Living only for God

February 02, 2014
Presentation of the Lord
1st Reading: Mal 3:1-4
2nd Reading: Heb 2:14-18
Gospel: Lk 2:22-32 (or Lk 2:22-40)

When the day came for the purification according to the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought the baby up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice as ordered in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law.

Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God, saying, “Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation, which you display for all the people to see.

Here is the light you will reveal to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

Simeon was so blessed not just to see the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel but to embrace Mary’s child — the fulfillment of that promise. Overwhelmed Simeon exclaimed: “Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation…”

Simeon’s fundamental option in life was to wait for the fulfillment of God’s promise. Everything he did revolved around this fundamental option. That’s why when he finally saw the promised fulfilled he was ready to die. If, like Simeon, we live to see God’s plan fulfilled everything we do will also revolve around God’s Will.

Discerning God’s Will was harder before Christ came. But then he came as “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths”. He came to show us the way to the Father. Perfectly did Simeon describe him as “a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel” (Luke 2:32).

Today we revisit Simeon’s experience as we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of the Lord by lighting candles during our Eucharistic celebrations. The candles we light shouldn’t just be mere reminders of Jesus who came as light. They should challenge us to use only the light of Christ as guide as we work towards the fulfillment of God’s plan in our lives. — Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.

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