate: 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
(Lk 2:22).
My dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
On this first Sunday of February 2025, the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary
Time, Holy Mother Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Presentation of the
Lord, marking forty days after Christmas. This feast commemorates the moment
when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple, fulfilling the
Jewish law and symbolizing His dedication to the Lord.
Today is also observed as the Day of Consecrated Life, established by
Pope Saint John Paul II in 1997 as a special occasion of prayer for men and
women in consecrated life. The Day of Consecrated Life is, first and foremost,
a day of prayer for those who have dedicated their lives to God. It is also a
day to recognize and express our gratitude to them. The Supreme Pontiff
instituted this day to promote and encourage vocations, inspiring many baptized
Christians to embrace this special calling as a way of living out their
baptismal commitment to Christ.
This feast, also known as Candlemas Day, is a day on which candles are
blessed, and the religious process to the Church with candles in hand before
Mass, imitating Jesus being carried by His holy parents to be offered to the
Lord in the Temple. This procession with candles symbolizes Christ, the Light
of the world, and the mission of consecrated people to reflect His light to
all.
The First Reading: A Call to Offering
The central theme of today's Liturgy of the Word is that of offering
oneself to the Lord. The First Reading from Malachi encapsulates the essence of
today's feast: Jesus, the Son of God, enters the temple for the first time as
an infant, carried by His parents, Mary and Joseph, in obedience to the Jewish
law of purification. This moment was already prophesied: "Behold, I am
going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord,
whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delighted,
he is coming, says the Lord of hosts"" (Mal 3:1).
This prophecy finds its fulfillment in today’s Gospel, as Jesus, the
long-awaited Messiah, is presented in the temple. He is the "messenger of
the covenant," the One who offers Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the
salvation of all.
The Second Reading: In the
second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, we see the deeper significance
of Christ’s mission: "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." (Heb 2:17). By taking on our human nature, Christ shared in
our struggles, temptations, and sufferings, ultimately offering Himself as the
perfect and eternal sacrifice for the redemption of the world.
Jesus, the Perfect Offering
Jesus is the perfect offering of Judah and Jerusalem, presented before
the Lord for the salvation of His people: "Then the offering of Judah and
Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former
years" (Mal 3:4).
The Letter to the Hebrews further highlights this truth: Christ, by
assuming our human nature, became the High Priest who would offer the ultimate
sacrifice—Himself—for the atonement of our sins. The purpose of His coming was
already revealed at His birth when the angel announced to Joseph: "For it
is He who will save His people from their sins" (Mt 1:21).
The Gospel Reading
The main protagonists in today's Gospel
reading are Simeon and Anna, alongside the baby Jesus and His parents, Joseph
and Mary. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the
Lord, in accordance with the Law. The Gospel passage highlights their sense of
responsibility and the manner in which they fulfilled it, as seen at the
beginning, middle, and end of the reading: "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." (Lk 2:22. 27).
In the Jerusalem temple, Jesus’ parents
completed the rite of purification as required by the Law of Moses, offering a
pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons (see Num 6:10: "Then on the
eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest,
to the doorway of the tent of meeting." See also Lev 12:8). The offering
of two turtledoves or pigeons instead of a lamb was a provision for the poor,
as mentioned in Leviticus 12:8. The presentation of the Child Jesus in the
temple recalls a parallel event in the Old Testament : Hannah bringing her son
Samuel to the priest Eli at the temple (1 Sam 1:24-28; 2:20, 21, 26).
The
Dedication of Jesus at the Temple
The dedication of Jesus at the temple in
Luke 2:23 is firmly rooted in Scripture, beginning with the general statement
regarding all firstborn in Exodus 13:2: "Consecrate to me all the
firstborn; whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel,
both of man and of beast, is mine." (Ex 13:2)
A few verses later, Exodus once again speaks
specifically about offering the firstborn males to the Lord: "You shall
set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstlings of your
cattle that are males shall be the Lord’s. Every firstling of a donkey you
shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it, you shall break its
neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem" (Ex
13:12–13).
The Meaning
of Consecration
To consecrate is to “set apart for the
Sacred.” Consecration is a divine action. God calls a person whom He sets apart
for a particular dedication to Himself. Through the act of consecration, a
stable state or condition is created in which a person or thing belongs
exclusively to God and is therefore separated from ordinary or irreligious
use—for example, churches, altars, sacred vessels, and cemeteries, etc.
Therefore, consecration entails the total
dedication of a person or thing to God and His service. By religious
profession, consecrated people are separated from the world for the sake of the
Kingdom. Through the total gift of self by the religious, Jesus again finds a
dwelling place on earth. Thus, consecrated persons make visible the presence of
Christ.
A religious is one who has been consecrated
by God, totally given and espoused to Christ the Lord. Conforming one's life to
the poor, chaste, and obedient life of the Son of God is what is known as a
vocation to consecrated life. Religious persons must configure their lives as
closely as possible to Christ's way of life through the profession of vows.
