Today is the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord – “a light for the revelation to the Gentiles.” According to Mosaic Law, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord.” Through my Baptism, I have also been consecrated to God and claimed for Christ. I participate in the mystery that is life, constantly aware of the Sacred Presence who has gifted me with my life. I may go through ordinary and even dull routines through most of my days. And yet through the grace of God, I am also being transformed, shaped and fashioned into something and someone yet more wonderful and more complete than what I am already now. Even as I near the end of this earthly life, I am being prepared for the next level of my existence.
This process of change and transformation also happens in how people have known and understood God. Today’s feast used to be about Mary’s purification. In the Mosaic tradition, childbirth defiles a woman and therefore she needs to be purified after giving birth. We know today that there is no defilement in childbirth but rather a great blessing is given to us every time a child is born. It is therefore more appropriate to celebrate and consecrate each new life to God – thus, the Feast of the Presentation. Slavery was a fact of life during the time of the Patriarchs. Now, slavery is no longer an unacceptable social practice. There is very strong gender bias during those times. Today, people recognize and work vigorously for gender equality. Thus as we learn more, we also come to a fuller understanding of God and of our relationship with Him.
But the Feast of the Purification should still make sense today. We have defiled Planet Earth and thrashed her to such a degree that life on earth is becoming truly endangered. There is global climate change where there are severe droughts in some places and massive flooding and storms in other places. Bee hives are mysteriously dying by the thousands. Colonies of seals are mysteriously thinning out. And in the middle of the Pacific Ocean there is a huge garbage patch that is bigger than any of the countries surrounding it. We need to purify our Earth. To do that, we need to purify our lives and our habits and practices.
“Lord, let your light shine on us that we may live purified lives, consecrated to you.”
Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus,
to do for him what was customary under the law,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant 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 for glory to your people Israel.’
And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.
Luke 2:27-33