February 2: The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Our Lord.
in Luke 2:22-40, one of Daily Office readings assigned for this day. My Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible provides this commentary on the Scripture reading: In modern society the elderly are rarely held in high esteem. They are shunted off to senior citizens' homes where they are cared for by professional staff rather than their own families. We seem to be saying their usefulness is past, and the increasing tolerance of euthanasia underscores that belief. This is not God's attitude. Simeon and Anna are the senior citizens of Luke's version of Jesus' birth, and they know and understandmore than anyone else. Of all the people that Jerusalem's streets were teeming with the day that Jesus was named--the rich, the powerful, the young, the holy--only Simeon and Anna are given insight into who is being carried into the Temple courts in his parents' arms. In fact, they know more than Mary or Joseph, who are astonished at what Simeon says about Jesus. It is clear that God has placed great value on Anna and Simeon and that he does not think he is wasting the Holy Spirit on two seniors who have passed the prime of their lives.
The story of the presentation of Jesus and the purification of Mary is full of good news, so good in fact that many Christians, using the church's "Night Prayer" or "Compline," sing or say the Song of Simeon (often referred to as the Nunc Dimittus, its Latin name) each evening before they go to bed. If you wish to celebrate this day with other Christiains, visit the following:
Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord
Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ
The Presentation of Our Lord: Candlemas
The Presentation (Meeting) of Our Lord in the Temple
After reading the Gospel story in Luke, perhaps you'd like to share your thoughts. Please do so.
Source of images: www.excerptsofinri.com/jesus_of_nazareth_ii.html
2 comments:
It was wonderful to meet with the group Thursday and continue our introduction to "chanting the psalms." It was very helpful to me to have a cantor sing through the verse once to get the emphasis and having Mason give us a reciting tone now and then to keep us from "straying." It was a very satisfying and encouraging evening. If I can do this, you can too.
Stephen, thanks for your good feelings about "cantoring" the psalms. As we all become more and more comfortable, so to speak, with singing the psalms, I'm hoping we can take turns with volunteers who will serve as our cantors. Yes, indeed, it was an encouraging evening.
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