The Presentation of Jesus (C); February 2, 2025

Mal 3:1-4.  Ps 24.  Heb 2:14-18.  Lk 2:22-40

Deacon Jim McFadden

       The Presentation of Jesus is a richly textured account in which Luke’s story-telling genius is on full display.  His overall intent was to underscore that Law would be observed.  His statement that Jesus was born of a woman under the Law means that he was human and that he was born a Jew.  When Jesus was circumcised, he was brought within the Jewish community.  And, Luke will present Jesus as growing up within the Jewish framework.  In terms of evangelization of the Good News, we need to remind ourselves that we do have Jewish roots and that we cannot reject Jews without turning against our own Tradition.

         Towards the end of this story, Luke is going to remind us that the birth of this Child, which is incredibly Good News as a Savior is born to us, does have a negative side.  How so?  From the mouth of Simeon, a righteous and good man who reveals that Jesus is the fulfilment of the Messianic promise, he says to Mary that “a sword will cut through your own soul” (Lk 2:34b).  This is such a mysterious statement: why did he make it in this happy of occasions?  Some have  immediately associated Mary at the foot of the Cross; hence, Simeon’s warning has a predictive overtone.  But, in Luke’s Passion narrative, he does not place Mary at the Crucifixion.  So, if the statement is not predicting the future, what does he mean?

         On two occasions Luke says that Mary will take in these things regarding her Son and take them into her heart.  What does a sword do?  It cuts deeply; it creates a cleavage, separating one side from the other.  Fr. Raymond E. Brown, one of our great Scripture scholars of the 20^th century, postulated that the sword reference means that each one of us has to make a choice on which side we’re going to be on.  Are we going to accept that Jesus—Yeshua, whose name means ‘God saves’—is both divine and human who came to us for our salvation.  Do we accept that truth or not?  No one is spared this choice, including Mary, about deciding being for or against Jesus.  That is a fundamental ‘either-or’ choice we all have to make: as Jesus says, “You are either for me or against me” (cf. Mt 12:30).  So, even the family of Jesus cannot be spared this sword: they too must make up their minds just as we are compelled to do.  News of the Annunciation did not spare Mary from making up her mind in which she will ultimately make up her mind to follow Jesus becoming his first disciple. 

         The same choice applies to Jesus’ extended family: are they going to be followers of Jesus?  Are they going to hear the Word of God and do it?  It seems like an obvious choice but in Mark’s Gospel we hear that many of his relatives thought  that he was out crazy.  We hear, “When his relatives heard and they went out to take hold of him, they were saying, “He  has gone out of his mind” (Mk 3:21).

         So, “piercing her heart” may not mean pain, but a decision being forced to make.  What would that choice look like?  It would mean that we make Jesus the center of our lives. That’s not so easy because our heart is filled with all sorts of things that  are not the divine power.  Money, world success, the esteem of others, dominative power, sex—whatever it is, it has taken the place that rightfully belongs to God.  Therefore, “piercing our heart” means that when Christ comes into our life, he will always have a cleansing role to play and that separation will hurt. 

         Fulton J. Sheen once talked about the “expulsive power” of Christ.  When we place Jesus in the center of our soul, he will expel all those things that don’t belong in that center and make them find their secondary proper place.

            So, let us look to Mary who has made her commitment to her Son who will be the cause of the “fall and rise of many of Israel.”  As we look at this largely joyful proclamation of the Presentation in the Temple, let us be cognizant that  Luke  had to includes this sobering prophesy which is harsh and severe.  We cannot avoid this choice because it is embedded in the Gospel. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1.  Do you appreciate that as a Christian, you have Jewish roots?  How does that influence your understanding of Scripture?
2. We have a basic choice of making Jesus the center of our lives or not.  How has that choice played out in your life?
3. Bishop Sheen talked of the “expulsive power” of Christ.  What has he expelled from your life?