February 2: The Presentation of the Lord / La Presentación del Señor

The Gospel passage for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Luke 2, 22-40) tells of an encounter between the young couple (Joseph and Mary) and their infant Child with the wise man Simeon and the prophetess Anna, both of them well on in years. Simeon’s response when he met the infant Jesus was to pray – he blessed God. Anna’s response on meeting the child was to speak about Jesus to others, especially to those who were waiting for God to visit them in a special way. Whereas Simeon lifted up his heart in prayer, Anna bore witness to Jesus before others.

Both Simeon and Anna have something to say to us about how to “receive” the Lord. We, too, are called to receive Him in prayer and in witness. We are called to bless God, to thank God in prayer for the gift of His Son, the Light who came to enlighten all people. At the very same time, we are called to proclaim God’s gift to others, by witnessing to the Lord in our lives, by what we say and do.

The Lord, who entered the temple in Jerusalem as the Light of the world, has entered all of our lives. On this fortieth day of Christmas, we are invited to look to Simeon and Anna to show us how to respond to His gracious coming.

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En la Fiesta de la Presentación del Señor, celebramos a Cristo como luz que alumbra el corazón de todos. Hoy la Iglesia no sólo se deja iluminar por el Señor, sino que, teniéndolo a Él por la fe en el corazón, se convierte en luz que ilumina el camino de todos los pueblos.

Vemos a Jesús, indefenso y abandonado en los brazos de sus padres, que lo llevan a presentar al templo para cumplir la Ley de Moisés, siendo Luz que alumbra a las naciones y la gloria del pueblo de Israel. (Lucas 2, 22-40) La salvación que trae es universal, es para todos los tiempos y lugares.

Al igual que Cristo, nosotros, en brazos de nuestra madre la Iglesia, somos presentados ante el Señor para consagrarnos a Él y convertirnos en una oblación cada vez más pura y perfecta hasta lograr la misma madurez de Cristo, dando nuestra vida por nuestro prójimo manifestándole el mismo amor que el Señor nos ha tenido a nosotros.