Monday – Commission of the Lord (Candlemas)

 

After the birth of every Jewish child, the mother goes to the temple
to purify herself and dedicate the child to the Lord.

Invitation

May I draw your attention to the daily reading of the Gospel?

This invitation is intended to share with you the joy
of the Gospel. Everyone, without exception,
can experience that joy by opening their heart
to the healing power of God’s word.

Available every day

Consideration

Two people stand in the temple, ready to deliver the words of welcome. The first is Simeon, who says that he has now seen the light and may die. The second is Hannah, an old woman. She addresses the child and recognises liberation in Him. Then her life may also come to an end. The Lord had appeared. These two people could now disappear. But what happens next? We have heard it in the Scripture readings over the past few weeks. Both on the street and in the temple, He will be contradicted. He is not really welcome: He is too bright, too honest, too open, too radical. This human child is not welcome in the shelter of our often small, sometimes fanatical own truth. Because He turns things upside down. Because He exposes our twists and turns. However, to all who do accept Him, He gives the ability to be a child of God. If we may be among these chosen ones, the encounter with Christ will be festive. Then we may call Candlemas a children’s festival, even for grown-ups! (Frans De Maeseneer)

FIRST READING                 Mal. 3, 1-4
The Lord whom you expect is entering his sanctuary.

From the Prophet Malachi

This is what the Lord God says:
I am sending my messenger before me
to prepare the way for me.
And then the Lord will enter his sanctuary,
the Lord whom you seek, the angel of the covenant,
whom you long to see.
Behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
But who can endure the day of his coming?
Who will remain standing when he appears?
For He is like the fire of the smelter, like the lye of the bleachers.
He sits down to melt and purify the silver,
to purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver,
so that they may once again offer sacrifices to the Lord in the proper manner.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord,
Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will again please the Lord,
as in the past, in years gone by.

INTERLUDIUM                Ps. 24(23), 7, 8, 9, 10

The Lord of the heavenly hosts,
He is the King of glory!
Gates, lift up your lintels,
open, ancient doors:
The King of glory must enter.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, the strong, the mighty,
the Lord, the hero in battle.
Gates, lift up your lintels,
open wide, ancient doors:
The King of glory must enter.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of heavenly forces,
He is the King of glory.

SECOND READING                   Hebrews 2, 14-18
He had to become like his brothers in every way.

From the Letter to the Hebrews

Brothers and sisters,
The children of one family
share the same flesh and blood;
that is why Jesus wanted to share our existence,
so that by his death he might dethrone the prince of death, the devil,
and free those who, through fear of death,
were subject to slavery all their lives.
For it is not angels that he cares for,
but the descendants of Abraham.
That is why He had to become like His brothers in every way,
so that as a compassionate and faithful high priest
He could represent their interests before God
and atone for the sins of the people.
Because He Himself has endured the test of suffering,
He can help all who are being tested.

ALLELUIA               Lk. 2, 32

Alleluia.
A light that shines for the Gentiles,
a glory for your people Israel.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL                Lk. 2, 22-40 

My eyes have seen your salvation.

From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

When the time came
for Mary and the child to be purified according to the Law of Moses,
his parents brought Jesus to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
according to the precept of the Law of the Lord:
Every firstborn male child
must be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer a sacrifice according to the provisions of the Law of the Lord,
namely a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
Now there was a certain Simeon living in Jerusalem,
a righteous and devout man,
who was waiting for the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
He had received a divine revelation from the Holy Spirit
that he would not die
before he had seen the Lord’s anointed.
Moved by the Spirit, he had come to the temple.
When the parents brought the child Jesus there
to fulfil the requirements of the Law,
Simeon took the child in his arms
and proclaimed God’s praise with the words:
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
His father and mother were amazed
at what was said about him.
Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother:
“Behold, this child is destined for the fall or rise of many in Israel,
a sign that will be contradicted,
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed;
and a sword will pierce your own soul.”
There was also a prophetess, Hannah,
a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was very old,
and after her youth she had lived with her husband for seven years.
Now she was a widow of eighty-four years.
She remained constantly in the temple
and served God day and night with fasting and prayer.
At that moment she came forward,
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 town of Nazareth.
The child grew and increased in strength;
he was filled with wisdom,
and the grace of God rested upon him.

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Laudato Si

Encyclical of

POPE FRANCIS

On Care for Our Common Home

16. Although each chapter has its own theme and specific methodology, it in turn revisits important issues addressed in the previous chapters from a new perspective.
This concerns in particular some important aspects that run throughout the encyclical. For example: the close relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet; the conviction that everything in the world is interconnected; the need to recognise the value of nature and the environment; the importance of the common good; the need to promote sustainable development; the need to recognise the importance of the environment in the context of human rights; the need to recognise the importance of the environment in the context of human rights.
This concerns in particular some important aspects
that run throughout the encyclical.
For example: the close relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet; the conviction that everything in the world is closely connected; criticism of the new paradigm and the forms of power that arise from technology; the invitation to seek other ways of understanding the economy and progress; the call to the intrinsic value of every creature; the human meaning of ecology; the need for sincere and honest debate; the heavy responsibility of international and local politics; the throwaway culture and the proposal for a new lifestyle. These themes are never concluded or dealt with further, but on the contrary are constantly revisited and enriched.

To be continued.
Every day at 1 am.