Rich in Love and Ritual

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today exhort us to live in obedience to the commandments in our spiritual tradition as we reflect on the challenges for Mary as the Mother of God.

St Mary's Basilica 

The Reading from the First Letter of John proclaims The New Commandment.*

* [2:3–6] The way we may be sure: to those who claim, “I have known Christ and therefore I know him,” our author insists on not mere intellectual knowledge but obedience to God’s commandments in a life conformed to the example of Christ; this confirms our knowledge of him and is the love of God…perfected. Disparity between moral life and the commandments proves improper belief.

* [2:7–11] The author expresses the continuity and freshness of mutual charity in Christian experience. Through Christ the commandment of love has become the light defeating the darkness of evil in a new age. All hatred as darkness is incompatible with the light and Christian life. Note also the characteristic Johannine polemic in which a positive assertion is emphasized by the negative statement of its opposite.

* [2:8] Which holds true in him and among you: literally, “a thing that holds true in him and in you.” (1 John, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 96 invites all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God

* [Psalm 96] A hymn inviting all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God (Ps 96:1–3), who is the sole God (Ps 96:4–6). To the just ruler of all belongs worship (Ps 96:7–10); even inanimate creation is to offer praise (Ps 96:11–13). This Psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Is 40–55, as does Ps 98. Another version of the Psalm is 1 Chr 16:23–33. (Psalms, PSALM 96 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke proclaims The Presentation in the Temple.

* [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 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Jim Caime, SJ, comments that these Christmas season readings move us from the Christmas of our childhood to the Christmas of adulthood. They place Bethlehem in honest relationship with the cross. Christmas is intimately connected to the passion, death, and resurrection—the Paschal Mystery. Each sheds light on the other. Each reveals the utter, unconditional love of God: a Love that sets us free, breaks our chains, and costs Jesus everything. And all of it is a gift.

For Prayer and Reflection:

How is Christ inviting me to grow from the Christmas of childhood wonder into a deeper, more courageous adult faith?

Where do I sense Love bringing something in my life into the light—not to judge me, but to set me free?

What might it look like for me to say “yes” to a love that costs something and transforms me in the process? (Caime, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Simeon and Anna represent both sexes awaiting their Redeemer,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

"Simeon and Anna, a man and a woman of advanced age, greeted the Lord with the devoted services of their professions of faith. As they saw him, he was small in body, but they understood him to be great in his divinity. Figuratively speaking, this denotes the synagogue, the Jewish people, who, wearied by the long awaiting of his incarnation, were ready with both their arms (their pious actions) and their voices (their unfeigned faith) to exalt and magnify him as soon as he came. They were ready to acclaim him and say, 'Direct me in your truth and teach me, for you are my saving God, and for you I have waited all the day' (Psalm 25:5). What needs to be mentioned, too, is that deservedly both sexes hurried to meet him, offering congratulations, since he appeared as the Redeemer of both." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.18) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 2:22-35 comments that this isn’t the first time we see the Spirit at work in the story of Christmas. Something similar took place at the Annunciation, when the Spirit overshadowed Mary (Luke 1:35), and again at the Visitation, when the Spirit caused John the Baptist to leap in Elizabeth’s womb, and Elizabeth cried out, “Most blessed are you among women” (Luke 1:41, 42).

It’s one thing to recall and cherish the stories surrounding the birth of the Lord. Of course, we should do that—they’re a vital part of salvation history! But it’s another thing to find our own stories in the midst of this vast and glorious history. It’s another thing to discover the ways that this history has transformed your life—and can continue to do so.

It’s true: you are a coheir with Jesus of all the promises of God (Romans 8:17). So ask the Spirit to help you take hold of your heavenly inheritance!