Consecration is the foundation of religious
life. Religious consecration constitutes a new life "for God in Jesus
Christ." When consecration through the profession of the counsels is
affirmed as a definitive response to God in a public commitment made before the
Church, it belongs to the life and holiness of the Church (cf. LG 44).
Prophet
Simeon and Prophetess Anna
At the time of this offering, we encounter
two holy figures, the prophet Simeon and the prophetess Anna. Both were advanced
in age and holiness, and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God revealed
to them the presence of the Savior among them. Particularly for Simeon, it had
been revealed that he would not see death before beholding the Messiah:
"It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see
death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah." (Lk 2:26). The phrase “the
consolation of Israel” (Lk 2:25) is deeply rooted in the language of Isaiah,
which speaks of God's eschatological restoration of His people (Is 40:1; 49:13;
51:3; 52:9; 57:18; 66:10-11).
Simeon
Simeon, whom we encounter in this Gospel
passage, was truly a blessed man. His long-awaited prayer was finally answered
by God. He was a man led by the Holy Spirit, and when his eyes beheld the only
Son of God, he praised the Lord for His mercy: Simeon took Him in his arms and
praised God, saying, "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in
peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you
have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the
Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." (Lk 2:28-30). Simeon
blesses God, and he is able to do so because his heart is filled with the
Presence of the Lord. He was not afraid to express his deepest emotions, and
now he experiences the joy of divine communion—the joy of receiving the
greatest gift.
Taking the Child Jesus in his arms, Simeon
blessed God and sang his Nunc Dimittis (vv. 29-32), also known as the Song of
Salvation: "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have
prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel." (Lk 2:29-32). What a profound
consolation for Simeon—to behold the Savior of the world before his death!
However, Simeon did not simply welcome
Jesus with physical proximity; he welcomed Him into the very depths of his
heart. The phrase "Simeon blessed God" highlights this deep spiritual
reception. If I, too, live as one in whom God dwells, then every moment of my
life should reflect His presence, just as Simeon’s life did. He blessed God
from the depths of his heart.
Simeon’s faith was not in vain—his very
name means "listening and fulfilment." He listened to God’s voice,
sought Him, desired Him, called upon Him, and now, in his old age, he holds in
his arms the very Word of God made flesh. Simeon, certain of the promise he had
received, recognizes Jesus as the bearer of salvation and accepts the fulfilment
of his existence.
He also offers a prophetic warning to Mary
and Joseph with these solemn words: "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, so that the inner thoughts of
many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.'” (Lk 2:34-35)
Anna
Anna, the aged prophetess, had spent almost
her entire life in prayer and penance. When she saw Jesus, she recognized Him
immediately and spoke to those who were awaiting the Messiah.
Her life was marked by the dignity of old
age, a deep passion for God, and prophetic inspiration. Anna, a pious and
devout woman, serves as an ideal example of Christian widowhood (see 1 Tim
5:3–16).
Anna and Simeon, unlike many others,
recognized the Messiah because their hearts were pure, their faith was simple,
and they had cultivated a life of prayer and obedience to the Father’s will.
However, it is not only the faith of Simeon
and Anna that inspires us today—it is also the faith of Mary and the obedience
of Joseph. Their trust in God’s plan allowed divine love to be fully realized
in Christ Jesus, the greatest gift to humanity.
Points for
Reflection
The presentation of Jesus in the temple
marks the feast of all consecrated people, who live out their commitment
through the three evangelical vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Just as
the parents of Jesus brought the baby Jesus to be offered to the Lord (Lk
2:22), all consecrated people likewise reflect on their total offering to God
and renew their strength to follow Him. In Jesus' offering, we see His
consecration to fulfill the will of the Father, who sent Him into the world: "See,
God, I have come to do your will, O God." (Heb 10:7)
Consecrated
Life – A Special Gift from God
Consecrated life, deeply rooted in the
example and teaching of Christ the Lord, is a special gift from God. Some men
and women are called by God to embrace the evangelical counsels—poverty,
chastity, and obedience. By devoting themselves to God with undivided hearts,
they answer God’s radical call, leave everything behind, and courageously place
themselves entirely at the service of God and His people.
Consecrated men and women live out this
total self-offering in their commitment to prayer, service, and witness to the
Gospel. Let us pray for them today, that their faithful witness may inspire
many more to follow Christ in a life of holiness and dedication. When
consecrated people fully live out their vocation in faith, their lives become
illuminated and serve as a light and sign of hope for other believers. The life
of a consecrated person is a manifestation of God’s love, a visible sign of His
divine initiative in their lives.
As we celebrate the Presentation of the
Lord and the Day of Consecrated Life, we are invited to reflect on our own
offering to God. Jesus was presented in the temple as an act of obedience and
dedication—do we, in our own lives, offer ourselves fully to God?
Do I have the courage to offer myself
entirely to God, knowing that I belong to Him alone?
Is my heart filled with God’s presence and
love, so much so that I can reflect it in everything I do?
Does your personal religious life reflect
the degeneration or the sacredness of religious consecration in the Church
today?
May this feast remind us that, like Jesus,
we are all called to be an offering to God, surrendering our lives in love and
service. Amen.
