Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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The temple of Jerusalem was built to be the house of the Lord God. God’s glory had filled the great building, whose purpose was the right worship of God through the offering of sacrifices.
First built by King Solomon around the 10th century before Jesus and later rebuilt in the 6th century before Jesus, the history of the temple included the tragedy of God’s glory departing from the structure as a result of Israel’s idolatry and hypocrisy. But it was predicted that God’s glory would one day return to the temple.
Now turn to today’s Gospel reading where Jesus is brought into the temple as required by Jewish law. Most persons would have seen another couple bringing their first born to be consecrated to God as we prescribed. But Simeon and Anna saw something else.
In particular, Simeon had been waiting to see the savior and had been told that he would not die before seeing the Christ of the Lord. When he saw the infant Jesus he said that he could now depart in peace for he had seen “a light for revelation to the gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” In Jesus, the glory of the Lord had returned to the great temple, not to stay there, but to go forth from there into the whole world.
The glory of the Lord, his divine presence, comes to our altars at each celebration of the Eucharist and his divine presence is reposed in all the tabernacles of the world. But he is not given to us to remain in our churches (although he does). He comes to us at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to be taken by us out into the world.
Yes, our eyes have also seen the coming of the Lord. May we not hide his presence, but proclaim it with our lips and with our lives. May we present Jesus to those who are waiting for him.
Have a blessed week everyone.