Homily for February 2, 2018.
Today we
recall how Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus to the temple to do for him
what the law prescribed. Simeon received the child, blessed them and part of
what he said to Mary was that “a sword will pierce through your own soul also.”
Honestly,
if I was in the shoes of Mary at this point, that is the last thing I would
like to hear. Yet, Simon simply spoke as the Spirit directed and his words came
to pass when Mary had to undergo seven sorrows.
Simeon
could have told her what she liked to hear, she would have gone home with
excitement but in the end, events would have proved that Simeon told lies in
the name of God.
It is easy
to tell people what they want to hear. It is easy to say God told me to tell
you so and so or that this year, so and so must happen. But we should remember
that the Bible not only mentions promises, it also mentions crosses.
Even our
first reading talks about the promised messenger whose coming will be like a
refiner’s fire purifying our hearts like gold and silver which are made to pass
through fire in other to remove impurities. The sword that Simeon is talking
about is the fire we must go through in other to become presentable to God in
the end.
In our
second reading, the book of Hebrews talks about how Jesus was made like us in
every respect such that he completely understands what it means to be a human
being. Jesus suffered and experienced temptation in the flesh. His suffering
was for good – that he might be able to help us in our suffering and teach us
how to overcome temptation.
Dear
friends, no suffering is wasted. If God allows us to suffer, it is always for
good. At times, in moments of temptation, Satan makes us choose between
suffering and sin. Jesus chose to suffer – to be hungry – instead of turning
stones to bread.
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 being
presented in the temple but it was only when Jesus was presented that her mouth
opened and she spoke well of him to all.
Every hour
we spend in prayer is a presentation. We must learn to enter into prayer fully
and attentively because we do not simply talk to God, we also listen to his voice;
that same voice that made Simeon and Anna identify the child Jesus.
Let us
Pray: Lord Jesus, may your truth fill my heart. Amen.
Feast of
the Presentation of the Lord. Bible
Study: Malachi 3:1-4. Hebrews 2:14-18 and Luke 2:22-40.
*Please join me in praying for the
repose of the soul of my dearly beloved classmate, and friend, Rev. Fr. John
Ehichioya; the Former Priest-in-Charge of the Mass Centre where I am currently
a Rector. Hearing of his death yesterday after a brief illness just left me
totally devastated. A sword has pierced my soul.*
No comments:
Post a Comment