The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to honour our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader by celebrating the hope that Providence has manifested in children.
The reading from the Prophet Malachi foretells the Coming Messenger.
* [3:1] My messenger…before me: Mt 11:10 applies these words to John the Baptist; Mt 11:14 further identifies John as Elijah (see Mal 3:23). Some take God’s messenger in v. 1a to be a person distinct from “the lord” and “the messenger of the covenant” in v. 1b; others hold that they are one and the same person. Some consider “the lord” and “the messenger of the covenant” to be divine, while others hold that in the text’s literal sense he is a messianic earthly ruler. (Malachi, CHAPTER 3, n.d.)
Psalm 24 celebrates entrance into the Temple.
* [Psalm 24] The Psalm apparently accompanied a ceremony of the entry of God (invisibly enthroned upon the ark), followed by the people, into the Temple. The Temple commemorated the creation of the world (Ps 24:1–2). The people had to affirm their fidelity before being admitted into the sanctuary (Ps 24:3–6; cf. Ps 15). A choir identifies the approaching God and invites the very Temple gates to bow down in obeisance (Ps 24:7–10). (Psalms, PSALM 24 | USCCB, n.d.)
The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews proclaims the humanity and the suffering of Jesus.
* [2:5–18] The humanity and the suffering of Jesus do not constitute a valid reason for relinquishing the Christian faith. Ps 8:5–6 is also applied to Jesus in 1 Cor 15:27; Eph 1:22; and probably 1 Pt 3:22. This christological interpretation, therefore, probably reflects a common early Christian tradition, which may have originated in the expression the son of man (Heb 2:6). The psalm contrasts God’s greatness with man’s relative insignificance but also stresses the superiority of man to the rest of creation, of which he is lord. Hebrews applies this christologically: Jesus lived a truly human existence, lower than the angels, in the days of his earthly life, particularly in his suffering and death; now, crowned with glory and honor, he is raised above all creation. The author considers all things as already subject to him because of his exaltation (Heb 2:8–9), though we do not see this yet. The reference to Jesus as leader (Heb 2:10) sounds the first note of an important leitmotif in Hebrews: the journey of the people of God to the sabbath rest (Heb 4:9), the heavenly sanctuary, following Jesus, their “forerunner” (Heb 6:20). It was fitting that God should make him perfect through suffering, consecrated by obedient suffering. Because he is perfected as high priest, Jesus is then able to consecrate his people (Heb 2:11); access to God is made possible by each of these two consecrations. If Jesus is able to help human beings, it is because he has become one of us; we are his “brothers.” The author then cites three Old Testament texts as proofs of this unity between ourselves and the Son. Ps 22:22 is interpreted so as to make Jesus the singer of this lament, which ends with joyful praise of the Lord in the assembly of “brothers.” The other two texts are from Is 8:17, 18. The first of these seems intended to display in Jesus an example of the trust in God that his followers should emulate. The second curiously calls these followers “children”; probably this is to be understood to mean children of Adam, but the point is our solidarity with Jesus. By sharing human nature, including the ban of death, Jesus broke the power of the devil over death (Heb 2:4); the author shares the view of Hellenistic Judaism that death was not intended by God and that it had been introduced into the world by the devil. The fear of death (Heb 2:15) is a religious fear based on the false conception that death marks the end of a person’s relations with God (cf. Ps 115:17–18; Is 38:18). Jesus deliberately allied himself with the descendants of Abraham (Heb 2:16) in order to be a merciful and faithful high priest. This is the first appearance of the central theme of Hebrews, Jesus the great high priest expiating the sins of the people (Heb 2:17), as one who experienced the same tests as they (Heb 2:18). (Hebrews, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is Presented in the Temple and the family return to Nazareth.
* [2:22–40] The presentation of Jesus in the temple depicts the parents of Jesus as devout Jews, faithful observers of the law of the Lord (Lk 2:23–24, 39), i.e., the law of Moses. In this respect, they are described in a fashion similar to the parents of John (Lk 1:6) and Simeon (Lk 2:25) and Anna (Lk 2:36–37).
* [2:22] Their purification: syntactically, their must refer to Mary and Joseph, even though the Mosaic law never mentions the purification of the husband. Recognizing the problem, some Western scribes have altered the text to read “his purification,” understanding the presentation of Jesus in the temple as a form of purification; the Vulgate version has a Latin form that could be either “his” or “her.” According to the Mosaic law (Lv 12:2–8), the woman who gives birth to a boy is unable for forty days to touch anything sacred or to enter the temple area by reason of her legal impurity. At the end of this period she is required to offer a year-old lamb as a burnt offering and a turtledove or young pigeon as an expiation of sin. The woman who could not afford a lamb offered instead two turtledoves or two young pigeons, as Mary does here. They took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord: as the firstborn son (Lk 2:7) Jesus was consecrated to the Lord as the law required (Ex 13:2, 12), but there was no requirement that this be done at the temple. The concept of a presentation at the temple is probably derived from 1 Sm 1:24–28, where Hannah offers the child Samuel for sanctuary services. The law further stipulated (Nm 3:47–48) that the firstborn son should be redeemed by the parents through their payment of five shekels to a member of a priestly family. About this legal requirement Luke is silent.
