"...there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek...

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Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Lectionary: 524

Solennità tal-Preżentazzjoni tal-Mulej

Reading 1     MALACHI 3:1-4

Thus says the Lord GOD: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek, And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD,as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

Qari I     mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Malakija 3,1-4

Dan jgħid il-Mulej : “Araw, jiena se nibgħat il-messaġġier tiegħi biex iħejji t-triq quddiemi, u minnufih jidħol fit-tempju tiegħu s-Sid li intom qegħdin tfittxu; u l-anġlu tal-patt, li intom tixtiequ, arawh, ġej!”. jgħid il-Mulej tal-eżerċti. Imma min se jissaporti l-Jum tal-miġja tiegħu? U min hu li se jieqaf meta jidher? Għax hu bħan-nar ta’ wieħed li jsaffi u bħas-sapun tal-ħassiela. U joqgħod isaffi u jnaddaf il-fidda, jnaddaf ’l ulied Levi, u jsaffihom bħad-deheb u l-fidda, u huma jsiru għall-Mulej nies li jagħmlu l-offerta bis-sewwa. U tibda togħġbu lill-Mulej l-offerta ta’ Ġuda u ta’ Ġerusalemm bħal dari, bħal fis-snin l-imgħoddija. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej. 

Responsorial Psalm    PSALM 24:7, 8, 9, 10

Lift up, O gates, your lintels;

reach up, you ancient portals,

that the king of glory may come in!

R.    Who is this king of glory?  It is the Lord!

Who is this king of glory?

The LORD, strong and mighty,

the LORD, mighty in battle.

R.    Who is this king of glory?  It is the Lord!

Lift up, O gates, your lintels;

reach up, you ancient portals,

that the king of glory may come in!

R.    Who is this king of glory?  It is the Lord!

Who is this king of glory?

The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory.

R.    Who is this king of glory?  It is the Lord!

Salm Responsorjali    Salm 23, 7-10

R/. Il-Mulej hu s-Sultan tal-Glorja.

Intrefgħu, bibien, infetħu,

intom bibien ta’  dejjem,

ħalli jidħol is-Sultan tal-glorja! R/.

Min hu dan is-Sultan tal-glorja?

Hu l-Mulej tal-eżerċti:

dan hu s-Sultan tal-glorja! R/.

Reading 2     HEBREWS 2:14-18

Since the children share in blood and flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Qari II     mill-Ittra lil-Lhud. Lhud 2, 14-18

Ħuti, l-ulied għandhom l-istess demm u ġisem, Ġesù wkoll bl-istess mod sar bħalhom, biex b’mewtu jeqred is-setgħa ta’ dak li kellu l-mewt f'idejh, jiġifieri x-Xitan, u jeħles ’il dawk kollha li, minħabba fil-biża’ tal-mewt, kienu mjassrin għal għomorhom kollu. Għax tabilħaqq, mhux lill-anġli jrid jgħin, imma lil ulied Abraham. Għalhekk kellu jkun jixbah lil ħutu f'kollox, biex ikun il-qassis il-kbir, ħanin u fidil f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam ma’ Alla, u biex ipatti għal dnubiet il-poplu. Għax, billi hu stess bata u kien imġarrab, jaf jgħin lil dawk li huma fit-tiġrib. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.  

Gospel   LUKE 2:22-40

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.

This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he 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 the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted --and you yourself a sword will pierce-- so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. 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. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Evanġelju     Qari skont San Luqa 2, 22-40

Wara li għalqilhom iż-żmien għall-purifikazzjoni tagħhom skont il-Liġi ta’ Mosè, Marija u Ġużeppi ħadu lil Ġesù Ġerusalemm biex jippreżentawh lill-Mulej, kif hemm miktub fil-Liġi tal-Mulej, li ‘kull tifel li jitwieled l-ewwel, jiġi kkonsagrat lill-Mulej,’ u biex joffru b’sagrifiċċju ‘par

