SERMON/HOMILY ON THE FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD 2 FEBRUARY 2024

SERMON/HOMILY ON THE FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD 2 FEBRUARY 2024

Malachi 3:1-4; Ps.24; Luke 2:22-40

*Bring the little ones to the Lord*

Today we celebrate the presentation of Jesus in the temple by Mary and Joseph in obedience to the Mosaic Law. Like the baptism, Jesus by his very nature and mission, had no need to be presented in the temple. To present the first-born male child to the temple means to consecrate the child to God. Critically speaking, Jesus did not need to be consecrated to God since he was God himself. However, from the point of view of salvation, the presentation of Christ in the temple bears some essential relevance. In Jesus, God was presented to God. This was a prefiguration of what happens at the Eucharistic banquet. Christ is the victim that is offered, Christ is the priest offering the gift, and Christ is the Father to whom the gift is offered.

The presentation of Christ in the temple, speaks of the law abiding nature of Mary and Joseph. They did not excuse themselves from this Mosaic Law on account of who Jesus is. They presented Jesus not because they were not sure if he was the Christ but because they were truly humble. Often times, people glory in their ability to disregard laws on account of their statues in the society. It is as though their ability to disobey is what makes them special. Just recently, someone was asked to put on the face mask before entering the Church, and he scolded the usher saying: “How dare you tell me what to do? Do you know who I am?” Beloved, to be law abiding, also defines holiness.

The act of presenting the first-born child to the Lord was in gratitude to God for delivering the Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians. This deliverance took place only after the tenth plague which was the death of every first born both of humans and animals of the Egyptians. But why was the presentation done at infancy? It was because the presentation also meant consecration. When it is done at infancy, the child grows up with the consciousness that he specially belongs to the Lord.

Today, the paschal mystery of Christ has granted us unlimited access to the grace of God. So, the act of presentation hitherto reserved for first-born sons, is now open to every child. This consecration is done at infant baptism so that the child grows up with the consciousness that he or she is a Christian, a child of God and a member of the Church. Meanwhile, everything about this feast of Christ’s presentation out rightly condemns the practice of abortion.

The prophecies of Simeon and Anna are clear testimonies to the fact that God creates purposefully. Every child has a destiny to fulfill. When a child is brought up in the way of the Lord, he/she is more enabled to fulfill the God-given destiny. Like Mary and Joseph, all of us have the responsibility of bringing the young ones close to God in any way we can. That would invariably mean that we should never be cause of the downfall or dehumanization of any child.