My Dear People,

Today we celebrate the presentation of Jesus to the Lord. As it was prescribed by the law of Moses, the first-born male must be dedicated to God. This law was to counteract the pagan procedure of dedicating the first-born son to a pagan god. For that reason, the past plague in Egypt consisted of the death of the first-born son who had been dedicated to a pagan god. Since the Hebrew households sacrificed a lamb and placed the blood on their door posts, the angel of death passed over those houses. To this day, the Jewish people celebrate the “Passover”--that event when the angel passed over their houses, and the next day they were set free from the bondage in Egypt. 

Mary and Joseph are faithful observers of the law. Therefore, their child is circumcised, Like John (1:59), when eight days were completed  (Gen 17:12; Lev. 12:3). He is named Jesus in obedience to the words of the angel (Luke 1:31).

In Leviticus, the passage regarding circumcision continues by specifying “thirty-three days more” for the mother, “till the days of her purification are fulfilled” (Lev 12:4). During this period following childbirth, she was considered ritually unclean and could not enter the temple. When forty days were completed, Mary and Joseph thus went up to the Temple in Jerusalem for their purification. The journey also allows them to fulfill another Jewish observance: to present Jesus the firstborn to the Lord. Luke uses a ring structure to introduce the purification and presentation and then gives the scriptural background of the presentation and purification. The emphasis falls in the middle of Jesus’ presentation, in accord with Scripture. “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord”  (see Exodus 13:2, 12-15; Num. 18:5) For those living near Jerusalem, this observance, when the infant son was a “month old or more” (Num 3:40), took place in the temple: “We have agreed . . . as is prescribed in the Law, to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who serve in the house of God, the firstborn” (Neh. 19:36-37). Scripture likewise indicates the sacrifices to be offered for the purification: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” (see Lev 12;8). This detail reveals their poverty: the regular offering, for those who could afford it, was one lamb  and one pigeon or turtledove (Lev. 12:6). The combination of poverty and pious observance of the law (Luke 2:22-24, 27, 39) highlights how Mary and Joseph are among the righteous anawim.

On the larger scale, Luke’s reference as to days being “completed” (see 2:6) shows that God’s plan of salvation as announced in Scripture is being fulfilled. Jesus the “Lord” (2:11) is brought to the temple, as Malachi had prophesied: “The Lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple” (Mal 3:1). Also fulfilled are the seventy weeks prophesied by Gabriel (Dan 9:24), from Gabriel's appearance to Zechariah in the temple until Jesus’ arrival in the temple.

In God’s plan, the event also includes the meeting with Simeon (2:25-35) and Ana (v. 36-38). Simeon, who bears the name of one of Jacob’s sons (Gen 29:33), is described as righteous, like Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:6), and devout. Moreover, he is awaiting the consolation of Israel—that is, the fulfillment of prophecies such as those in Isaiah: “Console my people, console them, says your God” (Isa 40: 1, see Isa 49:13. The Holy Spirit also upon him, as earlier with Mary (Luke 1:35). The Spirit indeed illuminates his thoughts, revealing the promise that he should not see death before seeing the Messiah, who is Jesus (2:11). The Spirit also guides Simeon’s actions, inspiring him to go to the temple at the right time. He obeys the Spirit’s promptings, like Mary and Joseph, who are obedient to the law. One might say that the law is fulfilled in them because they walk according to the Spirit (See Rom 8:4).

Meanwhile, Joseph and Mary bring in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,  presumably to pay the “redemption price” of “five silver shekels” (Num 18:16) for the firstborn (see Exod. 13:13, 15). Luke does not explicitly mention it as his interest is more on the “redemption” to be brought by Jesus himself (Luke 2:38).

Given the earlier connection between Mary’s Magnificat and Hannah’s canticle (1 Sam 2:1-10), there is a possible parallel here between Jesus' presentation and Samuel’s dedication (1 Sam 1:28; compare 1 Sam 2:26 and Luke 2:52). (cont’d p. 4)This parallel suggests that although Jesus returns to Nazareth with Mary and Joseph (Luke 2:39), he remains wholly dedicated  to God, the “faithful priest” like Samuel (1 Sam 2;25; see Heb 2:17).

Simeon took or “received” Jesus into his arms and, as Zacheriah had done (1:64), blessed God.  His canticle, the Nunc Dimittis, addresses God directly in the second person as master, as Abram earlier did (Gen 15:2).

Now is the time of fulfillment, an emphasis on immediacy already seen in the angelic announcement: “Today . . . a savior has been born for you” (Luke 2:11). The time of waiting is over. Simeon is God’s servant like Mary the “handmaid.” Like Mary, he accepts God’s plan for his life, revealed according to God’s word (see 1:38). He may now go—that is, die—since God’s promise to him has been fulfilled. Similarly, Abram wondered if he could go (i.e. die), but then God made a promise to him (Gen 15:2). The angels had sung of “peace to those of good will”  (Luke 2;14), and such a person is Simeon, who can now die  in peace. The Church prays the words of Nunc Dimittis in Night Prayer (Compline) every night, so that like Simeon, the faithful may end their days and their lives in God’s peace.  [A portion of this passage is from The Gospel of Luke by Pablo T. Gadenz]

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Vincent Clemente