gamiem jew żewġ bċieċen,’ kif jingħad ukoll fil-Liġi tal-Mulej. F’Ġerusalemm kien hemm wieħed, jismu Xmun, raġel ġust u tajjeb, li kien jistenna l-faraġ ta’ Iżrael u li kellu l-Ispirtu s-Santu fuqu. L-Ispirtu s-Santu kien nebbħu li ma kienx se jara l-mewt qabel ma jara l-Messija tal-Mulej. Mar mela fit-tempju, imqanqal mill-Ispirtu, u xħin il-ġenituri daħlu bit-tarbija Ġesù biex jagħmlulu dak li kienet trid il-Liġi, huwa laqgħu fuq dirgħajh, bierek lil Alla u qal: “Issa, o Sid, tista’ tħalli l-qaddej tiegħek imur fis-sliem, skond kelmtek, għaliex għajnejja raw is-salvazzjoni tiegħek li int ħejjejt għall-popli kollha, dawl biex idawwal il-ġnus, u glorja tal-poplu tiegħek Iżrael”. Missieru u ommu baqgħu mistagħġba b’dak li kien qiegħed jingħad fuqu. Xmun berikhom, u qal lil ommu Marija: “Ara, dan se jġib il-waqgħa u l-qawmien ta’ ħafna f’Iżrael; se jkun sinjal li jmeruh, – u inti wkoll, sejf jinfidlek ruħek! – biex jinkixfu l-ħsibijiet moħbija fil-qlub ta’ ħafna”. Kien hemm ukoll waħda profetissa, Anna, bint Fanwel, mit-tribù ta’ Aser. Kienet imdaħħla ħafna fiż-żmien; wara xbubitha kienet għamlet seba’ snin miżżewwġa, u mbagħad romlot.Sa ma kellha erbgħa u tmenin sena ma kienet titwarrab qatt mit-tempju, lejl u nhar taqdi lil Alla fis-sawm u t-talb. Dak il-ħin stess waslet, u bdiet trodd ħajr lil Alla u titkellem fuq it-tarbija ma’ dawk kollha li kienu jistennew il-fidwa ta’ Ġerusalemm. Meta temmew kull ma kellhom jagħmlu skont il-Liġi tal-Mulej reġgħu lura lejn il-Galilija fil-belt tagħhom ta’ Nazaret. U t-tifel baqa’ jikber u jissaħħaħ, mimli  bl-għerf. U l-grazzja ta’ Alla kienet fuqu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej    

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The holy mystery of our Encounters

Homily of Pope Francis given on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord - Vatican Basilica, Sunday, 2 February 2014.

The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple is also known as the Feast of the Encounter: the Liturgy says at the beginning that Jesus goes to meet his people. Thus, this is the encounter between Jesus and his people, when Mary and Joseph brought their child to the Temple in Jerusalem; the first encounter between Jesus and his people, represented by Simeon and Anna, took place.

It was also the first encounter within the history of the people, a meeting between the young and the old: the young were Mary and Joseph with their infant son and the old were Simeon and Anna, two people who often went to the Temple.

Let’s observe what the evangelist Luke tells us of them, as he describes them. He says four times that Our Lady and St Joseph wanted to do what was required by the Law of the Lord (cf. Lk 2:22, 23, 24, 27). One almost feels and perceives that Jesus’ parents have the joy of observing the precepts of God, yes, the joy of walking according to the Law of the Lord! They are two newlyweds, they have just had their baby, and they are motivated by the desire to do what is prescribed. This is not an external fact; it is not just to feel right, no! It’s a strong desire, a deep desire, full of joy. That’s what the Psalm says: “In the way of thy testimonies I delight…. For thy law is my delight” (119 [118]:14, 77).

And what does St Luke say of the elderly? He underlines, more than once, that they were guided by the Holy Spirit. He says Simeon was a righteous and devout man, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and that “the Holy Spirit was upon him” (2:25). He says that “it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit” that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (v. 26); and finally, that he went to the Temple “inspired by the Spirit “(v. 27). He says Anna was a “prophetess” (v. 36); that is she was inspired by God and that she was always “worshipping with fasting and prayer” in the Temple (v. 37). In short, these two elders are full of life! They are full of life because they are enlivened by the Holy Spirit, obedient to his action, sensitive to his calls....

And now there is the encounter between the Holy Family and the two representatives of the holy people of God. Jesus is at the centre. It is he who moves everything, who draws all of them to the Temple, the house of his Father.

It is a meeting between the young, who are full of joy in observing the Law of the Lord, and the elderly who are full of joy in the action of the Holy Spirit. It is a unique encounter between observance and prophecy, where young people are the observers and the elderly are prophets! In fact, if we think carefully, observance of the Law is animated by the Spirit and the prophecy moves forward along the path traced by the Law. Who, more than Mary, is full of the Holy Spirit? Who more than she is docile to its action?

In the light of this Gospel scene, let us look at consecrated life as an encounter with Christ: it is he who comes to us, led by Mary and Joseph, and we go towards him guided by the Holy Spirit. He is at the centre. He moves everything, he draws us to the Temple, to the Church, where we can meet him, recognize him, welcome him, embrace him.

Jesus comes to us in the Church through the foundational charism of an Institute: it is nice to think of our vocation in this way! Our encounter with Christ took shape in the Church through the charism of one of her witnesses. This always amazes us and makes us give thanks.

And in the consecrated life we live the encounter between the young and the old, between observation and prophecy. Let’s not see these as two opposing realities! Let us rather allow the Holy Spirit to animate both of them, and a sign of this is joy: the joy of observing, of walking within a rule of life; the joy of being led by the Spirit, never unyielding, never closed, always open to the voice of God that speaks, that opens, that leads us and invites us to go towards the horizon.

It’s good for the elderly to communicate their wisdom to the young; and it’s good for the young people to gather this wealth of experience and wisdom, and to carry it forward, not so as to safeguard it in a museum, but to carry it forward addressing the challenges that life brings, to carry it forward for the sake of the respective religious orders and of the whole Church.

May the grace of this mystery, the mystery of the Encounter, enlighten us and comfort us on our journey. Amen.

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