"From the Pulpit" - reflections on the weekly texts from Pastor Greg at Living Lord Lutheran Church
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, [Mary and
Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. Luke 2:21-40
Happy...Candlemass!??? Where are the Presents?
Say what? That's right. For many in North America, February 2 is more likely known as Groundhog Day than the festival of the Presentation of Our Lord. Following generations-old lore, a rodent is roused from hibernation in the search for the end of winter. Paradoxically, if the sun is shining, casting a shadow, the winter is predicted to be longer than if overcast skies cast no shadow. The secular practice reveals the human longing to be pulled by visible hope beyond current struggles into something better.
The presentation of the infant Messiah in the temple is rooted in the hope of parents who fulfill the generations-old law. Mary and Joseph are still on an arduous journey filled with unexpected challenges. They fulfill the rituals of faith, resting on the hope of generations who followed the same practices, pulling the community forward with the expectations imbued in the dedication and blessing of the future. For a moment, Mary and Joseph see into that promise and beyond the current struggles of new parents far from the comforts of home.
From behind old eyes, Simeon sees life and peace in the face of a newborn child. We do not know if he expected salvation to come in the body of an infant, but in his song, we see what that future promise looks and feels like: peaceful, contented joy. Likewise, Anna sees salvation hope in the child and sings praises to God after years of fasting and prayer. The simple, daily lives of these elders are shifted into song and praise upon seeing the Christ child. The undercurrent of promise becomes a tidal wave of hope carrying them into joy. They carry on with their devotion to temple worship, changed by the glimpse of promised salvation.
Whether we are longing for a season to pass or wondering what the next chapter of life will bring, God’s presentation of hope pulls us through—not away from—our daily struggles. In the paradox of faith, life comes through death. A soul-piercing sword follows the gift of the infant Messiah. Salvation comes through sacrifice. A song of peace wells up near the end of life. Praise erupts after years of fasting and prayer. God is in it all and periodically lifts up our hearts to grasp onto tangible signs of promise.
God presents hope to us in unexpected ways so that we might see a glimpse of salvation that will pull us forward. While we’d often like to be pulled out of our struggles, God pulls us through them. For a moment, our attention is drawn by a glimpse of hope. We hear the refrain of a song that sets our heart ablaze with joy. We taste the bread and wine of holy communion, a foretaste of the feast to come. We ponder the wonder of creation awash with a moment of peace. We see a promised future in the eyes of a child. We even look for shadows with the hope of the coming spring season.
Where do we see hope lifted up today? On this Presentation Day, point to the glimpses of salvation that God offers to us. Show how we are pulled through our sufferings as we grasp onto tangible hope.
The Presentation of Our Lord is referred to in some corners of the church as Candlemas because of an ancient tradition of blessing all the candles to be used in the church in the coming year at the mass celebrated on that day. It was a way of underscoring the truth of Simeon’s confession that this baby Jesus was “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” and a light for glory to Israel. Let the light of every candle in church be a little epiphany of the love of God for all people in the person of God’s son, Jesus, the light of the world.
Pastor Greg
P.S. Adria Ryan found this amazing video. Subject: The Presentation of our Lord. We thought you might enjoy it. Simply click on the link below. Enjoy!
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