The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple: Humility, Obedience, Prophesy

Today's Scripture Readings

Malachi 3:1-4 (NRSV)

Thus says the Lord, See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight-- indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

Psalm 84 (BCP., p.707)


Hebrews 2:14-18 (NRSV)

Since God's children share flesh and blood, Jesus himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Luke 2:22-40 (NRSV)

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,

according to your word;

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel."

And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-- and a sword will pierce your own soul too."

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had finished everything required by 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.

Blog Reflection

I could not rejoice more that this feast of the Presentation is on a Sunday this year.   This Holy Day on our Church calendar has many significances that are worth reminding ourselves of.  Their significance to our faith and our spiritual lives are so crucial.   It is so wonderful that we get to observe them as part of our Sunday Eucharist.

One of the meanings of the Presentation is to recognize that we are now between the Nativity at Christmas, and Ash Wednesday the beginning of Lent.   Here the two meanings of the coming of Christ as the Word made flesh, from the cradle to the cross find their crossover point.  

In the history of the Church, this Feast is also referred to as Candlemass.  It was on this date that all the candles used over the previous year were melted down, as the early Christians prepared the wax for the Easter Candle for the Great Vigil of Easter.   The light that came into the world, brings with Him a new era.  The darkness of sin is extinguished by the Light that is Christ by His death and resurrection.   We celebrate the Light of Christ's Redemption in the Paschal Mystery, and participate in it, through the waters of Baptism.   Hence the commitment of Christians to live in that Light of the Easter event, because of God's grace through Christ.

There are three main points about the Presentation of Christ in the temple that have meaning for our spiritual lives.  They are humility, obedience and prophesy.   Mary, Joseph and Jesus fulfill these by their humble submission to the law of Moses, and is confirmed through the Prophets Simeon and Anna.

In this 21st Century, the very idea of humility and obedience seem archaic, useless and things of the past.  However, the necessity of them could not be more real.  

In humility, we acknowledge that we are not an entity unto ourselves.  Nor can we save ourselves without God's help.  Mary, Joseph and Jesus come to the Temple in humility, recognizing their humanity, and need for the God of their salvation.  We too, must return again and again to the God who has redeemed us in Christ, confess our sins, and accept God's mercy.   We cannot do this if we cling to a false sense of self.   Humility means we accept that God is God, and we are not.  Our true selves are found in Christ, who humbled Himself to the point of death on the Cross. (See Philippians 2:1-11).

Obedience says that we respond to God's mercy, by placing ourselves in God's hands, and serve others in the Name of Christ.  The humility of Jesus was such that the God who created us, became one like us in all things, yet did not sin, became a servant of all of us.  Even those of us who will  not get up and wash our neighbors feet, or accept others who are different from ourselves.  The humility and obedience of Jesus, is our example of how to love one another, and be reminded that none of us are really above anyone else in any way.  We are all sinners, saved by God's grace.  In faith, our response needs to be one of obedience.

Lastly, is prophesy.  The Prophets Simeon and Anna greet Christ, recognizing that He is the hope that they have been awaiting.   As they both declare to have received the answer to their prayers, they also prepare Christ for the fulfillment of His life.   He has come to be the rise and fall of many.  He is the Light revealed to the nations, as God's perfect revelation of Self.   He has come to set free the marginalized, the oppressed and to give a sense of purpose to those who are left on the sidelines to fend for themselves.  Jesus has come as God's love embodied in the human person; living, serving and dying.   In God's revelation that there is no such thing as one so lost, that God is not concerned or reaching out for us.

These past couple weeks we have become aware of the increased violence towards LGBT people in Uganda, Nigeria and of course, Russia.   Thanks be to God that there have been responses by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.   Yet, we cannot over look the unfortunate reality that there are Christians within the Anglican Communion and beyond who support the criminalization of homosexuality based on erroneous interpretations of the Bible.  A difference of opinions by which we dialogue and debate with mutual respect and charity, is a response worthy of Christ.   A response through the violence of putting people in jail or threatening them with death because of who we are, getting people into the government to pass and administer such laws cannot be a greater contradiction to the mind and heart of Jesus Christ.  

