Presentation of The Lord

" 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 shall be consecrated to The Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons.' Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, . . . . 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 in 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. . . . ' 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 will be revealed." [ Luke 2: 22-40]


This Scripture passage in Luke 2:22- 40 describes rites that date back to the Old Testament, and the laws given by God to Moses. In Leviticus 12, we are told, " The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ' If a woman conceives and bears a male child, . . . her time of blood purification shall be [seven plus] thirty- three days; she shall not touch any holy thing or come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are complete.' The Scripture goes on to say that the mother must bring to the priest a lamb in its first year, or if she cannot afford a sheep, she shall take two turtle doves or two pigeons and the priest shall thereby pronounce her clean.

 Jesus was born of an ordinary, human mother. He was bound by the Old Testament law, like every other baby born of that time and place.

How very ordinary this family is. Yet how very extraordinary!!

In the temple, there is more than a priest. There is a sort of prophet, Simeon, who "came in the Spirit into the temple."  He calls the Christ child, " a salvation which You prepared in the sight of all the peoples";  "a light for revelation and glory for Your people."

Simeon KNOWS Jesus, he has pierced His ordinariness. But there is a dark side. There is a beautiful irony in this passage, the foreshadowing of Jesus' death, by the words, " and you yourself a sword will pierce."

Jesus, a sign of a New Covenant, a sign of the paramount quality of Love, even unto death -- is a sign to be contradicted by threatening earthly powers.

Simeon's eyes have seen Jesus as Salvation,  but the world did not. After Jesus, ordinary men and women could be purified by Baptism, not by the sacrifice of animals. After Jesus, the Son of  God did come to cleanse us of our sins, by His very human death on the cross.

But the most poignant aspect of this story is how Simeon comes, in the Spirit, and he KNOWS Jesus.

How many times have I come to church, burdened by tension, the struggles of life, the pain of my past days. But when I enter the sanctuary, the Holy Spirit is there, in the dark stillness of that sacred space.

Almost every time I enter the sanctuary, a huge burden is lifted off my shoulders. I do not need to pretend any longer. God recognizes me and he knows all of my pain, all my hurts.

My tears begin to flow when I enter the sanctuary. Is it that I feel the reality of the sword piercing Jesus?

Maybe that piercing is truly what it took, for " the thoughts of many hearts to be revealed."  We need to acknowledge the brokenness of our hearts, to become one with Jesus.

Hebrews 2: 14-18 says, " Since the children share in blood and flesh, Jesus likewise shares in them, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of  death, that is, the Devil, and free those who, through fear of death, had been subject to slavery all their life. . . . Because He Himself was tested through what He suffered, He is able to help those who are being tested."

There is an indescribable sense of total freedom in being recognized by God in His Holy Sanctuary. I long to be known, for who I really am. I desire this implicit understanding, without words, that only God and His Son can give.

We are all tested in life. We do not have to go through it alone. We do not have to fear that no one can possibly understand our pain.

Enter a church. Let down your guard. You will be surrounded by Love.  You will be free!

(c) Spiritual Devotional 2014. All Rights Reservex.