Today, forty days after Christmas, is the feast of the presentation of Jesus in the temple. In the past, the ritual purification of Mary was also commemorated, but the focus today is on yet another of the 'epiphanies', or manifestations of Jesus' divinity.
The Presentation at the Temple by Giovanni Bellini, 1459
Luke 2: 22-40
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
Quite the touching scene, if you think of it. A new family travels to the big city and the temple there to start things out on the right foot by observing the rules and customs of their faith. And in the midst of it all, an elderly man and woman take notice and bless them with astounding words about the infant. It all makes me wonder: just
what was it about this family that attracted Simeon and Anna's attention?
Assuming there was no celestial spotlight picking them out from the crowd, how did they recognize the Holy Family? Of course, Scripture tells us that Anna and Simeon were led by the Holy Spirit, and they were people of deep and abiding faith, whose lives centered around worship of God in the temple. I'm guessing it was about habits... a habit of attentiveness, and reflection and prayer that expanded their awareness of the holy, and the habit of the Holy Family of love, trust in God and right intention that marked them as extraordinary.
By what habits are you recognized? Through your baptism, you are/will be marked eternally with the sign of the cross as a member of Christ's Body. In consuming the Eucharist, you will carry within you Christ's Body and Blood, broken and shed for the healing of the world. What habits do you/can you develop that make these realities apparent to all you meet?
Catholic trivia: Inspired by the image of Jesus as the Light of the World, the Pope attached a candlelit procession to the feast at beginning of the eighth century, and by the end of that century the custom of the blessing of candles was in place. Thus, another popular name for this feast is "Candlemas".
