Census of Quirinius (2:1–5)
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.
2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
4 And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
Although universal registrations of Roman citizens are attested in 28 B.C., 8 B.C., and A.D. 14 and enrollments in individual provinces of those who are not Roman citizens are also attested, such a universal census of the Roman world under Caesar Augustus is unknown outside the New Testament. Moreover, there are notorious historical problems connected with Luke's dating the census when Quirinius was governor of Syria, and the various attempts to resolve the difficulties have proved unsuccessful. P. Sulpicius Quirinius became legate of the province of Syria in A.D. 6-7 when Judea was annexed to the province of Syria. At that time, a provincial census of Judea was taken up. If Quirinius had been legate of Syria previously, it would have to have been before 10 B.C. because the various legates of Syria from 10 B.C. to 4 B.C. (the death of Herod) are known, and such a dating for an earlier census under Quirinius would create additional problems for dating the beginning of Jesus' ministry (Luke 3:1, 23). A previous legateship after 4 B.C. (and before A.D. 6) would not fit with the dating of Jesus' birth in the days of Herod (Luke 1:5; Matthew 2:1). Luke may simply be combining Jesus' birth in Bethlehem with his vague recollection of a census under Quirinius (see also Acts 5:37) to underline the significance of this birth for the whole Roman world: through this child born in Bethlehem peace and salvation come to the empire.
comments by Edward Sri, professor of theology and Scripture:
Mary was betrothed to Joseph. Betrothal should not be confused with modern-day engagement. Betrothal was the first stage of a two-stage marriage process in ancient Judaism. At betrothal, a man and woman would exchange consent before witnesses, and they would be considered legally married at this point, but they did not yet begin to live together. The wife would remain with her parents for up to one year before the second stage of marriage, known as the “coming together.” This is when the wife would come to live with her husband and the marriage would be consummated. Matthew explicitly tells us that Mary and Joseph are at the first stage of marriage, that is, betrothal, and that Mary conceived before they lived together—in other words, before the second stage of marriage. Nevertheless, betrothed couples were considered legally married:
Matthew 1:18-25
18 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.
19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us."
24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
25 He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.
The description of Joseph as a righteous man tells us that he would be very careful to obey the Jewish law. In the Old Testament an adulteress was to be stoned. Deuteronomy 22:13-24 specifically decreed stoning when a betrothed woman committed adultery or a betrothed woman was found not to be a virgin when the marriage was consummated. In the first century, however, when the Jews were under Roman rule, capital punishment was prohibited and divorce with a public trial became the standard practice in these situations.
Various views on the nature of Joseph’s quandary have emerged in the Catholic tradition.According to one view, if Joseph found Mary pregnant and knew he was not the father, he might have suspected adultery. If so, he would be expected to bring Mary to public trial and accuse her. However, Joseph was unwilling to expose her to shame, meaning he did not want to publicly display the disgrace of her suspected adultery. Instead, he decided to divorce her quietly. If one did not go through a public trial, a bill of divorce could be drawn up privately and presented before two witnesses. As a righteous man, Joseph seeks divorce but his righteousness is expressed also in his mercy, since he seeks the divorce not through a public trial but through more private means.
Another possibility is that, from Joseph’s human perspective, it appears that Mary had been with another man, and even if this had been nonconsensual on her part, by Jewish law she would no longer be suited for marriage. Joseph thus finds himself in a situation in which he would be expected to divorce Mary, but he decides to do so “quietly” and not put her through a humiliating trial.
Another interpretation, known as the "reverential fear” view, was held by Sts. Thomas Aquinas, Bernard, Basil, and Ephraim. In this view, Mary told Joseph about her conceiving by the Holy Spirit and he responds with religious awe over the mystery of what God is working in Mary. Joseph decides to release Mary from the marriage obligation not out of anger or shame but out of a humble, holy fear that he is unworthy to be the husband of Mary or the father of this child.
20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
The angel’s address to Joseph as son of David calls attention to Joseph’s own royal heritage and his crucial role of passing on Davidic descent to Jesus. Much is at stake if Joseph leaves Mary and does not accept this child. The angel, therefore, tells him, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home—a reference to the second stage of marriage (the coming together under one roof), which Joseph is about to abandon through his quiet divorce. The angel assures Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy did not come about by another man, but through the holy Spirit, affirming the child’s divine origins. Furthermore, Joseph has an important role to play for this child: you are to name him. To name a child is to claim the child as one’s own. Thus Joseph is being instructed to accept this child as his own son. Even though Jesus is not his biological son, as Joseph’s legal son he would have all the hereditary rights of a son, including Joseph’s royal Da-vidic descent. Therefore, “Joseph, son of David,” in this act of naming, would make this child a legal heir to David.
We as readers were introduced to the name of this child earlier in Matthew’s Gospel (i:i, 16, 17, 18). The astonishing part of the angel’s announcement at this point, however, is that he goes on to say to Joseph that he is to name the child Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. This is remarkable, first, because of who will bring salvation and, second, because of the kind of salvation he will bring. First, the Old Testament name Joshua, from which Jesus is derived, means “Yahweh is salvation.” But the angel says that Jesus himself is the one who will bring salvation. Matthew is subtly associating Jesus with Yahweh. Second, many first-century Jews were expecting God to save them from political oppression. But the angel announces that this savior is coming to save people from sin. Right at the very beginning of Matthew’s Gospel we learn that, despite the popular, political-militaristic messianic hopes of Jews in Jesus’ day, the long-awaited Mes-siah-king is coming to bring salvation from sin—an enemy much more dangerous than Rome or Herod.
