Presentation of the Lord (C)

Author's note: The readings for the Presentation of the Lord are the same for all the liturgical years, Year A, Year B, and Year C.

(Edited) Sunday reflections (from) liturgical years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

February 2, 2013
Liturgical readings
Malachi 3:1-4
Psalm 24
Hebrews 2:14-18
Luke 2:22-40

"A revealing Light to the Gentiles, the glory of your people Israel."

The Feast of the Lord's Presentation in the Temple of Jerusalem.
It was the custom of Jewish parents to present their first-born son to Yahweh in the Temple of Jerusalem. Following this custom of the Jewish religion at that time, Joseph and Mary brought their son Jesus to the Temple - where prophet Simeon and the prophetess Anna were also present. As both Simeon and Anna saw the child Jesus presented by His parents, inspired by the Holy Spirit, both of them took turns at speaking marvelous things about the child Jesus - who according to their prophetic intuition, represents the fulfillment of Israel's redemption and salvation as promised by Yahweh.

This story described in the gospel of Luke presents not only the child Jesus to Yahweh, but in some way, can be said as presentating also God's salvific will to all humanity (and to all the faithful in the present times). Jesus our Savior was presented this way in the gospel of Luke:

• first, to His foster father Joseph and to the Blessed Virgin (Lk 2:6-7);
• second, He was made known to the shepherds (Lk 2:16);
• third, to a just and pious man named Simeon (Lk 2:27);
• fourth, to the prophetess Anna (Lk 2:38);
• and fifth, to the people of the town of Nazareth - where Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and in favor before God and man (Lk 2:51-52).

Jesus our Saviour was presented in the Temple of Jerusalem to both God and man - as represented by all present in that event. In the same manner, throughout Christian history and spirituality, each baptism is a reflection of that event, where each one to be baptized is presented also to God and man through the Church and her sacrament. Each one's baptism washes away the sin that has been inherited from the disobedience of Adam and Eve. And by the obedience of our Savior Christ Jesus, (the new Adam), we inherit the life of grace that the Lord has purchased for us on the Cross in our own baptism. Through baptism, the Lord elevates all the baptized to a life of grace and makes him share in the divine life of the Trinity. That sinless Light of the world, gives His Light to us. It is a Light that is never dimmed but eternally bright in every baptism.

Memorial of Saints (February 1)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Pionius, martyr
• Brigid or Bride of Kildare, virgin and abbess
• Sigebert III of Austrasia
• John of the Grating, bishop
• Henry Morse, priest and martyr

St. Brigid of Kildare (ca. 450-525 A.D.) was born near Kildare and was said to have been baptized by St. Patrick himself. She established a monastery at Kildare which became a double monastery (one for men and one for women) that help spread the Christian faith throughout Ireland. This monastery developed into a great centre of learning and spirituality, and around it grew the cathedral city of Kildare. However, the original monastery was destroyed in the 12th century A.D. It is uncertain whether there were efforts to rebuild it because in the 16th century A.D., all monasteries were suppressed in Ireland. But now St. Brigid’s Cathedral, rebuilt in the 19th century, stands on the original site of the nunnery or double monastery founded by St. Brigid in the 5th century. Learn more from Intokildare.ie

The Dictionary of the Saints tells us that St. Brigid was one of the most remarkable women of her times. Stories of the miracles which she performed grew in incredibility because each hagiographical account of those miracles tended towards more and more of expressions of piety.

St. Brigid of Kildare is called "Mary of the Gael". She is buried at Downpatrick with St. Columba and St. Patrick. She is honoured as well in parts of Scotland, Wales, and Australia, and made patron of scholars and dairy workers. Along with St. Patrick, she is a patron of Ireland.

St. Henry Morse (1595-1645 A.D.) was born at Suffolk, England, and was raised as a Protestant. He studied at Cambridge and in 1614 A.D. became a Catholic at Douai, northern France.

Henry returned to England to settle an inheritance, but he was arrested and imprisoned for four years in Southwark for his Catholic faith. He was released in 1618 A.D. and decided to return to Douai to study for the priesthood. It was in Rome where he continued his studies and where he was also ordained in 1623 A.D.

Henry Morse was then sent for the English mission the following year and was immediately arrested and imprisoned. While in prison, he became a Jesuit. Three years after, he was exiled to Flanders, where he served as chaplain to English soldiers in the army of King Philip of Spain. After a series of trips, to and fro, from England and back again, he was captured and brought to trial. Convicted of being a Catholic priest, St. Henry Morse was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn on February 1.

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 1]

• St. Tryphon, Martyr

St. Tryphon or Trypho (3rd century A.D.) was from Lampsakos, in Phrygia (now an area in west-central part of Anatolia, Asian Turkey, near the Sangarios River). He herded geese as a boy. This work, however, did not deprive him of his spiritual growth in the Christian faith. His spiritual knowledge of Christ increased and as a young man he was able to perform miracles, such as casting out an evil spirit that tormented the daughter of the Emperor Gordian. He suffered martyrdom during the persecution of Christians under the Emperor Decius. Known very much in the Greek Church, he is the patron saint of gardeners and farmers. Learn more from Stsophiadc.org

Memorial of Saints (January 31)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• John Bosco, priest
• Cyrus and John, martyrs
• Marcella, widow
• Aedan or Maedoc of Ferns, bishop
• Adamnan of Coldingham
• Ulphia, virgin
• Eusebius, martyr
• Nicetas of Novgorod, bishop
• Francis Xavier Bianchi

St. John Bosco (1815-1888 A.D.) was the founder of the Society of St. Francis de Sales, which is commonly known as the Salesian order. He is the patron saint of Catholic publishers, editors and young apprentices.

Born near Turin in Italy, John grew up in poverty. He entered the seminary with clothes from charity and was ordained a priest in 1841 A.D. After ordination, he began a lifelong devotion to educating boys and young men, mostly from the working class, and mainly from the newly industrialized city of Turin. He even invited his mother to join him in his apostolate to poor and homeless boys. He became a pioneer in vocational training and his work attracted other priests to help him. This nucleus of priests became the core from which a religious community emerged. With encouragement from a professor at the Turin seminary, Joseph Cafasso, St. John Bosco in 1859 A.D. organized a religious community to continue his work. The Salesians were formally approved in 1884 A.D. A community of women that paralleled the work of the priests was also formed through Mary Mazarello. They became the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, or the Salesian Sisters.

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [January 31]

• Sts. Cyrus and John, Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries

Sts. Cyrus and John are both commemorated this day, January 31, in the Roman Calendar and in the Byzantine Calendar. St. Cyrus (d. ca. 303 A.D.) was an Alexandrian doctor who used his calling to convert many of his patients to Christianity. Together with an Arabian physician named John, they encouraged Athanasia and her three daughters to remain constant in their faith under torture at Canopus, Egypt. All six were beheaded. St. Cyrus and St. John are invoked by those who have difficulty in sleeping. Learn more at Oca.org