“Come, Holy Spirit, and fill my heart just as you did for Simeon!” (Meditation on Luke 2:22-35, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments  that 1 John is a very dualistic writing contrasting light and dark goodness and sin with emphasis on keeping the commandments. The author of Gospel and Letters of John are perhaps different since, in the Gospel of John, there is only one command to believe in the only Son of God. This community is dealing with Docetism, an ancient heresy that says Jesus was not fully human and was never Incarnate. The author of 1 John asserts that if you belong to God you live God’s commandments. In the Gospel of Luke, the family goes to the Temple for two rituals of purification; for Mary because of blood shed in childbirth; for Jesus is for redemption, the first born belonged to God and was bought back with a sacrifice, for poor couples of turtledoves. In the old Ritual of Baptism, the baby was held by the Godmother who was not ritually impure. The ritual for Jesus is redemption because the first born belonged to God and was bought back with a sacrifice. The Canticle of Simeon, likely a pre-existing hymn borrowed by Luke, perhaps from a funeral liturgy, speaks to Mary about contradiction and the sword piercing her heart. The heart, in ancient times, was associated with thinking and the Word of God would pierce her thoughts. Her struggle with birthing the Son of God is in conflict with Jewish understanding of One God, Yahweh. Friar Jude comments that she believes and shows up in the Upper Room, according to Luke. Mary is therefore understanding of confusion in faith when we turn to her.

Fr. Mike Schmitz draws a parallel between the symbols in the book of Revelation and the persecution by the Roman empire of the first Christians and encourages us to hold firm in our faith. Additionally, Fr. Mike reveals the beauty of the new covenant priesthood established by Jesus and explained in Hebrews. Today’s readings are Revelation 15-17, Hebrews 5-8, and Proverbs 31:23-25.

CAC faculty member James Finley poetically envisions how Jesus is the light of the world. Sometimes we can get disheartened about ourselves, like Paul’s thorn in the flesh. While we need to do our best to get past the things that are hurtful to myself and others, can I place my faith in the love that’s infinitely in love with me and my inability to get past the stumbling place? As a matter of fact, the thorn in the flesh, the stumbling place, may be my teacher where I depend on the mercy of God that is oceanic and endless in all directions.

This then is our walk: How can I learn to be healed from what hinders me from being ever more habitually established in the divine light that shines, transcends, and utterly permeates the broken edges of my life? The very ragged edges of my heart are the configurations of the light that shines through the broken places as mercy, as amazement, and as gratitude.

Although I can’t experience it all the time, I know the importance of the daily rendezvous with God, the quiet space in which I become ever more receptively vulnerable to being instilled by this light that permeates and guides me through my days. Hopefully, this poetic expression then will be a way of helping us to sit with and be present to this light, shining into our own lives in the midst of the unresolved matters of our hearts. (Finley, n.d.)

We rely on the Wisdom of the Spirit to guide our journey that requires faith in God’s plan, hope for peace and all good, and love for all of Creation.

References

Caime, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved December 29, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-december-29-2025 

Finley, J. (n.d.). Living in the Light of God’s Love. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 29, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/living-in-the-light-of-gods-love/ 

Luke, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 29, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/2?22 

Meditation on Luke 2:22-35. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved December 29, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/12/29/1461581/ 

1 John, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 29, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/2?3 

Psalms, PSALM 96 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 29, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/96?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Favor of God Was upon Him. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 29, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Truth and Our Questions

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today anchor our faith in the truths proclaimed to us through the action of the Spirit.

Spirit of Truth and Love

In the reading from the First Letter of John, a New Commandment is proclaimed.

* [2:3–6] The way we may be sure: to those who claim, “I have known Christ and therefore I know him,” our author insists on not mere intellectual knowledge but obedience to God’s commandments in a life conformed to the example of Christ; this confirms our knowledge of him and is the love of God…perfected. Disparity between moral life and the commandments proves improper belief.

* [2:7–11] The author expresses the continuity and freshness of mutual charity in Christian experience. Through Christ the commandment of love has become the light defeating the darkness of evil in a new age. All hatred as darkness is incompatible with the light and Christian life. Note also the characteristic Johannine polemic in which a positive assertion is emphasized by the negative statement of its opposite. (1 John, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 96 offers praise to God Who Comes in Judgement.

* [Psalm 96] A hymn inviting all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God (Ps 96:1–3), who is the sole God (Ps 96:4–6). To the just ruler of all belongs worship (Ps 96:7–10); even inanimate creation is to offer praise (Ps 96:11–13). This Psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Is 40–55, as does Ps 98. Another version of the Psalm is 1 Chr 16:23–33. (Psalms, PSALM 96 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Is Presented in the Temple.

* [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 | USCCB, n.d.)

Mike Cherney asks what did Mary and Joseph know about their Son? The Gospel says, “The Child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about Him” in conjunction with Simeon’s comments. Were Jesus’ parents fully aware of who He was, or did they too need to grow in this knowledge? 