Humility, obedience and prophesy on this Presentation of Christ in the Temple, calls on us to see the Light of Christ in others around us.   To honor Christ's presence and to serve others in His Holy Name.  Without distinction, exception or excuse.   After all, which one of us is truly worthy of God's love in Christ?   Which one of us is so humble and obedient to not need God's grace to save us, so that we have the hope of everlasting life?    Therefore, who are we to withhold it from others?

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your
only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so
we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by
Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (The Book of Common Prayer, p.239).

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully
restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may
share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our
humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (The Book of Common Prayer, p.252).

Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us
grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace
with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom,
help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our
communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy
Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (The Book of Common Prayer, p.260).

The Annunciation of our Lord Jesus Christ: The First Female Priest Says YES!

Today's Scripture Readings

Isaiah 7:10-14 (NRSV)

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

Hebrews 10:4-10 (NRSV)

It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

"Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

but a body you have prepared for me;

in burnt offerings and sin offerings

you have taken no pleasure.

Then I said, 'See, God, I have come to do your will, O God'

(in the scroll of the book it is written of me)."

When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "See, I have come to do your will." He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Luke 1:26-38  (NRSV)

 

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

Blog Reflection

Who was the first Christian disciple to exercise the roll of a Priest?  It was Mary.

Mary was chosen by a random act of God's grace to be the mother of the Incarnate Word.  She was a simple woman, probably 16 years old. Yet, Mary experienced the fullness of God's favor, for this once in a life time opportunity that would change not only her life, but the history of the entire world.  By her surrendering herself to God's will, offering herself completely to God's purpose, she became the bearer of God, through whom God gained a human form.

Among the many duties of a Priest, is to give oneself up to the will of God.  Also, a Priest serves the common good of others, and gives birth to Faith through not only their duties, but by their life example.  Even when faced with the greatest of personal suffering, a Priest still surrenders her/himself to what is best in God's eyes, totally trusting that all will be well.   Mary did all of this, in her acceptance of God's call on her life.

Mary sang her Magnificat in Luke 1: 46-55 of how God changed the dynamics of those who were thought to be powerful, now giving way to the lowly, the servant and the hungry.   Through Mary's acceptance of God's plan for her life, God came to us as one like us, to show us that God relates to us where we are.  As we face our Lenten practices of self-denial, fasting and prayer, God comes to us through the yes of Mary, to identify with our human experience.  "The Lord is with you" is said by Gabriel to Mary, but is said to all of us too.  God does not abandon us, but is in the midst of our sufferings and tribulations.

Mary doesn't wait around for some Church council to decide the doctrine of the Incarnation. She accepts God's will, even though she has her own fears and uncertainty about what all of this might mean.  Through the humility of Mary, God shows humility as Jesus becomes the greatest example of what it means to be earthed, by serving the marginalized and releasing those oppressed by social, religious and political suppression.  

As we see the injustices of racism, sexism, heterosexism, class discrimination and a total disregard for the dignity of every human being in our politics and even in our churches, we are reminded that our God has been there in the Person of God's Son.   Just because Jesus was different in so many ways, he was "despised and rejected, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." (Isaiah 53: 3).  Jesus shows us how to trust in God in the midst of the most horrific of circumstances and still comes out the victor of life over the imminent powers of death.  

All of this happened, because the first female Priest, said "Yes."

In what ways are we being called to say our yes to God's will?

How might we answer God's call in our lives?

What are some places where we are clinging to our own will, because of fear and uncertainty?

Each one of us, must answer these questions between ourselves and God, as we discern where and how God might be calling us.  Among the things we can be very sure about, is that if God is calling us, it is because God loves us, and sees in us something wonderful that God wants to use.  God wants to use us to make a positive impact in our world where as long as you have all the money, you can get by.  In a time when as long as you are well known and prestigious you can do anything you want, God calls those of us who remain hidden in prayer and solitude, to be a positive influence on changing the world for all of God's people.


Prayers

Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have
known the incarnation of your Son Jesus Christ, announced
by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion
be brought to the glory of his resurrection; who lives and
reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and for ever. Amen.  (Collect for the Annunciation, Book of Common Prayer, p. 240).

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.  (Collect for Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p. 217).

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn
but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the
strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that
all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of
Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and
glory, now and for ever. Amen.  (Collect for Peace, Book of Common Prayer, p. 815).