He took him into his arms and blessed God

29 DECEMBER (Lk 2,22-35)

The children of Israel live forever in the light of Easter and in remembrance of those events that were the origin of their liberation. The transition from slavery to freedom was also mentioned in the ritual offering of all the firstborn to the Lord.

Moses then said, “Thus says the Lord: At midnight I will go forth through Egypt. Every first-born in this land shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh on the throne to the first-born of the slave-girl at the handmill, as well as all the first-born of the animals. Then there shall be loud wailing throughout the land of Egypt, such as has never been, nor will ever be again. But among the Israelites and their animals not even a dog shall growl, so that you may know how the Lord distinguishes between the Egyptians and the Israelites. All these servants of yours shall then come down to me, and prostrate before me, they shall beg me, ‘Leave us, you and all your followers!’ Only then will I depart.” With that he left Pharaoh’s presence in hot anger. (Ex 11,4-8).

At midnight the Lord slew every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh on the throne to the first-born of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the first-born of the animals. Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians; and there was loud wailing throughout Egypt, for there was not a house without its dead. (Ex 12,29-30).

“When the Lord, your God, has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, which he swore to you and your fathers he would give you, you shall dedicate to the Lord every son that opens the womb; and all the male firstlings of your animals shall belong to the Lord. Every first-born of an ass you shall redeem with a sheep. If you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck. Every first-born son you must redeem. If your son should ask you later on, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall tell him, ‘With a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, that place of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed every first-born in the land of Egypt, every first-born of man and of beast. That is why I sacrifice to the Lord everything of the male sex that opens the womb, and why I redeem every first-born of my sons.’ Let this, then, be as a sign on your hand and as a pendant on your forehead: with a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.” (Ex 13,11-16).

Today, Jesus is offered to the Lord and redeemed. If he had been sacrificed today, no salvation would have been produced. It is not the father and not the mother who must offer Jesus. He is the one who has to offer, consecrate, vote himself to the Lord with full science, consciousness, will and knowledge in the Holy Spirit.

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

The offer that produces salvation must be a true human act; that is, an offer that is made to the Lord in the fullness of possession of our hearts and our minds, rationality and intelligence, wisdom and knowledge, will and decision. This is why Christ Jesus on the Cross refused to let himself be quenched with the drugged wine, because his sacrifice to be perfect and pleasing to the Lord needed his full awareness and deliberate consent up to the handing out of his spirit to the Father. The offering of one’s life to the Heavenly Father is the true sacrifice that saves and redeems the world in Christ.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints, make our offer pure.