YEAR A: HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD (3)

YEAR A: HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD

HOMILY THEME: OUR LORD COMES TO HIS TEMPLE TO SAVE… LET’S MEET HIM

BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU

 

HOMILY: READINGS: MALACHI 3:1-4, PSALM 24, HEBREWS 2:14-18, LUKE 2:22-40

Today, before our eyes is a simple, humble and great event: Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the Temple of Jerusalem. He is a baby as so many others are, but He is unique: He is the Only Begotten come for all. In the Temple, Jesus comes to meet us and we go to meet Him. We contemplate the meeting with the elderly Simeon, who represents the faithful expectation of Israel and the exultation of the heart for the fulfillment of the ancient promises. We also admire the meeting with the elderly prophetess Anna, who, on seeing the Child, exults with joy and praises God. Simeon and Anna are the expectation and the prophecy; Jesus is the novelty and the fulfillment: He presents Himself to us as the endless surprise of God. In this Child, born for all, the past made of memory and promise and the future full of hope come together.

The Letter to the Hebrews, reminds us that Jesus Himself, in order to encounter us, did not hesitate to share our human condition: ”Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same nature” (2:14). Jesus did not save us “from outside,” He did not remain outside our drama of life, but willed to share and live it hence save us from our perils. The Lord, the king of glory (Ps. 24), the light of the world that darkness cannot overcome (Jn. 1:5), the light that was given to us at our baptisms is here in our churches and temples to meet us whenever we need him.

Beloved brethren, Jesus the light of the nations has come to dwell with us and our eyes like Simeon “have seen God’s salvation, the glory of all men and women; the light and revelation to the nations of the world” (Lk. 2:30ff). More so, Jesus reminds us of the surety of our salvation which he brought for us and the light which our lives ought to reflect. The candles we held at our baptism – the light of Christ is meant to radiate perpetually in us conquering the darkness of sin and evil and advocating righteousness and good.

As“…the Child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon Him” (Lk. 2:40), may we too grow into the men and women God destined us to be. May the Lord Jesus, through the maternal intercession of Mary, grow in us, and increase in each the desire of encounter, the custody of wonder and the joy of gratitude; then others will be attracted by His light, and will be able to encounter the Father’s mercy.
 May Parents emulate Joseph and Mary by leading their wards to God
 May children, so led to God through infant baptism and dedications, grow like Christ to be wise, spiritual, strong and good
 May elders of our day be like Simeon and Anna, old but committed, spiritual and respectful
 May we all obey all laws binding on us be they spiritual or temporal
 May we see in Christ a friend, a brother, and a saviour who’s come to stay with us
 May we remember our baptisms when we were won over and presented to the Lord hence live lives worthy of our call
Christ would want us in this age of raging poverty to:

FEED ONE and EDUCATE ONE if we are capable

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