* [2:25] Awaiting the consolation of Israel: Simeon here and later Anna who speak about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem represent the hopes and expectations of faithful and devout Jews who at this time were looking forward to the restoration of God’s rule in Israel. The birth of Jesus brings these hopes to fulfillment.
* [2:35] (And you yourself a sword will pierce): Mary herself will not be untouched by the various reactions to the role of Jesus (Lk 2:34). Her blessedness as mother of the Lord will be challenged by her son who describes true blessedness as “hearing the word of God and observing it” (Lk 11:27–28 and Lk 8:20–21). (Luke, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)
Eileen Wirth comments that a lot of Jesus’ “sufferings” were those of daily life such as we experience. The people closest to him didn’t understand who he was. They badgered him for position as they squabbled among themselves. At the end, a couple of them betrayed and denied him.
Jesus understood the problems of ordinary people because he lived among them. He got tired and hungry and didn’t have his own home. He forgave people who sinned because he had compassion for their human failings. We can feel comfortable turning to Jesus because he wasn’t an avenging judge or a king far removed from the problems and tensions of the lives of common people. We can relate to Jesus as a friend. He gets it! (Wirth, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Christ who was rich became poor,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).
"For this reason it seems wonderful that the sacrifice of Mary was not the first offering, that is, 'a lamb a year old,' but the second, since 'she could not afford' (Leviticus 5:7) the first. For as it was written about her, Jesus' parents came 'to offer a sacrifice' for him,'according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."' But this also shows the truth of what was written, that Jesus Christ 'although he was rich, became a poor man' (2 Corinthians 8:9). Therefore, for this reason, he chose both a poor mother, from whom he was born, and a poor homeland, about which it is said, 'But you, O Bethlehem Ephratha, who are little to be among the clans of Judah' (Micah 5:2), and the rest. (excerpt from HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 8.4.3) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 2:22-40 comments that the couple left the Temple “amazed,” but then returned to Nazareth and resumed their ordinary day-to-day lives (Luke 2:33, 39). Just like their neighbors, they worked, enjoyed Shabbat dinners, and attended synagogue each week. And while the question of what would ultimately happen to Jesus must have hung over them, they knew that God had given them a mission: to raise his Son. They couldn’t let their concerns about his future deter them from doing what was required in the present, even when it involved the most mundane chores and duties.
Today, on this feast of the Presentation, take some time to surrender any worries you might have about the future to the Lord. Ask for the grace to focus on the responsibilities right in front of you, and trust that God will be with you, no matter what the future holds.
“Jesus, as I go about my day, I will place my trust in you.” (Meditation on Luke 2:22-40, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes the lack of information about the last of the prophets connected to the Book of Malachi. Purification was a ritual for the woman, Mary, who had given birth and “redemption” was the ritual for first born males that recalled the Exile from Egypt. Friar Jude ponders the difficulty of a Jewish mother with the “divinity” of her son and the impression of some apocryphal texts that Jesus knew all things from the start.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, challenges the stereotypical Christian understanding of a prophet. He explores the path that prophets revealed in Scripture.
Eventually, the prophet stops standing above, apart from, or superior to reality and enters into solidarity with human suffering and human sinfulness. Jesus does this throughout his life by touching lepers and eating with sinners. He goes out of his way to bless those who are hurting. But we don’t know how to do that as long as we place ourselves higher than another, believing we’re not sinners or fellow sufferers. [2]
My favorite thing about the prophetic books of the Bible is that they show a whole series of people in evolution of their understanding of God. Like most of us, the prophets started not only with judgmentalism and anger but also with a superiority complex of placing themselves above others. Then, in various ways, that outlook falls apart over the course of their writings. They move from that anger and judgmentalism to a reordered awareness in which they become more like God: more patient like God, more forgiving like God, more loving like God. [3] (Rohr, n.d.)
We ponder the hope expressed by the prophets in the Temple as they encountered the child Jesus and implore the Spirit that we recognize and amplify the hope that our children, grandchildren and youth bring to our journey.
References
Hebrews, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 2, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/2?14
Luke, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 2, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/2?22
Malachi, CHAPTER 3. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 2, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/malachi/3?1
Meditation on Luke 2:22-40. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 2, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/02/02/1193752/
Psalms, PSALM 24 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved February 2, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/24?7
Rohr, R. (n.d.). A Misunderstood Image. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 2, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-misunderstood-image/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Favor of God Was upon Him. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 2, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=feb2a
Wirth, E. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved February 2, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/020225.html
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