Note: Our knowledge of wedding customs in first-century Palestine is limited. That said, the basic outlines are clear enough. The first stage of marriage was the betrothal period. This involved a young man offering a bridal price to the father of the young woman he hoped to marry. Girls were considered eligible for marriage by about age thirteen or fourteen. If an agreement was reached, the young man and woman were betrothed. This was similar to a modern engagement, except that the betrothed couple was already legally married and a bill of divorce was needed to terminate the union. Still, the bride usually continued to live with her parents throughout the betrothal period, which could last as long as a year. The second stage of the marriage was the wedding feast. This began after sunset when the groom went to the home of his bride and led her in a celebratory procession to a great banquet being prepared at the couple’s new home. It was common in ancient Palestinian villages—and remains so in some modern Arab communities—for folks to come out of their homes and bid good wishes as the wedding party passed by. The procession itself was filled with singing and dancing and was guided by maiden torchbearers. When the couple reached their home, followed by a long train of family members, friends, and guests, the feast began. This could last an entire week or more. There was no honeymoon in the modern sense, but from that point on the newlyweds shared a common life together.
Nativity of Jesus (2:6-7)
6 While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
- Comments by Fr Jacob Nampudakam (Rector General Pallottine Fathers & Brothers):
This was a choice that God made for his Son: to be born poor. No palace, no golden ornaments, no festivities, but only the company of his parents, animals and a group of shepherds. Why did the Son of God choose to live his earthly life in radical poverty? It was precisely to share our human condition, our fragility and our existential poverty. Saint Vincent Pallotti expressed this same truth when he wrote:
“O Holy Wise Men, when you entered the blessed Grotto of Bethlehem, you were not scandalized to find the Messiah whom you were seeking in a poor little boy, one barely covered by poor cloths, in the arms of his humble Mother, in a poor cave, courted only by poor shepherds: in this appearance of poverty, humiliation and of the weakness of men you recognized the King of glory, the Saviour of the world and the true Son of God and you did so by subduing your intellect out of respect for faith: we thank you for this beautiful example which you gave us of the manner in which the human intellect is to surrender so as to believe the incomprehensible mysteries of God. Oh! Obtain also for us this strength of spirit and this steadfastness of heart; so that neither the deceptions of error, nor the disorder of the passions, nor any internal or external temptation will cause us to waver in holy faith” (OOCC VI, 215-216).
There are millions of children born today in the mangers, on the streets and in the orphanages. As we celebrate the birth of the Babe of Bethlehem, let us commit ourselves to the protection and care of the children and the most vulnerable persons in our society. Let us dedicate this Christmas to them. May they find a home to live in; may they experience the warmth of love in a family.
“I invite all to protect and care for children so their smile can never fade,” Pope Benedict XVI said in downtown Guanajuato, Mexico on 25th March 2012. He added: “You, my little friends, are not alone”.
- comments by Pope Benedict XVI (Prayer in the life of the Holy Family of Nazareth 2011):
The Pope highlighted in particular the "contemplation of Christ" that "has its unsurpassed model in Mary"."The eyes of her heart are focused on him already at the Annunciation, when she conceived him by the Holy Spirit in the following months and gradually felt his presence, until the day of birth, when her eyes locked with motherly tenderness on the face of her Son, and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. The memories of Jesus, set in her mind and heart, marked every moment of Mary's life. She lives with her eyes fixed on Christ, and treasures his every word. " Luke writes that she "kept all these things and pondered them in her heart" with "an attitude that will last throughout her existence." This image "shows Mary as the model for every believer who maintains and meditates on the words and actions of Jesus, a mediation that is always advancement in knowledge of Him."
Mary's spirituality is "contagious: the first to be drawn is Joseph. He was already a good man with a unique relationship with God. " After the encounter with the angel, "he joins his life to the plan of salvation, doing the will of God with confident trust." The Gospel does not have any of Joseph’s words. "His presence is a silent but faithful one, constant, hard-working. We can imagine that he, like his bride, and in intimate harmony with her, lived the childhood and adolescence of Jesus savoring, so to speak, his presence in their family. Joseph has fully accomplished his paternal role in every aspect."
Announcement to the shepherds (2:8-15)
8 Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.
9 The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.
10 The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.
12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."
13 And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
14 "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."
The "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (aka abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria) is a hymn that begins with the words that the angels sang when the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds in Luke 2:14. The Gloria has been and still is sung to a wide variety of melodies. Modern scholars have catalogued well over two hundred of them.
- comments by Pope John Paul II:
1. "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy... For to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord" (Lk 2:10-11).
The Liturgy invites us to celebrate with joy the great event of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. As we have just heard in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is born into a family poor by material standards, but rich in joy. He is born in a stable, for there is no place for him in the inn (cf. Lk 2:7); he is placed in a manger, for there is no cradle for him; he comes into the world completely helpless, without anyone's knowledge, and yet he is welcomed and recognized first by the shepherds, who hear from the angel the news of his birth.
The event conceals a mystery. It is revealed by the choirs of heavenly messengers who sing of Jesus' birth and proclaim glory "to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased" (Lk 2:14). Through the ages their praise becomes a prayer which rises from the hearts of the throngs who on Christmas Night continue to welcome the Son of God.
2. Mysterium: event and mystery. A man is born, who is the Eternal Son of the Almighty Father, the Creator of heaven and earth: in this extraordinary event the mystery of God is revealed. In the Word who becomes man the miracle of the Incarnate God is made manifest. The mystery sheds light on the event of the birth: a baby is adored by the shepherds in the lowly stable, at Bethlehem. He is "the Savior of the world", "Christ the Lord" (cf. Lk 2:11). Their eyes see a newborn child, wrapped in swaddling cloths and placed in a manger, and in that "sign", thanks to the inner light o faith, they recognize the Messiah proclaimed by the Prophets.
