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Greetings, Everyone!
When I reflect on the presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple, I am struck by the sacredness of life, that is, by the infinite possibilities present in the birth of a child. Regardless of the child's circumstances, he or she has an infinite capacity to bring about change, to serve humanity, and to transform the face of the earth. Each birth is a manifestation of the sacred in the world; each birth is literally God's gift to humanity. Whether the child has documents or no documents, citizenship or no citizenship, status or no status, that child has the innate power to overcome odds and contribute in some extraordinary way to society-- perhaps as a scientist, researcher, healer, teacher, inventor, musician, peace maker...
Even if the child has disabilities, is neurologically divergent, or, for whatever reason, doesn't fit society's definition of "normal," that child is a wondrous creation with more to offer than one might possibly imagine.
The measure of a well-adjusted, functioning society is how it treats its children. To grow into amazing adults, children require love, acceptance, and encouragement, along with the basics of family life, shelter, food, education, and health care. When we deprive our children of resources and an environment in which they can grow, we are sowing the seeds of our own destruction.
Many Blessings,
Elizabeth
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SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Link to Sunday Readings
Moved by the Spirit, Simeon entered the temple;
and when the parents came with the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law, he took him
in his arms and blessed God, saying:
“Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.”
Luke 2:27-32
The custom of "presenting" children has various cultural expressions beyond the ancient Jewish tradition that the Holy Family observes in Lk 2. Mexican families, for example, observe Las Presentaciones for children ranging in age from 40 days to three years old. In my predominantly Mexican parish, it is not uncommon for parents and padrinos to bring infants and toddlers up to the sanctuary after the final prayer for a special blessing; this includes the priest marking the child with the Sign of the Cross before lifting him or her up before the altar. The ritual not only reflects the parents' gratitude for a safe delivery but also expresses their desire for divine protection as they entrust their child to God's care. Similarly, the Sanctuary of Tal Hlas in Malta holds a special mass once a month in which parents present their children to Mary following a safe delivery; on such occasions, there is barely any standing room as the tiny C16th chapel is full of prams and strollers, some even blocking the center aisle.
Like the parents of today who dedicate or present their children, Mary and Joseph must have had much to reflect on-- gratitude for a safe delivery and wonder as to whom their Child was destined to become. The prophetic words of Simeon and Anna, however, went beyond anything they could have expected to hear; Luke, in fact, tells us that they were "amazed" at Simeon's words, for he, like Anna, saw their Child as the fulfillment of the hopes of those who longed for the restoration of God's rule. Moreover, Simeon not only saw Jesus in terms of Messianic expectations but also as a "light of revelation to the Gentiles." The birth of their Child, then, was to have global ramifications.
Literature, legends, and sacred stories have often focused on the destiny of a particular child. In Sophocles' play, Oedipus Rex, the prophecy that their infant would grow up to murder his father and marry his mother prompted Jocasta and Laius to order a shepherd to leave their child to die of exposure. Similarly, there was a prophecy that Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome, would overthrow Amulius, who had stolen the throne of Alba Longa from their grandfather; they, too, were left to die of exposure and, like Oedipus, were rescued. Then there is the Buddhist story of how the birth of Siddhartha Gautama was accompanied by the prophecy that he would either become a great spiritual teacher or a world ruler; despite his father's efforts to keep him on a materialistic path, Siddhartha broke free from the confines of the palace to become one of the greatest spiritual guides the world has ever known...
In each case, for better or worse, the child fulfilled his destiny, despite the efforts of others to alter Fate. For their part, Simeon and Anna could see beyond the poverty of the Holy Family --they sacrificed two turtle doves instead of the traditional lamb-- and beheld God's saving presence in the Child. Even the murderous intentions of King Herod and the plots of his enemies could not stop the Holy One from fulfilling his mission to humanity.
And what is our destiny? What would Simeon and Anna have seen had our parents or guardians presented us in the Temple? Would they have seen bearers of Light or people who walk in darkness? Followers of Jesus or those who run after a different drummer, mesmerized by the lure of wealth and power? As they cradled us in their arms, would they have seen the good we would do or the harm we would inflict on others, either by our actions or by our failure to act? Would they have spoken words of hope, or would they have remained silent, unwilling to shatter our parents' dreams and fantasies? Have we become who God desires us to be, or do we no longer shine with the Divine Image? What must we do if we, like Jesus, are to be light for the world?
As Christians, we are not governed by Fate but by the conviction that God's grace is enough for us; in every situation, no matter how challenging, that grace can sustain us, guide us, comfort us, and give us the will to overcome. And so we shall...
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