The Gift & His Mission
Scripture:
Luke 2:22-40.
Reflection
Dear sisters and brothers,
We celebrate our birthdays.
We receive gifts and presents from our loved ones.
You celebrate your wedding anniversary.
You receive gifts and presents from your wife or husband.
The gifts or presents may be expensive.
The gifts or presents may be beautiful.
The gifts or presents may not be expensive or beautiful.
What makes the gift or present worthy gift or present?
First and foremost, we look at who has given the gift or present.
Does the gift or present make a difference because of the person, who has given it to us?
The big answer is: Yes…
If it is so…
Why do we value the person more than a gift or present?
Because we know that the person loves us.
We also know that the gifts and presents are only material things, even though they may be expensive and beautiful.
Coming back to the gospel of today…
Mary and Joseph take the child Jesus to the temple.
It is a ritual according to tradition.
Although it may be a tradition or a ritual, the presence of the Infant Jesus made a difference for Simeon and Anna.
They were not waiting for material things.
They were not waiting for a position in society.
They were not waiting for a like on Facebook.
They were not waiting for an appreciation for their work.
They were not waiting for a message on WhatsApp.
They were eagerly praying and waiting for the Messiah.
They were waiting for the person.
They were waiting in hope and dream.
Jesus came as a gift.
Jesus came as a present.
Because Simeon and Anna were praying to the Lord with hope and dream.
God answered their prayers...as we read in John (John 3:16):
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, Jesus.
Yes…
Dear sisters and brothers,
Jesus is the Gift of God’s abundant love…again we read in the gospel of John (John 10:10):
I have come that you may have life, life in abundance.
The same gift, Jesus Christ is given to each one of us through our baptism.
But, do we rejoice like Simeon and Anna?
Okay…I have received the gift, Jesus Christ in baptism.
What shall we do with the gift or the present, Jesus Christ in our lives?
We need to ask a question.
The question is: what did Mary and Joseph do?
Mary and Joseph were called to present Jesus Christ to Simeon and Anna.
We need to be like Mary and Joseph.
We, too, are called to present Jesus Christ like Mary and Joseph.
Whom do we present Jesus Christ?
The answer is: we need to present Jesus Christ to the entire world and entire creation, who are waiting with hopes and dreams, starting from our hopes and dreams, reaching out to our families, near and dear ones, our colleagues, vulnerable, marginalised, downtrodden in a tangible way, so that Jesus Christ will be glorified in and through our lives.
Do we feel the call like Mary and Joseph to present Jesus Christ?
Are we ready to take up His Mission of presenting Jesus Christ inorder to give hope to others?
Dear sisters and brothers,
In this way, we can meaningfully celebrate the presentation of the Lord in our lives.
If so…
We too can rejoice like Simeon and Anna.
May the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all…Amen.