3. This is Emmanuel, God-with-us, who comes to fill the earth with grace. He comes into the world in order to transform creation. He becomes a man among men, so that in him and through him every human being can be profoundly renewed. By his birth he draws us all into the sphere of the divine, granting to those who in faith open themselves to receiving his gift the possibility of sharing in his own divine life.
This is the meaning of the salvation which the shepherds hear proclaimed that night in Bethlehem: "To you is born a Saviour" (Lk 2:11). The coming of Christ among us is the centre of history, which thereafter takes on a new dimension. In a way, it is God himself who writes history by entering into it. The event of the Incarnation thus broadens to embrace the whole of human history, from creation until the Second Coming. This is why in the Liturgy all creation sings, voicing its own joy: the floods clap their hands, all the trees of the wood sing for joy, and the many coastlands are glad (cf. Ps 98:8, 96:12; 97:1).
Every creature on the face of the earth receives the proclamation. In the astonished silence of the universe, the words which the Liturgy puts on the lips of the Church take on a cosmic resonance: Christus natus est nobis. Venite, adoremus!
4. Christ is born for us; come, let us adore him! My thoughts already turn to Christmas next year when, God willing, I shall inaugurate the Great Jubilee with the opening of the Holy Door. It will be a truly great Holy Year, for in a completely unique way it will celebrate the two thousandth anniversary of the event and mystery of the Incarnation, in which humanity reached the apex of its calling. God became man in order to give man a share in his own divinity. Christus natus est nobis — Christ is born for us. Venite, adoremus! Come, let us adore him!
[The Biblical Magi
The Gospel of Matthew and the Christian tradition describes the biblical magi, three distinguished foreigners who visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity celebrations of Christmas and are an important part of Christian tradition.
The single biblical account in Matthew 2 simply presents an event at an unspecified point after Christ's birth in which an unnumbered party of unnamed "wise men" (mágoi) visits him in a house (oikian).
1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
2 saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage."
3 When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:
6 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"
7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage."
9 After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
11 and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
13 When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."
14 Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.
15 He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called my son."
16 When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
The wise men are mentioned twice shortly thereafter in verse 16, in reference to their avoidance of Herod after seeing Jesus, and what Herod had learned from their earlier meeting. The star which they followed has traditionally become known as the Star of Bethlehem.
comments by Edward Sri, professor of theology and Scripture:
The word magi originally described members of the Median and Persian priestly caste who advised the king and interpreted dreams. The term later was used more broadly to denote those who possessed mystical knowledge as priests, astrologers, soothsayers, or sages. Their popular association with kings today may be based on Old Testament passages that recount kings bringing gifts to the royal Davidic son (Ps 72:10-11), including gifts of gold and frankincense (Isa 60:3-6). In the Jewish tradition magi would bring to mind the opponents of Daniel in Babylon, who were associated with enchanters and sorcerers and claimed to interpret dreams and signs (Dan 1:20; 2:2; 4:6-7; 5:7 LXX). Hence, one would not expect magi from the east to be among the first to pay homage to the Jewish messiah. This account thus sets up a theme that will be repeated throughout Matthew’s Gospel: Israel’s king is welcomed by those one would least expect while Jewish leaders work against him (Matthew 2:4).
The account of the magi following a star and searching for a king underscores Jesus’ kingship by recalling the prophecy of Balaam in Num 24. In this episode the Moabite king, Balak, called upon a seer named Balaam to pronounce a curse on Israel. However, each time Balaam tried to curse Israel God took control of his speech and words of blessing came out of his mouth instead. In his last attempt to curse Israel, the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied about a future king arising out of Israel. According to this oracle, a star would be the sign of the great king’s arrival (Num 24:17).
All this foreshadows the events associated with Herod, the magi, and the birth of Jesus. Just as Balak sought to use the pagan seer Balaam to destroy Israel, so Herod seeks to use the pagan magi to destroy the Christ child. And just as Balaam failed to cooperate with the king’s plan, uttering blessings instead of curses, so the magi fail to assist Herod in his plot to destroy Jesus, paying the child homage instead of reporting his location to Herod. Balaam prophesied about a star heralding the coming of a great king to Israel; the magi see that star and come to worship the newborn king. Thus the magi stand as “successors to Balaam” in the sense that they pay homage to the king that Balaam foretold long ago.
The idea of a star signaling the birth of a great person or king was popular in the ancient world. Various explanations have been offered as to what this star guiding the magi was: (1) it was a comet, such as Hailey’s comet that appeared in 12-n BC; (2) it was a planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which gave the appearance of a bright, single star in 7 BC; or (3) the star was a stellar explosion—a nova—which is reported to have been sighted in 5-4 BC.One shortcoming of these naturalistic explanations is that the star in Matthew’s Gospel leads the magi and then comes to rest over a house (2:9)—things ordinary stars do not do. This suggests that—whatever the nature of the star in Matt 2 might have been—God intervened in an extraordinary way to lead the magi to the messiah. One interesting proposal is that the star guiding the magi represents an angelic figure. In the Jewish tradition stars were associated with angels and the guiding star in Matthew’s Gospel recalls the angel God sent to guide the people in the desert on their way to the promised land (Exod 14:19). Thus while some natural stellar phenomenon might have initially led the magi in search of a king, Matthew is telling us that God is providing a supernatural guide to lead the magi to Christ, just as he provided Israel with an angel to lead them through the desert.
