…Surely, he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people… (Heb 2:14-18).
God is good, all the time.
Here we are, friends. It's forty days after Christmas and we recall the feast of the presentation of the Lord in the temple. It’s also called the feast of light, signifying that Jesus is the light of the world. Therefore, we carry the light of Jesus in our hearts. His love is the light that illuminates our lives and the life of others. A simple feast with deep meaning and a lot in it for us. Pope Saint John Paul II once described it as the mystery of the "coming," the "meeting," and the "prophecy." To which I add the mystery of purification and the mystery of the Spirit.
Malachi’s prophecy that the Lord visit his temple signified that the Lord will be part of his Church. Symbolically, it is the Eucharist that expresses this presence of Lord in the Church. Scriptures testify in one place, "Do this in memory of me” (Cf.1 Cor 11:24), and another, "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes Cf. 1 Cor 11:26). So, the Church is a place for us to meet the Lord, as the temple was for Simeon and Anna. It’s, for sure, the visible presence of the Lord, where we meet him in the sacraments and in the liturgical celebrations.
Malichi tells us that the Lord will sit in his temple "refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord." It is only in the Church that we experience the purifying grace of baptism, the sacrament of reconciliation, and the Eucharist. There is no confession outside the Church nor the sacraments. Therefore, Christ will continue to purify us from our weaknesses and shortfalls until he knows we are spiritually done, now in purgatory. As silver smith knows that a piece of work is ready when they see their image in it, so the Lord will know we are spiritually done when he sees that we are ready for heaven.
In in baptism and confirmation, the Spirit comes to us and becomes active in our lives as Simeon experienced it, brining all the promises of God to fulfillment in our lives. As believers, the Spirit moves us to always trust in God’s promises.
Therefore, my friends, there is greatness in the Church; there is awesomeness, and there is the extraordinary presence of Jesus. It is why we should be part of the Church, and it is why we should be grateful for our faith, and it is also why we should always thank God for what we receive in and through our faith in Jesus and his Church. For in the Church, the significance of the house of the Lord, faith of the believer, and blessings of God are celebrated in one event, the Mass.
Prayer blessings: Father, keep your people in your peace by the light of your Son, who is the light of light for reveling you to us in our momentous events and actions. Amen.