Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
TUESDAY, February 2nd Lk. 2: 22-40 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
“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.”
“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 may be revealed.’”
PART 1: Sermon by Saint Sophronius, Bishop (Excerpt)… from the Office of Readings
Let us receive the Light whose brilliance is eternal! In honor of the divine mystery that we celebrate today, let us all hasten to meet Christ.
The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true Light in her arms and brought Him to those who lay in darkness. We too should reflect the radiance of the true Light as we hasten to meet Him.
The true Light has come, the Light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened and made radiant by this Light. Let all of us share in its splendor, and be so filled with it that no one remains in the darkness. Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon, the Light whose brilliance is eternal.
Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of the Light, who sent the true Light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in His splendor.
Through Simeon’s eyes we too have seen the salvation of God which He prepared for all the nations and revealed as the glory of the new Israel, which is ourselves. As Simeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so too we were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness.
By faith we too embraced Christ, the salvation of God the Father, as He came to us from Bethlehem. Gentiles before, we have now become the people of God. Our eyes have seen God incarnate, and because we have seen Him present among us and have mentally received Him into our arms, we are called the new Israel. Never shall we forget this presence; every year we keep a feast in its honor.
PART 2: MARY – THE LIGHT OF CHRIST…
- Light – what a lovely thing that is. There is no one in all creation lovelier than the Blessed Virgin Mary! She alone is the Immaculate Conception – preserved from the stain of original sin at the moment of her conception in the womb of her mother Saint Anne. In continuation of this great privilege, Mary was preserved from the stain of sin her whole life! In Mary’s pure light, we see clearly the darkness in ourselves. Thus the poet Wordsworth called Mary “our tainted nature’s solitary boast!”
- The Angel Gabriel greeted her, “Hail Mary, full of grace!” She was the first light of dawn dispelling the darkness, giving way to the refulgence of Light of the Son of God! As the moon reflects the light of the sun, Mary reflects the Light of Christ. Mary’s presence gives warmth to cold hearts, valor to the faint-hearted, healing to the wounded, and rest to the weary.
- The Light of the Son that renews the face of the earth, first shone forth from the womb of Mary, causing the baby within Elizabeth’s womb to leap for joy! The light that guides ships to safety through deep waters is Mary, Star of the Sea! The light in the window that welcomes us home is the light of Mary’s motherly love for each and every one of us, shining from our true home in her Immaculate Heart, where she forms her children in the image and likeness of her Divine Son, Jesus.
- When the Word became flesh and dwelt among us in the womb of Mary, Jesus communicated His inscrutable wisdom and truth to Mary, which she imparts to those who ask for it, freeing them from the darkness of ignorance and error, from the lies and deceits of the enemy. (As revealed to Saint Melchtilde and Saint Gertrude by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Three Hail Marys Devotion.)
- From the moment she said Yes to be the Mother of the Redeemer, Mary willingly shared in the sufferings of Jesus, the Son of God made man, from His conception in her womb to His death on the cross for the salvation of souls, her spiritual children.
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2: 6-8)
- Just as the Mother of Sorrows knew and shared the sufferings of her Son Jesus, Mary knows and has compassion for us in our sufferings! Compassion is a compound word meaning “to suffer with”. Mary consoles and comforts us. She calms our fears. She invites us to find refuge in her Immaculate Heart and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, burning with love for us!
- She assures us of the eternal value of every tear that we shed for our salvation and the salvation of our loved ones. And that even now, God is working everything for our good. So that in heaven, the saints say, our only regret will be that we didn’t suffer more, for the good it accomplishes!
- “When it is all over you will not regret having suffered; rather you will regret having suffered so little, and suffered that little so badly.” (St. Sebastian Valfre)
- “If we only knew the precious treasure hidden in infirmities, we would receive them with the same joy with which we receive the greatest benefits, and we would bear them without ever complaining or showing signs of weariness. (St. Vincent de Paul)
- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn. 1:1-5)
Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA
