THE BITTER TRUTH: A SWORD WILL PIERCE YOUR SOUL ALSO. (Homily for February 2, 2016. Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.)


Bible Study:  Malachi 3, 1 to 4. Hebrews 2, 14 to 18. And Luke 2, 22 to 40.


We live in a reward-oriented world. It is almost impossible to get people today who will volunteer to work for free. The moment you ask somebody to do anything, the next thing you hear is: “How much are you going to pay me?” “What’s in it for me?” “What am I going to get at the end of the day?” And should it happen that your response is not positive, you are sure of not getting any help.

Now, let us put ourselves in the shoes of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Here comes this beautiful young lady dreaming of getting married to her betrothed and having a family of her own someday. She is already engaged to Joseph and their wedding has been fixed. One day, God comes along and tells her, “Mary, I have an assignment for you. You are to conceive and be my mother.” She accepts. Now she becomes pregnant and Joseph almost divorces her but an Angel appears to him in a dream telling him the meaning of her pregnancy and the role he is to play. Without complaining he wakes up, accepts to marry Mary and they both give up conjugal satisfaction. But for her acceptance of God’s special assignment, she wouldn’t have remained a virgin for life.

Soon Mary gives birth to Jesus. The circumstances of this delivery are quite painful to say the least. She travels all the way for a census and upon arriving at their destination, she is being turned away from one inn after another. She gives birth eventually, not a five star hospital, not surrounded by the best doctors in the world, but in stable where animals are kept. All the while, she is silent. God says nothing to her.

Now, so many days have passed since the child was born, and still it doesn’t seem like there is any reward in store for her. Instead, what do we see, she and Joseph present the child in the temple in obedience to the law and according to their meagre financial state and behold a Prophet tells her to her face: “a sword will pierce through your own soul also.” Simeon does not announce an abundance of wealth in gold and silver coming as her reward, he does not announce pleasure or happiness, but the fact that a sword shall pierce her soul. That is the reward she gets for accepting to be God’s mother.

Do you sometimes get disappointed at God for not granting you the best of enjoyment? Have you ever caught yourself asking, what exactly is your reward for being a Christian? Consider the fact that the book of Hebrews says to us in our second reading this morning; Jesus himself was born not to enjoy but to die and become an expiation for the sins of the people. Consider the fact that the prophet Malachi instructs us in the first reading; God carries out a process of purification on us similar to that of the refiner who purifies silver with fire. This purification of fire is nothing short of the suffering that becomes our reward for accepting to do God’s will.

The presentation of Jesus in the temple is a moment of revelation, a moment of truth, a moment of prophecy. Simeon was told he would not see death until he sets his eyes on the Messiah. At that very moment, the Holy Spirit enabled him to identify the child. Also there was Anna, she had virtually spent all her life in the temple seeing babies every now and then as their parents presented them to the temple but it was only when Jesus was presented her mouth opened and she spoke well of him to all.

We would never really know who we are or what we should be until we present ourselves to God. Every hour we spend in prayer is a presentation. We must learn to enter into prayer fully and attentive because we do not simply talk to God, we also listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. That same Holy Spirit that opened the eyes of Simeon and Anna will open your eyes to see beyond the ordinary and enable you understand certain deep truths. One of which is the bitter truth that the reward of being a Christian is not to enjoy the good things of this life but to carry a cross that pierces your heart like a sword.

Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, I present myself to you today, accept the gift of my life and cleanse me from the tendency of seeking earthly rewards for my faithfulness to you. Amen.

God bless you. Good morning. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you.


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