Light Presented to Light: The Presentation of the Lord

The Presentation of the Lord is one of the most staggering feasts on the calendar.

To be sure, the Resurrection at Easter is huge, and our salvation achieved on Good Friday is fundamental, and Pentecost means we all share in God's life in the Holy Spirit, and without Christmas, the rest wouldn't really have happened.

But I still say that the Presentation of the Lord is one of the most staggering feasts on the Church calendar. Why?

Because Mary and Joseph brought God to God.

Imagine the scene, if you will. Jerusalem is a major city, especially for folk from the small towns of Nazareth or Bethlehem. People are busy everywhere, the Temple is a hive of activity, and nobody notices the two little people, two peasantfolk, really, the construction worker and his bride, walking along the road to the Temple with their newborn baby boy. Nobody notices.

Now see it from the perspective of the angels.

The Immaculate Conception, their Queen, is bearing the Almighty in her arms, safeguarded and protected by her most chaste spouse, the man chosen specifically by Almighty God to be an icon of God the Father to God the Son and accepted by the Holy Spirit as the earthly spouse of His Bride. They are walking, unnoticed and unknown by the masses of people around them, to fulfill the law of the Lord and offer sacrifice at the Temple, God's dwelling place on earth, the building which houses the Holy of Holies - only something greater than the Temple is here (see Mt 12:6). The Son of God has taken on human nature. He has been born in human flesh.

The Lord of the Temple approaches, borne on the mercy seat of the arms of Our Lady, she who is the Ark of the New Covenant (see Heb 9:1-4). She bore the Law of God within her womb (see Jn 1:1, 14; Jn 14:6), the Bread from Heaven (see Jn 6), and the rod from Jesse's stem, the new and eternal high priest in the order of Melchizedek (see Heb 7:17). He comes, the promised Messiah, He comes at last - and no one recognizes Him, save the old and holy Simeon and Anna, two who're perhaps just as thoroughly overlooked in their sanctity as the Lord whom they greet with such joy.

Simeon and Anna, the two hidden holy ones of God who prayed always at the Temple, waiting for the promised of ages, and waiting, find. They are rewarded for their devotion, and receive the Child into their arms with joy. Waiting on the Lord is one of the hardest and most humbling tasks ever set to a Christian. We are commanded sometimes, "Be still. Rest, now. Wait. Virgins, have enough oil for your lamps (see Mt 25:1-13). Stewards, be watchful of your Master's property faithfully, for you do not know when He shall return (Lk 12:35-48). Be patient, and persevere, waiting on the coming of the Lord."

As they waited for Jesus' first advent, so now let us await His new advent in patience and peaceful perseverance, ready always to greet Him when He comes.