Do You See a Mere Baby or a Savior?
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
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| Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, 1342, Uffizi Gallery, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons |
Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; And suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. (Malachi 3:1)
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. (Hebrews 2:18)
(Simeon) 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.” (Luke 2:27-32)
Piety
Lord, as Mary and Joseph brought their young child to the Temple to dedicate him to you, we bring ourselves into your presence this day, remembering the promises made in our names at baptism. As your Son did, may we grow ever more faithful to You and to carrying out your mission in this world.
Study
Lately, I’ve been rereading a series of novels by Susan Howatch on the Church of England’s history in the 20th century. I first read them about 30 years ago, and I wish I could remember what I got out of them then. Today, each one leaves me feeling like I’ve been eavesdropping on the spiritual direction sessions of a clergyperson in crisis. The third in the series, Ultimate Prizes, is about a man who spends his entire life pursuing one “prize” after another. When his life is falling apart, and he finally seeks out competent guidance, he realizes that many of his deeply held beliefs about or grudges against various family members may not have corresponded with reality. For instance, he had gone through life believing his father committed suicide, based on something he overheard as a child. When he began visiting still-living relatives, he discovered that he had misinterpreted what he heard. A caregiver had accidentally given his father a medication intended for another family member. There was no suicide, only a tragic mistake resulting in death. He had wasted years despising his long-deceased father for leaving him and his family—Hie based his entire life on misconceptions.
Today’s Scripture readings reminded me of the folly of accepting surface appearances as “the truth.” How many people saw nothing more in Jesus than the kid whose family was so poor he had to come into the world in a dirty little shelter intended for animals? Of all the people in the Temple in today’s Gospel passage, only two saw anything remarkable about this small child – Anna and Simeon. What about everyone else? Through the angel Gabriel’s words and through dreams, Mary and Joseph knew that their baby was special but at that moment probably didn’t think of him as the Savior of the world. Years later, people in Jesus’ hometown saw nothing but a carpenter’s Son who had gotten above himself preaching as he did. The crowds saw a wonder-worker/magician. The Pharisees and scribes saw a man who threatened their power over the people, an enemy. On Good Friday, people in Jerusalem may have thought they had seen a heinous criminal sentenced to head to his death on Golgotha.
As Christians, our goal is always to be growing in our faith. We must move away from flat, one-dimensional views of our Lord (and our brothers and sisters as well). To do that, we have to take the time to get to know Jesus, not just to know who he is but to know him intimately as the best friend any of us will ever have. I have never become close friends with anyone without spending a great deal of time in their presence. The best way I have found to know Jesus is through Scripture study and Ignatian contemplation, a form of prayer where you use your imagination to enter into a Gospel story. Lent is coming up soon, with Ash Wednesday on February 17. It’s possible to practice this type of prayer in an online retreat, An Ignatian Prayer Adventure, adapted from St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises and designed for use throughout Lent and Easter. I highly recommend it as a way to grow in friendship with the Lord.
Action
As I write this, I am looking out the window and enjoying the view of the snow and wintry mix. But I don’t have to go outside. However, the weather reminds me how much more difficult these conditions are for people who are homeless. Don’t forget them or the people who have lost jobs because of COVID-19. We can help locally by giving to the Lamb Center, a daytime homeless shelter in Fairfax, Catholic Charities, Arlington Diocese, another organization of your choosing, or a local food bank near you. Demonstrate your faith in Jesus by caring for the vulnerable in our midst as he did.
Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ambrogio_Lorenzetti_-_Presentazione_di_Ges%C3%B9_al_tempio_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
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