When news about the magi’s quest spreads around Jerusalem, King Herod becomes greatly troubled. Herod was not born king of the Jews. He was an Idumean, whose family got itself appointed by Rome to rule over the Jews. Magi following a star and seeking the newborn king of the jews would have been quite alarming to the ethnically non-Jewish Herod, especially in these later years of his life when he was violently paranoid about any potential rival to his throne.
The chief priests and scribes tell Herod that the messiah was expected to be born in Bethlehem, a city charged with Davidic hopes. This was the place where David was born and, according to the prophet Micah, the new Davidic king was expected to come from this city (Mic 5:1). The Jewish leaders quote this passage and then go on to say that this ruler will shepherd my people Israel—an echo of God’s words to David at the beginning of his reign (2 Sam 5:2).
The magi's long journey reaches its climax as they enter the house and see the child with Mary his mother. This reference to Mary and the child in a house in Bethlehem can stand in complete harmony with Luke’s account of the child being laid in a manger (Luke 2:7). Since first-century peasant homes in Palestine often had the lodging place for persons on one level and animals dwelling with a manger on a lower level, the house the magi visit in Matt 2 might be the same house where Jesus was born in Luke 2. Another possibility is that Jesus was born in a cave near Bethlehem (a tradition that goes back to second-century pilgrims traveling to Bethlehem) and that later the holy family moved to a more comfortable dwelling, a house, which is where the magi find them.
The magi do not simply kneel before Christ; they prostrated themselves on their faces and did him homage. Though prostration before kings was common in the ancient Near East, elsewhere in Matthew’s Gospel prostration and giving homage are associated with divine worship (4:9-10; 14:23; 15:25; 28:9, 17). The Gentile magi, therefore, offer Christ the worship that Herod, the chief priests, and scribes failed to offer.
The gifts of gold, frankincense (an expensive perfume used for incense in worship), and myrrh (an exotic spice) represent luxurious gifts fit for a king. They recall the Gentile queen of Sheba bringing spices and a large amount of gold for King Solomon (1 Kings 10:1-2). Jesus, the new son of David (1:1-17), 's welcomed with similar gifts by these Gentile magi. The gifts also recall prophecies about the nations coming to pay homage to the king of Israel, falling down before him and offering gifts of gold and frankincense (Ps 72:10-11; Isa 60:1-6). As such, this scene underscores that Jesus is not just king of the Jews (2:2)—he is king of the whole world.
When the magi failed to return to Herod, he ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under. Such violence is consistent with other ruthless acts Herod performed near the end of his life, including the murder of his own wife and sons whom he feared were trying to supplant him. Yet, as horrific as the “Massacre of the Holy Innocents” was, it probably was not of the magnitude that is sometimes imagined. Bethlehem in the first century had a maximum of a thousand people, and there were probably only about twenty male children under age two dwelling in the village and surrounding district. It is not surprising that other historical works from this period do not mention this event. As tragic as these killings would have been, they remain on a smaller scale compared to Herod’s other atrocities.
]
Adoration of the Shepherds (2:16–20)
16 So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.
17 When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.
18 All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.
19 And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.
20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
- comments by Pope John Paul II (January 1, 2006 Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Mother of God):
"The fullness of time"! St Paul says that this "fullness" was achieved when God "sent forth his Son, born of woman" (Gal 4:4). Eight days after Christmas, today, the first day of the new year, we commemorate in a special way the "Woman" of whom the Apostle speaks, the Mother of God. In giving birth to the eternal Son of the Father, Mary contributed to achieving the fullness of time; she contributed uniquely to ensuring that human time would reach the measure of its fullness in the Incarnation of the Word.
The liturgy of today's solemnity has a profoundly Marian character, although this is rather soberly expressed in the biblical texts. The passage from the Evangelist Luke summarizes, as it were, what we heard on Christmas night. It says that the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph and the Child lying in the manger. After seeing him, they recounted what they had been told of him. And all were amazed at the shepherds' tale. "
"But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (2:19). It is worth reflecting on this sentence which expresses a wonderful aspect of Mary's motherhood. In a certain sense, the whole liturgical year follows in the footsteps of this motherhood, beginning with the feast of the Annunciation on 25 March, exactly nine months before Christmas. On the day of the Annunciation, Mary heard the Angel's words: "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.... The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God" (Luke 1: 31-33, 35). And she answered: "Let it be to me according to your word" (ibid., 1:38).
Mary conceived through the Holy Spirit. Like every mother, in her womb she carried that Son, whom she alone knew to be the Only-begotten Son of God. She gave birth to him in the night of Bethlehem. Thus began the earthly life of the Son of God and his mission of salvation in the world's history.
"Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart."
How can we marvel that the Mother of God should remember all this in a special and indeed unique way? Every mother has a similar knowledge of the beginning of a new life within her. Every person's history is written first of all in his own mother's heart. It is no wonder that the same was true for the earthly life of the Son of God.
Today, the first day of the new year, on the threshold of a new year, the Church returns to this inner experience of the Mother of God. She does so not only by thinking back to the events of Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem, to the various stages, that is, of the Redeemer's earthly life, but also by considering all that his Life, Death and Resurrection have brought about in human history.
Mary was present with the Apostles on the day of Pentecost; she participated directly in the birth of the Church. Since then her motherhood accompanies the history of redeemed humanity, the journey of the great human family, for whom the work of Redemption is intended.
At the beginning of the year, we trust in your motherly "memory", O Mary! We set out on this special path of salvation history, which is kept alive in your heart as Mother of God. To you we entrust the days of the new year, the future of the Church, the future of humanity, the future of the entire universe.
Circumcision of Jesus (2:21–40)
21 When eight days were
completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him
by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,
23 just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,"
24 and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him.
