Saint Rita Catholic Church and School in Webster, NY - An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings

“The Child’s Father And Mother Were Amazed At What Was Said About Him ”

This Sunday is the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple. It occurs 40 days after the birth of Jesus (Dec. 25) and fulfilled the Mosaic Law of presenting the newborn first male child to God in the temple. In a sense, this feast highlights the priesthood of Christ as it marks the significance of the Messiah’s first entrance into the temple.

In our first reading (Malachi 3:1-4), the Prophet Malachi foretells the coming of John the Baptist, “Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me as well as the time when the Messiah himself will enter the temple, and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi also warned that this would be a time of judgement and purification of liturgical abuses. This was indeed seen as Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple and criticized their lack of proper respect for the Father’s house.

In our Epistle reading (Hebrews 2:14-18), we learn that, in order to “expiate the sins of the people”, Jesus shared in our blood and flesh that “he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is , the Devil.” Jesus “had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God”.

In our Gospel reading (Luke 2:22-40), we hear the story of Mary and Joseph’s presentation of Jesus to God in the temple, as the Law of Moses had required of them. They offered for sacrifice a pair of turtle doves because they were too poor to afford the prescribed year-old lamb. During this ceremony, we hear the beautiful canticle of Simeon, as he recognized the baby Jesus as the "Christ of the Lord, the long-awaited Messiah, “...and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to Him, Simeon took Him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “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 sight of all the peoples....” We also hear of the prophetess Anna, “And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.”