My prayer today focuses on the present.     

Dear Lord,
So much of my life has been spent living in the future or living in the past.
Allow me to live fully in the present, experiencing and growing in knowledge.
Help me to direct my attention to the here and now.
Assist me in being more aware of Your many gifts that surround me.
Let me sing a new song with praise and gratitude.
Guide me with the use of my time acting in Your service.
Grant me the strength and awareness to practice what I preach. (Cherney, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “Simeon and Anna represent both sexes awaiting their Redeemer”, by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

"Simeon and Anna, a man and a woman of advanced age, greeted the Lord with the devoted services of their professions of faith. As they saw him, he was small in body, but they understood him to be great in his divinity. Figuratively speaking, this denotes the synagogue, the Jewish people, who, wearied by the long awaiting of his incarnation, were ready with both their arms (their pious actions) and their voices (their unfeigned faith) to exalt and magnify him as soon as he came. They were ready to acclaim him and say, 'Direct me in your truth and teach me, for you are my saving God, and for you I have waited all the day' (Psalm 25:5). What needs to be mentioned, too, is that deservedly both sexes hurried to meet him, offering congratulations, since he appeared as the Redeemer of both." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.18) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 2:22-35 asks us to stretch out our arms and let Mary place Jesus in them.

Treasure the Messiah, the hope of your people, whom you are holding in your own arms. Let him move your heart to respond and to offer your life to him!

“Jesus, I am so grateful that you set aside your heavenly power and glory to become a vulnerable child I can hold in my arms! Thank you for the unconditional love that has brought you so very close to me.” (Meditation on Luke 2:22-35, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes how the emphasis on keeping the commandments in the Letters of John is different from the Gospel of John in which Love of Jesus is the commandment.The Holy Family goes up to the Temple for the purification rite for the mother and the Redemption rite of the first born male. Friar Jude reminds us of the difficulty of the the young Jewish girl to discern the mission of Jesus.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reminds us of the loving heart of the prophets.

We need the wisdom of a “full prophet,” one who can love and yet criticize, one who can speak their words of correction out of an experience of gratitude, not anger. We have to pray to God to teach us that. I don’t know how else we learn it. We can’t learn it in our minds rationally. God has to soothe our angry hearts and spirits. God has to allow us to come to a place of freedom, a place of peace, and a place of fullness before we can speak as a prophet. [1]

A prophet must hold on to the truth of their anger, especially as it is directed toward injustice—but the danger of the anger is that when we let it control us, we’re not a help anymore. That’s why we have so many false prophets in America and in the world today. They are so angry. I want to sit there and say, “I agree with you. That situation deserves anger, but you’re not a good messenger because you’re only making me more angry. You’re feeding your anger by letting it become your ego.” Of course, in my early life that was me. I think what we see in the Hebrew prophets is autobiographical. My early social justice sermons at New Jerusalem just edged people out of the room. I’m sure many of them thought, “I don’t think we want to hear Richard today. He’s on one of his tirades.” They saw me at my angriest when I had just come back from Latin America and Africa. Anger is usually a necessary starting place, but it is never the full message. [2]

That’s why I always go back to prayer. It’s the only way for me. I rest in God, let God massage my heart for a while, cool me down and say, “I love you. You don’t have to save the world, Richard. You don’t have to ‘play’ the prophet and you don’t have to do anything except what I tell you to do.” The more I rest there with God, the next time the words come out so differently.

We’ve got to learn how to discern the Spirit. We have to listen to our own hearts and discern where the voices are coming from. Are they harsh, angry, hurtful, resentful, cynical voices telling us we’ve got to go out and do some righteous thing? Or are they coming from a place of freedom and a place of peace? (Rohr, 2023)

Our faith in Jesus Christ is supported by our connection to the role of the Messiah, who is revealed in the truth of the Holy Spirit.

References

Cherney, M. (2023, December 29). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Online Ministries. Retrieved December 29, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/122923.html 

Luke, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 29, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/2?22 

Meditation on Luke 2:22-35. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 29, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/12/29/862080/ 

1 John, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 29, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/2?3 

Psalms, PSALM 96 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 29, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/96?1 

Rohr, R. (2023, December 29). A Full Prophet — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 29, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-full-prophet/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Favor of God Was upon Him. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 29, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=dec29