26 It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.
27 He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
28 he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
29 "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word,
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."
33 The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted
35 (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
38 And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
The presentation of Jesus in the temple depicts the parents of Jesus as devout Jews, faithful observers of the law of the Lord.
The Nunc dimittis (Luke 2:29–32) (also Song of Simeon or Canticle of Simeon) is a canticle from a text in the second chapter of Luke named after its first words in Latin, meaning 'Now you dismiss...'., and is often used as the final song in a religious service.
According to over eight centuries of tradition, the swaddling clothes that baby Jesus wore during the presentation at the Temple are kept in Dubrovnik Cathedral, Croatia.
comments by Pope John Paul II (Homily for the Feast of the presentation of Jesus in the temple, Monday, 2 February 1998):
With his inspired words, Simeon, a man of the Old Covenant, a man of the temple of Jerusalem, expresses his conviction that this Light is meant not only for Israel, but also for pagans and all the peoples of the earth. With him, the “aged” world receives in its arms the splendour of God’s eternal “youth”. However, the shadow of the Cross already looms in the background, because the darkness will reject that Light. Indeed, turning to Mary, Simeon prophesies: “This child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed” (Lk 2:34-35).
The words of Simeon’s canticle ring out in many temples of the New Covenant, where every evening Christ’s disciples finish the Liturgy of the Hours by praying Compline (the Compline is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition of the Liturgy of the Hours which are the prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited by clergy, religious institutes, and the laity) . In this way the Church, the people of the New Covenant, takes as it were the last word of the Old Covenant and proclaims the fulfilment of the divine promise, announcing that the “light for revelation to the Gentiles” has spread over all the earth and is present everywhere in Christ’s redemptive work.
Together with the Canticle of Simeon, the Liturgy of the Hours has us repeat Christ’s last words on the Cross: In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum — “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (cf. Lk 23:46). It also invites us to contemplate with wonder and gratitude the saving action of Christ, “light for revelation to the Gentiles”, for the sake of mankind: Redemisti nos, Domine, Deus veritatis — “You have redeemed us, Lord, God of truth”.
In this way the Church proclaims the fulfilment of the world’s Redemption, awaited by the prophets and announced by Simeon in the temple of Jerusalem.
comments by Pope Benedict XVI (Homily 2 February 2010):
On the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple we are celebrating a mystery of Christ's life linked to the precept of Mosaic Law which prescribed that 40 days after the birth of their first-born child parents should go to the Temple of Jerusalem to offer the infant to the Lord and for the ritual purification of the mother (cf. Ex 13:1-2, 11-16; Lv 12:1-8). Mary and Joseph also fulfilled this rite, offering to comply with the law a couple of turtle doves or pigeons. In giving a deeper interpretation to these things we understand that at this moment it is God himself who is presenting his Only-Begotten Son to humanity through the words of the elderly Simeon and the Prophetess Anna. Simeon, in fact, proclaimed Jesus as the "salvation" of humanity, a "light" for all the nations and a "sign that is spoken against", because he would reveal the thoughts of hearts (cf. Lk 2:29-35). In the East this Feast was called Hypapante, a feast of encounter. In fact, Simeon and Anna, who met Jesus in the Temple and recognized him as the Messiah so long awaited, represent humanity that encounters its Lord in the Church. Subsequently, this Feast also spread to the West, where above all the symbol of light and the procession with candles which gave rise to the term "Candlemas" (Candle Mass on February 2nd) developed. This visible sign is intended to mean that the Church encounters in faith the One who is "the light of men" and in order to bring this "light" into the world, receives him with the full dynamism of her faith.
In conjunction with this Liturgical Feast, as from 1997, Venerable John Paul II decreed that a special Day of Consecrated Life to be celebrated in the whole Church. In fact, the sacrifice of the Son of God symbolized by his presentation in the Temple is the model for every man and woman who consecrate their life totally to the Lord. The purpose of this Day is threefold: first of all to praise and thank the Lord for the gift of consecrated life; secondly to promote knowledge and appreciation of it among the whole People of God and lastly to invite all those who have dedicated their life totally to the cause of the Gospel to celebrate the marvels that the Lord has worked in them.
"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession of faith" (Heb 4:14). This verse shows Jesus who ascends to the Father. Christ is presented as the Mediator: he is true God and true man and for this reason truly belongs to both the divine and human worlds.
In fact, it is precisely and only on the bases of this faith, on this profession of faith in Jesus Christ, the only and definitive Mediator, that consecrated life, a life consecrated to God through Christ has meaning in the Church. It has meaning only if he is truly the mediator between God and us; otherwise it would merely be a form of sublimation or of escape. If Christ were not truly God and at the same time fully man, the foundation of Christian life as such would be lacking as, in quite a significant way, would the foundation of every Christian consecration of man and woman. The consecrated life, in fact, "powerfully" witnesses and expresses the reciprocal seeking of God and man, the love that attracts them to each other. The very fact of being consecrated makes the consecrated person, as it were, a "bridge" to God for all who encounter him or her a reminder, a reference point. And this is all by virtue of the mediation of Jesus Christ, the Consecrated One of the Father. He is the foundation! He who shared our weaknesses so that we might participate in his divine nature.
Rather than on faith our text insists on "trust", with which we may draw near to the "throne of grace", since our high priest was himself "put to the test in all things like ourselves". We may approach him to "receive mercy" and "find grace" and "help in time of need". It seems to me that these words contain a great truth and also a great comfort for us who have received the gift and commitment of special consecration in the Church.
