Praise and Thanks to the Lord

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

~~Malachi 3:1-4~~ Psalm 24~~Hebrews 2:14-18~~Luke 2:22-40~~

And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek...

Simeon, one who listens, is waiting in the temple for the Lord.
Simeon knew of this prophecy from Malachi.
God blesses him with longevity of life.
After seeing and touching the Lord he can die a happy peaceful death.
To me Simeon represents the presence of the Holy Spirit
as our Lord, Jesus is being consecrated in the temple.

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

The parents of Jesus are devout Jews.
Joseph and Mary follow the prescribed laws for purification.
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.

If a woman could not afford a lamb then she was
 to bring two turtledoves or two pigeons, as Mary does.

Jesus was taken to the temple and consecrated to the Lord.
Jesus was formally presented back to his Father.

Anna, means favor or grace. She is quite an unusual woman,
she recognizes the child Jesus for who he is
even as a child.

Anna, like Simeon, is also old. God places
them both in the temple for the presentation of this child.
Simeon takes young Jesus in his arms and gives praise to God.

While Anna, called the prophetess, gives thanks.

In the presence of Jesus we too
are called to give his praise and thanksgiving.

Spirit, wisdom, grace, and salvation along
with young and elderly come together in the temple this day.

Jesus became flesh to bless us with eternal salvation.
Peace!