Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel

2 FEBRUARY (Lk 2,22-40)

Every event in the life of Jesus is a light that is turned on his mystery to illuminate it in all the grandeur of its truth. A gesture, a word, a sign, sometimes even minimal, almost insignificant, immerse us in his supernatural divine and in his mission which is unique, universal, cosmic and eternal.

Jesus is a true man. As such he submits to all obedience to the Law of his Father. What the law requires, he observes. He lends a devotion and a full fidelity to the Law. He avoids nothing. His exemplarity is perfect since his early age, because of his parents who are also faithful to any provision prescribed by the Law of the Lord. Man is obedience to God. Who is without obedience is with no true humanity. He possesses a false and a lying humanity who does not obey the true God.

Jesus now comes to the temple to be offered to the Lord and redeemed. He is the firstborn of Mary and every firstborn is of the Lord. This is so due to the Law of the Passover. God had spared the firstborn of the Jews. Every firstborn present and future, of people and animals belonged to the Lord; it was his property. Today, Jesus recognizes the property of the Lord on his life.

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.”

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Today, the human tragedy is right this. No one recognizes himself the exclusive property of the Lord any more. Modern anthropology is no longer with the great vision of faith. It is instead with idolatry, blasphemy, atheism and release from any relationship with the supernatural. This view of man, which is not just modern, because it has already started in the Garden of Eden; is the cause of all social, political, religious, economic, financial, legislative and relational ills. Today, man thinks to be like God: the absolute master of his life. He wants to live as he likes, subject only to the discretion of the moment. There objective good and bad no longer exist. There is only desire, will, feeling, lust and attraction. The real moral issue does not exists any more.

In this, a great responsibility is also of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Many of her children are not like Mary and Joseph. They do not teach with life the truth of their exclusive belonging to the Lord and to his divine will. They are not exemplary in the profession of their faith in the Word of their God. They are themselves bereft of the truth of God What teaching might they ever give? A people without a true teaching perishes, is lost, it becomes unmanageable, because it lacks the truth.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints, teach us our truth.