Full of trust and gratitude, let us therefore also renew the act of the total offering of ourselves, presenting ourselves in the Temple. May the Year for Priests be a further opportunity for religious who are priests to intensify their journey of sanctification and, for all consecrated men and women, may it be an encouragement to accompany and sustain their ministry with fervent prayer. Let us approach God who is thrice Holy to offer our life and our mission, both personally and as a community of men and women consecrated to the Kingdom of God. Let us make this inner gesture in profound spiritual communion with the Virgin Mary. As we contemplate her in the act of presenting the Child Jesus in the Temple, let us venerate her as the first and perfect consecrated one, carried by the God whom she carries in her arms; Virgin, poor and obedient, totally dedicated to us because she belongs totally to Gods. At her school and with her motherly help let us renew our "here I am" and our "fiat". Amen.
comments by Francis Martin, president of Father Francis Martin Ministries (FFMM), "commentary on the Gospel of John":
One of the most difficult experiences in human life is to witness the suffering of a loved one. While we might not be afflicted in the exact same way, we nevertheless share the suffering of our loved ones in a very real way. Since we love, we suffer with those who suffer.
The Church prescribes this reading for the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, a feast that speaks to this experience. At Jesus’ presentation in the temple, Simeon prophesied to Mary, “You yourself a sword will pierce,... that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35). The sword of sorrow pierces Marys heart as she stands at the foot of the cross and watches her only Son die. She is powerless to change anything, and all she can do is simply be present to her Son. As we share the suffering of our loved ones, so too does Mary share in the suffering of her dying Son. When we find ourselves sharing our loved ones’ pain, we can turn to the intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, who has been in the same place we are. We are encouraged to ask Our Lady of Sorrows to intercede for us in such times, so that through her prayers and maternal tenderness, we might find help and consolation.
Finding in the Temple (2:41-52)
41 Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
42 and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom.
43 After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
44 Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
45 but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions,
47 and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety."
49 And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"
50 But they did not understand what he said to them.
51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus advanced (in) wisdom and age and favor before God and man.
- comments by Pope John Paul II:
The Evangelist Luke describes the young Jesus’ pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem as the last episode of the infancy narrative, before the start of John the Baptist's preaching. It is an usual occasion which sheds light on the long years of his hidden life in Nazareth.
On this occasion, with his strong personality Jesus reveals that he is aware of his mission, giving to this second “entry” into his “Father’s house” the meaning of his total gift of self to God which had already marked his presentation in the temple.
This passage seems to contrast with Luke’s note that Jesus was obedient to Joseph and Mary (cf. 2:51). But, if one looks closely, here he seems to put himself in a conscious and almost deliberate antithesis to his normal state as son, unexpectedly causing a definite separation from Mary and Joseph. As his rule of conduct, Jesus states that he belongs only to the Father and does not mention the ties to his earthly family. Jesus’ behaviour seemed very unusual.
Certainly for his parents, finding him on the third day means discovering another aspect of his person and his mission.
He takes the role of teacher, as he will later do in his public life, speaking words that arouse admiration: “And all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers” (2:47). Revealing a wisdom that amazes his listeners, he begins to practice the art of dialogue that will be a characteristic of his saving mission.
His Mother asked Jesus: “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously” (Lk 2:48). Here we can discern an echo of the “whys” asked by so many mothers about the suffering their children cause them, as well as the questions welling up in the heart of every man and woman in times of trial.
On his reply to his anguished Mother, the Son immediately reveals the reason for his behavior. Mary had said: “Your father”, indicating Joseph; Jesus replies: “My Father”, meaning the heavenly Father.
Referring to his divine origin, he does not so much want to state that the temple, his Father's house, is the natural “place” for his presence, as that he must be concerned about all that regards his Father and his plan. He means to stress that his Father's will is the only norm requiring his obedience.
This reference to his total dedication to God’s plan is highlighted in the Gospel text by the words: “I must be”, which will later appear in his prediction of the Passion (cf. Mk 8:31).
His parents then are asked to let him go and carry out his mission wherever the heavenly Father will lead him.
The Evangelist comments: “And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them” (Lk 2:50). Mary and Joseph do not perceive the sense of his answer, nor the way (apparently a rejection) he reacts to their parental concern. With this attitude, Jesus intends to reveal the mysterious aspects of his intimacy with the Father, aspects which Mary intuits without knowing how to associate them with the trial she is undergoing.
Luke’s words teach us how Mary lives this truly unusual episode in the depths of her being. She “kept all these things in her heart” (Lk 2:51). The Mother of Jesus associates these events with the mystery of her Son, revealed to her at the Annunciation, and ponders them in the silence of contemplation, offering her co-operation in the spirit of a renewed “fiat”.
In this way the first link is forged in a chain of events that will gradually lead Mary beyond the natural role deriving from her motherhood, to put herself at the service of her divine Son’s mission.
At the temple in Jerusalem, in this prelude to his saving mission, Jesus associates his Mother with himself; no longer is she merely the One who gave him birth, but the Woman who, through her own obedience to the Father’s plan, can co-operate in the mystery of Redemption.
Thus keeping in her heart an event so charged with meaning, Mary attains a new dimension of her co-operation in salvation.
- comments by Kathy Bernard (Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist and author of catholicvu.com) :
TODAY, over two thousand years later, it is our turn to carry out this mission, our turn to be “about the Father’s business”. If we have dedicated our lives to being a Christian, we also have the responsibility as co-heirs to take up our mantles of discipleship and spread the word in the corner of our world. We cannot shrink back and hide and expect to reap the fruits of suffering and martyrdom of early believers. We, too, must take responsibility in the Father’s business.
