Word for the Day of the Presentation of the Lord

“And when the days of her purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, He was taken up to Jerusalem, and set Him before the Lord, and gave a sacrifice” (Luke 2:22, 24) The Holy Church, long before the present day, began to prepare us with its spiritual chants for the worthy celebration of this day. What is special about the memories of a real holiday? Apparently, the event that took place today in the temple in Jerusalem is one of the ordinary in the world under the law. The case was started and completed according to the law. The very joy of Simeon and Anna, although shared by many then in Jerusalem, after many other events that more clearly revealed the greatness of Him who was now brought into the church, will seem to a Christian only a flicker of dawn in comparison with the full light of the sun. What is special, let us repeat, that the Jewish church now represents for the teaching and edification of those gathered in the Christian church? Let us delve into the meaning of this day for a Christian. Firstly, the deepest humility of the Ever-Virgin Mother of God now calls us to glorify. According to the Law of Moses, every mother at a certain time after the birth of a baby was obliged to come to the church for cleansing with prayers and sacrifices. But could this law also apply to the Pureest of mothers? She conceived by the Holy Spirit, gave birth without illness, was confident that what was born was holy (Luke 1:35), that Her Son would deliver her people from their sins (Matthew 1:21), - did she herself need to be cleansed? And yet, God’s chosen girl equates herself with the last of the Jewish wives. Without revealing the glory of the Mother of God to anyone, she goes to the church, takes a place among those excommunicated from communication with others, makes cleansing sacrifices to the priest and accepts permission. Here is the extraordinary in the most ordinary thing! And it, in deep humility, as a matter of duty, is hidden so inconspicuously that it was necessary to have the gaze of Simeon in order to penetrate this secret and bless the Blessed One in the women (Luke 1:34). May every Christian soul, together with Simeon, bless the humble Mother, who, for the sake of the humility of her Son, seems to forget about the angelic purity of her virginity - as a servant of the Lord, she freely submits to the law and, with the eternal Child in her arms, is not ashamed to stand alongside sinners before God. The more deeply Her Divine greatness is hidden here, the more glorious is Her humility. Secondly, we now share the joy of the Most Pure Mother dedicating her firstborn Son to God. The Almighty Creator and Preserver of every creature gave His people the commandment to dedicate every firstborn to Him - just as He demanded that the first day of every week, every month, every year, by which the life given by God to man is measured, be dedicated to Him; how he demanded for himself the firstfruits of the fruits of the earth, produced by nature and human labor. And it was comforting to the grateful heart to see that the generous Father Himself accepts a portion of the abundance with which He rewards. Pious parents were joyful to see the firstborn of their love honored with special closeness to God and through this united in a new union with God the Giver of Life. Now imagine the joy of Our Lady. Here She dedicates the Son to God, Whose Father is He Himself. Could a sacrifice be more pleasing to God the Father than this sacrifice? Could there be any joy greater than this joy for the Mother of God? Here She brings God the Son, for Whom Himself there is nothing higher than the love of the Father, one in essence with Him. What bliss for the purest soul of the Child Jesus! What a consolation for the Mother to see Him no longer in the manger of Bethlehem, but in the house of His Father, among those Angels who sang songs of praise to Him in heaven. Here She brings to the church the Son, whose throne is heaven. What a joy for Her humility to quickly bring Him into the sanctuary, where the true God is worshiped, and there to bow down in spirit before the incarnate Son of the Most High Himself! Oh, sacred moments that fill the Soul with heavenly tenderness! Thirdly, seeing the Divine Infant dedicated to God, we recognize here the beginning of His future sacrifice for us to God the Father. The law, ordering Israel to excommunicate the firstborn to the Lord, appointed them to serve as servants of the house of God - the tabernacle, or church. Subsequently, when instead of these firstborn, one tribe from all Israel, Levi, was appointed to serve God, the Lawgiver decreed that those released from this service should be redeemed at a certain price in silver. Could this law bind the incarnate Son of God? Of course, as one born under the law, He deigned to subject Himself to all the requirements of the law, but at the same time His own answer to His disciple Peter, when he promised for Him to give half a didrachm to the tribute collectors in favor of the church: “What do you think, Simon,” the Lord then said, “from whom do the kings of the earth accept tribute, or kinson? From your own sons, or from strangers? And when Peter answered: “From strangers,” the Lord added: “For the sons are free” (Matthew 17:25, 26). This meant that if the kings of the earth do not take taxes from their sons, but from their subjects, is it possible for the King of Heaven to demand tribute in favor of the church - His house, from His Son? So, the dedication of the Christ-Child to God, which outwardly took place in accordance with the requirements of the law, at the same time had a meaning above the law. What does this mean? The same thing that the Apostle Paul, with the Prophet David, gives to the entire ministry of Christ. He says about Christ: “At the same time, when he entered the world, he said: You did not desire sacrifices and offerings, but you made the body. Then he said, “Behold, I come: in the book of books it was written about Me, that I might