The Gospel Reading for Sunday, February 2, The Presentation of our Lord.
Luke 2: 22 to 40
“When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord(as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2: 22 to 24).
From the beginning of his earthly life, Jesus was “Churched;” (although technically it was the Temple). God picked out parents that kept the Law of Moses, which by the way, could be understood as the Law of God. Giving a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons reveals the financial status of Joseph and Mary, they were poor.
And it was not really “their” purification, it was Mary’s as was required after childbirth. What is not mentioned is the circumcision of Jesus which was also contained in the Law.
We also have, with the two birds offered, are two mystics, Simeon and Anna. From Simeon we have the words we use for Evening prayer and Compline, to wit: “Lord, you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, and the glory of your people Israel. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. (BCP p. 120)
Anna is an interesting story. Like the Judge Debra in Judges of the Hebrew Testament, they both had husbands of no importance. It seems in order to be spoken well of as a woman they had to be married according to the male writers of the day. However, Anna was only married for seven years. I wonder how old Anna was when she married. She lived to reach 84!
Every person born has a purpose. God assigns each of us some prophetic responsibility for the benefit of those around us. Such assignments may cause us to undergo hardships but it is the Lord’s work. It doesn’t matter how we got where we are, or who we are, God knows what a community needs and you may just be the person chosen by God to bring them the Good News! Therefore, go and be Churched!
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: A Collect for Sundays (BCP p. 98)
O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
onewhoponders 