Jesus Presented To The World

𝐅𝐄𝐁. 𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟑: 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈: 𝐌𝐚𝐥 𝟑:𝟏-𝟒

𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟐𝟒:𝟕-𝟏𝟎 “𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲? 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝.”

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐈: 𝐇𝐞𝐛 𝟐:𝟏𝟒-𝟏𝟖

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐋𝐊 𝟐:𝟐𝟐-𝟒𝟎            

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞: “𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐧  𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥.” (𝐯.𝟑𝟒) 

         There are at least three points we need to understand when reading this Gospel passage on the Presentation of the Child Jesus at the Temple. The 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 is the humanness and ordinariness of the kind of life to which Jesus was born into and this can be seen in the offering that Joseph and Mary brought to the Temple as part of the Jewish tradition.

         In those times, when a woman gave birth to a child, she is regarded as unclean for the next 40 days if the child was a boy and 80 days if it was a girl and during this time the woman was forbidden to enter the Temple.

         What happened at the Temple on that day was part of this purification process related to childbirth at which Mary has to make an offering as part of the ritual and also to present and consecrate the baby Jesus to the Lord.

         The offering Mary brought consisting of two pigeons was generally regarded as the offering of the poor. Those who are relatively well-off bring a lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon for a sin offering. It is only when the offeror cannot afford a lamb that she is required to bring another pigeon and this was what Mary did and this will show that the household to which Jesus was born was at best very ordinary.

         The 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 was when Simeon and Anna saw Jesus as he was being presented at the Temple. We might probably ask what was significant in this scenario? Well, Simeon and Anna differed from probably the mainstream of the Jewish population who have been waiting for a King and Savior who was going to lead them to a military victory.

         Simeon and Anna spent their time at the Temple joining in the public prayer but also devoted themselves to praying in private. And both were given a vision by the Holy Spirit that they will not see the end of their days until they have laid eyes on the one who is going redeem the people of Israel.

         And Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God saying: “𝐒𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧… 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥.” (𝐯.𝟐𝟗)        

        The 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 which we believe was the most significant of all the three scenarios at the Temple was when Simeon blessed the Holy Family said to Mary: “𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭.” (𝐯.𝟑𝟒)

        While Joseph and Mary did not understand it then, the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple was significant in that this was the first time that a prophecy was made into the kind of life that Jesus will live. And we see this prophecy fulfilled in the life of Jesus, the kind of opposition he faced from the Scribes and Pharisees that will culminate in his passion and death on the cross.

        In more ways than one, this Presentation of Jesus at the Temple can be equated to what our parents and we as a child experienced when we were baptized. We were all unaware then, but this was what happened when our own parents and God-parents and witnesses carried us to the Baptismal Font to be baptized.

        In a way, our own baptism was in fact the same as the feast we are celebrating today. As Jesus was presented at the Temple, so too was our own baptism similar to a presentation of our entire being when we received the Sacrament of Baptism when we were baptized.   

         And from that time on to today, those who rejected the Word of God incarnate and who will continue to shun it will definitely fall by the wayside and those who will abide by it will rise and be lifted up to share in the eternal inheritance. This event shows that we cannot remain neutral in this world. It’s either we are in, with and for Jesus or against him.

         The Jews looked for a Messiah who will spearhead a military victory and they rejected the law of love that Jesus introduced and to this day many of us still could not grasp this great paradox of life when surrendering or yielding to Jesus is what will actually bring us to a victorious life.

         As there are those who took over from where the Apostles and disciples left off, there are also those who imbibed the spirit of the Scribes and the Pharisees who continue to oppose the teachings of Jesus in the world today.

         For his part, 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐗𝐕𝐈 has this to say: “𝘕𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘠𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘰-𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺.            

          𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 “𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴” 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.”        

          This pastoral message was intended for the Catholic Bishops in the US to stay more vigilant against the spiritual corruption of the temporal world. This could very well be a message for Catholics throughout the world including the Philippines where our own legislature has also been influenced by unchristian movements.

        This affront to Christian ethics which the Church has faced in recent years is also the motivating factor that is now moving the Church in the Philippines to gather the resources at its command to bring together the differing political ideologies within the Church to forge a united front to reclaim and restore the Christian faith from the culture of death that came with the passage of the RH Bill and is now being threatened by the proposed bill on divorce, abortion and even same-sex marriage.

          The message that lie at the core of the Gospel reading today is that as Jesus was consecrated at the Temple, we now have the moral obligation to consecrate ourselves to Jesus who is the new Temple which means that we are obligated to rise to defend life when and where it is needed.

          This is the reason why the Church is calling on all of us to remain vigilant against these moves that are aimed to undermine our Christian faith. Let the Presentation of the Child Jesus at the Temple and our own baptism be a defining moment to rise above these challenges to our faith. To God be the Glory, now and forever – Amen! (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 – 𝘍𝘦𝘣. 2, 2026)