HOW can we do this as sons and daughters of the living God? We can spread His word to all who are willing to listen. If we can expect to enjoy what early Christians gave we must be willing to sow the seeds of faith wherever we are and keep the family business alive and well. Jesus told us in Matt 28:19-20) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you”. This is the legacy given to us as God's children.
This life is short, therefore we do not have time to squander and waste on frivolities. We cannot spend the precious moments of this brief journey on things that take us away from our Father’s business. Sometimes it is hard to see beyond the refuse life lays in our paths.
NO one said it would be easy to be a Christian. Many of us have stood on the bridge of uncertainty and doubt. We have been torn between the now of this earth and the forever promised. Sometimes we get weary and many times do not understand why so many bad things come our way especially when we are striving to be like Jesus. It shakes our faith somehow. We feel it is an impossible climb to reach the level of obedience God requires of us and we think we cannot reach that pinnacle of perfection. Well, God understands and that is why he forgives and climbs that mountain with us. Sometimes we get tired and discouraged when we pray and there doesn’t seem to be an answer. We feel abandoned and afraid; adrift on the waves of sin that plagues the world. And yes, we are sometimes tempted to forego our charge to keep the word of God and go our own way. But because we know what we know about the Father we cannot be entirely happy moving away from the safety of His wings. We cannot have peace in our souls without Him in our lives, and so we come back with humble and contrite spirits when we realize that the only good that is good has to come from our Father’s Hands. It becomes clear to us when we realize that God is our stronghold and therefore things can only come out right if He is in control.
WITHOUT God, there is a void that nothing and nobody can do anything about. Only the Father can pour the oil of content on our discontent. Only God can put out the fire of rage and anger we sometimes feel by giving us the living water that quenches all fire and thirst. Only God can fill us when we are hungry by giving to us His everlasting food called grace. Only the faith in Jesus Christ our Savior can give us the hope that we will rise again and live forever in glory, just as He did over two thousand years ago, never again to suffer the ills and pains of this imperfect life, never to grow old and infirm, and never again to shed an impotent tear. We shall then be privileged to see the face of God in awesome splendor and never tire of its wonder.
The Father sent His Son Jesus Christ our Lord to shed his blood for us, to die for us, in order to make us eternal heirs to His eternal Kingdom. And to heed the command of the Son as He rose to be with our Father “to keep our Father’s business alive and flourishing by spreading His Word”.
THERE will be those who will not understand. There will be those who will not want to know the means to salvation. There are those who will be blind to truth. Those souls we will pray for, asking God’s mercy, knowing we are using the greatest and most powerful tool ever given to man. And if we encounter those who ask why we are so strong in our faith when we talk about God and Eternity, we can truly say as Jesus said when He was only 12 years old “I must be about my Father’s business”.
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| Gentile da Fabriano - Flight in Egypt (1423) |
2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3 So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
4 And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
Although universal registrations of Roman citizens are attested in 28 B.C., 8 B.C., and A.D. 14 and enrollments in individual provinces of those who are not Roman citizens are also attested, such a universal census of the Roman world under Caesar Augustus is unknown outside the New Testament. Moreover, there are notorious historical problems connected with Luke's dating the census when Quirinius was governor of Syria, and the various attempts to resolve the difficulties have proved unsuccessful. P. Sulpicius Quirinius became legate of the province of Syria in A.D. 6-7 when Judea was annexed to the province of Syria. At that time, a provincial census of Judea was taken up. If Quirinius had been legate of Syria previously, it would have to have been before 10 B.C. because the various legates of Syria from 10 B.C. to 4 B.C. (the death of Herod) are known, and such a dating for an earlier census under Quirinius would create additional problems for dating the beginning of Jesus' ministry (Luke 3:1, 23). A previous legateship after 4 B.C. (and before A.D. 6) would not fit with the dating of Jesus' birth in the days of Herod (Luke 1:5; Matthew 2:1). Luke may simply be combining Jesus' birth in Bethlehem with his vague recollection of a census under Quirinius (see also Acts 5:37) to underline the significance of this birth for the whole Roman world: through this child born in Bethlehem peace and salvation come to the empire.
comments by Edward Sri, professor of theology and Scripture:
Mary was betrothed to Joseph. Betrothal should not be confused with modern-day engagement. Betrothal was the first stage of a two-stage marriage process in ancient Judaism. At betrothal, a man and woman would exchange consent before witnesses, and they would be considered legally married at this point, but they did not yet begin to live together. The wife would remain with her parents for up to one year before the second stage of marriage, known as the “coming together.” This is when the wife would come to live with her husband and the marriage would be consummated. Matthew explicitly tells us that Mary and Joseph are at the first stage of marriage, that is, betrothal, and that Mary conceived before they lived together—in other words, before the second stage of marriage. Nevertheless, betrothed couples were considered legally married:
Matthew 1:18-25
18 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.
19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us."
24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
25 He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.
The description of Joseph as a righteous man tells us that he would be very careful to obey the Jewish law. In the Old Testament an adulteress was to be stoned. Deuteronomy 22:13-24 specifically decreed stoning when a betrothed woman committed adultery or a betrothed woman was found not to be a virgin when the marriage was consummated. In the first century, however, when the Jews were under Roman rule, capital punishment was prohibited and divorce with a public trial became the standard practice in these situations.
Various views on the nature of Joseph’s quandary have emerged in the Catholic tradition.According to one view, if Joseph found Mary pregnant and knew he was not the father, he might have suspected adultery. If so, he would be expected to bring Mary to public trial and accuse her. However, Joseph was unwilling to expose her to shame, meaning he did not want to publicly display the disgrace of her suspected adultery. Instead, he decided to divorce her quietly. If one did not go through a public trial, a bill of divorce could be drawn up privately and presented before two witnesses. As a righteous man, Joseph seeks divorce but his righteousness is expressed also in his mercy, since he seeks the divorce not through a public trial but through more private means.