do Your will, O God” (Heb. 10:5–7). So, entering the world, the Lord, by His will, said: Behold, I come to do Your will, O God, and instead of sacrifices, which You do not favor, to bring My humanity to You. Now, in the church, with his dedication to God the Father, He testified before people to his vow, which he later fulfilled on Golgotha. By the will of God the Father, for men, the Son of God became the son of man, and now the son of man devotes himself to God the Father for all men. Here is the only one of the firstborn not from the tribe of Levi, who remained, without replacement, as a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle (Heb. 8:2), in order to offer Himself blameless to God (Heb. 9:14). Was it finally necessary for the law itself to recognize this secret sacrifice, now unknown to anyone? And so, in the same church, the old man, righteous Simeon, burdened with years, appears, as if on behalf of all the Old Testament righteous, and with a triumphant face meets the unnoticed baby. He was happier than his predecessors, kings and prophets, who wanted to see their deliverer and did not see, who, prophesying about grace, themselves sought to which and what time the Spirit of Christ who was in them pointed out, but they only learned that it was revealed to them not for them, but for subsequent times (1 Peter 1:11, 12). For a long time, Simeon lived with the sole expectation of seeing the coming of Christ the Lord; and finally saw Him, met Him, embraced Him. This meeting was solemn - the meeting of two covenants, old and new, law and grace. Enlightened by the prophetic spirit, a student of the law and the prophets, the old man, burdened with years, welcomes the Divine Child, who has come to replace the law with the Gospel of grace - and here, in the church of the law, he asks for absolution. The last of the Prophets foretold: “And suddenly the Lord will come to His church, Him you seek, and the Angel of the covenant, Him you desire” (Malach. 3:1). Simeon waited for this day and in thanksgiving he confesses before God: “My eyes have seen Your salvation. The Law foretold the hope of tongues in the coming Reconciler” (Gen. 49:10); the prophets foretold in Him the light of tongues and the glory of Zion (Isa. 42:6, 61, 3). And so the participant in the prophetic spirit solemnly names the Child embraced by him with the light of tongues and the glory of Israel. So, the law and the prophets found a worthy interpreter in the dying old man and through him they pointed out the desired Savior to everyone. But complete your prophecy, God-bearing Simeon! Was it really only you who were betrayed by the law and the prophets? Has the prophetic spirit only inspired you? No! The elder also foresees the final sacrifice of the Redeemer of the world, with whom all the sacrifices of the church will cease. But his tongue will be unable to utter this secret. It is combined with such sad predictions for the people, for the church, for the Mother of the Divine Child herself, it is so incredible for that time that the Prophet seems to be at a loss as to how to begin to explain it. He begins with the fact that, although God has prepared salvation in this Child before the face of all people, not everyone will find salvation in Him: this one lies for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel and is a sign to be reproached. Now we are preparing for the cross and Golgotha! Then, turning to the Mother of the God-Man, he says: “And a weapon will pierce your very soul.” What does this mean: to you too? Who else? The Prophet does not express, but it is clear that he is talking about that weapon, about that sword, which another ancient Prophet saw raised against the Shepherd (Zech. 13:7). This weapon will first strike the Son and then pass through, although not the body, but the soul of the Mother, striking her with deep sorrow. This is the actual slaughter of the victim! So the seer, seeing the first offering of his Savior, already foresees the last - and brings them into one, as the beginning and end of one great thing. Delving deeper into reflection on the events of the present day in the Jerusalem temple, we will find many edifying lessons for our activities. May the example of the Blessed Virgin teach us, despite all differences from others, not to seek differences. How attentive we are to all our advantages, both real and imaginary! But the Blessed Virgin is not ashamed to stand alongside women, according to the word of David, who conceive in iniquities and give birth in sins. May the example of the Most Blessed Mother of God teach us to strictly and unforgivingly fulfill the instructions of the Church. She did not delay a single day, did not omit anything, was not distracted by anything in order to fulfill the requirement of the law, no matter how little it concerned her position; here is the sacrifice, here is the Child! Especially for mothers, here is an excellent instruction and example of how carefully they should introduce their children to the Heavenly Father, to whom all our feelings, our first aspirations, as well as all subsequent ones, should be dedicated. May the dedication to God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ remind each of us that we, just as early, or even earlier, were dedicated in the church to the Lord God, with our birth in the holy font. And let this thought constantly keep us on the paths of virtue, and inspire us every hour that we must behave truly as children of God. Let the example of the pious Simeon instruct us how to prepare ourselves for the last hour of earthly life, with what feelings to move into a new life unknown to us. May Christ our Lord and Savior be our hope, our light in mortal darkness, our salvation at His impartial judgment! Briefly, by reading and re-reading, repeating in our minds the sacred legend about the events of this day, we will discover more and more new aspects in it, for our teaching and edification, if only we make the Feast of the Lord truly the Day of the Lord, and not a day of idleness. Amen.