The King of Glory

February 2, 2009

Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord

By Beth DeCristofaro

But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner's fire, or like the fuller's lye. He will sit refining and purifying. (Malachi 3:2-3)

Who is this king of glory? The LORD of hosts is the king of glory. (Psalm 24:10)

Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel. (Luke 2:34)

Piety

Touch me, Lord, with the refining fire of your love. Burn away my sin. Keep your purifying presence always before my face so that everything I look to, speak, hear and do is through you and for your glory. Indeed, you are the King of glory, my king and my Lord. Amen.

Study

There should be trumpets blasting and incense burning for today’s Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord. After all, the first public appearance of the Savior is a cataclysmic, universe-changing event. In the eighth century Pope Sergius recognized this when he introduced a candlelight procession as part of the feast’s celebration and it became known as Candlemas. However, from Scriptural accounts, Jesus’ presentation was a very quiet, private and, in some ways, melancholy event.

It was witnessed by very few rather than crowds. Its reality meant both the downfall of the status quo as well as the completion and the answer for those faithful. It brought a message of promise, hope, change and pain. Simeon and Anna recognized and proclaimed. But no one else did. It was missed by most everyone.

Somehow this reminds me of the movement of Jesus in our lives. How often we experience him in moments of quiet and privacy. Even in the intensity of a crisis, this opening to the holy carries with it its own uniqueness and individual impact. How rarely there are trumpet clarions and acknowledging crowds. Rather, it is Jesus and self, suddenly aware, face to face, of each other in a new and deeper way. The trumpet voluntaire is in our heart and soul.

Henri Nouwen speaks of this mystical experience in Bread for the Journey: “…[W]e must desire it. We must be attentive and interiorly alert. For some people the experience of (seeing God in) the fullness of time comes in a spectacular way, as it did to St. Paul when he fell to the ground on his way to Damascus (Acts 9:3-4). But for some of us it comes like a murmuring sound or a gentle breeze touching our backs (1 Kings 19:13). God loves us all and wants us all to know this in a most personal way.”

Action

Take a moment to consider a “moment closest to Jesus” which you have experienced. What was it like for you? Were you brought to joy, completion, sorrow, fear, distress? What does the touch of God, the presentation of Christ, the refiner’s divine fire within mean for you? Do you desire it?