Another possibility is that, from Joseph’s human perspective, it appears that Mary had been with another man, and even if this had been nonconsensual on her part, by Jewish law she would no longer be suited for marriage. Joseph thus finds himself in a situation in which he would be expected to divorce Mary, but he decides to do so “quietly” and not put her through a humiliating trial.
Another interpretation, known as the "reverential fear” view, was held by Sts. Thomas Aquinas, Bernard, Basil, and Ephraim. In this view, Mary told Joseph about her conceiving by the Holy Spirit and he responds with religious awe over the mystery of what God is working in Mary. Joseph decides to release Mary from the marriage obligation not out of anger or shame but out of a humble, holy fear that he is unworthy to be the husband of Mary or the father of this child.
20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
The angel’s address to Joseph as son of David calls attention to Joseph’s own royal heritage and his crucial role of passing on Davidic descent to Jesus. Much is at stake if Joseph leaves Mary and does not accept this child. The angel, therefore, tells him, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home—a reference to the second stage of marriage (the coming together under one roof), which Joseph is about to abandon through his quiet divorce. The angel assures Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy did not come about by another man, but through the holy Spirit, affirming the child’s divine origins. Furthermore, Joseph has an important role to play for this child: you are to name him. To name a child is to claim the child as one’s own. Thus Joseph is being instructed to accept this child as his own son. Even though Jesus is not his biological son, as Joseph’s legal son he would have all the hereditary rights of a son, including Joseph’s royal Da-vidic descent. Therefore, “Joseph, son of David,” in this act of naming, would make this child a legal heir to David.
We as readers were introduced to the name of this child earlier in Matthew’s Gospel (i:i, 16, 17, 18). The astonishing part of the angel’s announcement at this point, however, is that he goes on to say to Joseph that he is to name the child Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. This is remarkable, first, because of who will bring salvation and, second, because of the kind of salvation he will bring. First, the Old Testament name Joshua, from which Jesus is derived, means “Yahweh is salvation.” But the angel says that Jesus himself is the one who will bring salvation. Matthew is subtly associating Jesus with Yahweh. Second, many first-century Jews were expecting God to save them from political oppression. But the angel announces that this savior is coming to save people from sin. Right at the very beginning of Matthew’s Gospel we learn that, despite the popular, political-militaristic messianic hopes of Jews in Jesus’ day, the long-awaited Mes-siah-king is coming to bring salvation from sin—an enemy much more dangerous than Rome or Herod.
Note: Our knowledge of wedding customs in first-century Palestine is limited. That said, the basic outlines are clear enough. The first stage of marriage was the betrothal period. This involved a young man offering a bridal price to the father of the young woman he hoped to marry. Girls were considered eligible for marriage by about age thirteen or fourteen. If an agreement was reached, the young man and woman were betrothed. This was similar to a modern engagement, except that the betrothed couple was already legally married and a bill of divorce was needed to terminate the union. Still, the bride usually continued to live with her parents throughout the betrothal period, which could last as long as a year. The second stage of the marriage was the wedding feast. This began after sunset when the groom went to the home of his bride and led her in a celebratory procession to a great banquet being prepared at the couple’s new home. It was common in ancient Palestinian villages—and remains so in some modern Arab communities—for folks to come out of their homes and bid good wishes as the wedding party passed by. The procession itself was filled with singing and dancing and was guided by maiden torchbearers. When the couple reached their home, followed by a long train of family members, friends, and guests, the feast began. This could last an entire week or more. There was no honeymoon in the modern sense, but from that point on the newlyweds shared a common life together.
Nativity of Jesus (2:6-7)
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| Nativity (1597) by Federico Barocci |
6 While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
- Comments by Fr Jacob Nampudakam (Rector General Pallottine Fathers & Brothers):
This was a choice that God made for his Son: to be born poor. No palace, no golden ornaments, no festivities, but only the company of his parents, animals and a group of shepherds. Why did the Son of God choose to live his earthly life in radical poverty? It was precisely to share our human condition, our fragility and our existential poverty. Saint Vincent Pallotti expressed this same truth when he wrote:
“O Holy Wise Men, when you entered the blessed Grotto of Bethlehem, you were not scandalized to find the Messiah whom you were seeking in a poor little boy, one barely covered by poor cloths, in the arms of his humble Mother, in a poor cave, courted only by poor shepherds: in this appearance of poverty, humiliation and of the weakness of men you recognized the King of glory, the Saviour of the world and the true Son of God and you did so by subduing your intellect out of respect for faith: we thank you for this beautiful example which you gave us of the manner in which the human intellect is to surrender so as to believe the incomprehensible mysteries of God. Oh! Obtain also for us this strength of spirit and this steadfastness of heart; so that neither the deceptions of error, nor the disorder of the passions, nor any internal or external temptation will cause us to waver in holy faith” (OOCC VI, 215-216).
There are millions of children born today in the mangers, on the streets and in the orphanages. As we celebrate the birth of the Babe of Bethlehem, let us commit ourselves to the protection and care of the children and the most vulnerable persons in our society. Let us dedicate this Christmas to them. May they find a home to live in; may they experience the warmth of love in a family.
“I invite all to protect and care for children so their smile can never fade,” Pope Benedict XVI said in downtown Guanajuato, Mexico on 25th March 2012. He added: “You, my little friends, are not alone”.
- comments by Pope Benedict XVI (Prayer in the life of the Holy Family of Nazareth 2011):
The Pope highlighted in particular the "contemplation of Christ" that "has its unsurpassed model in Mary"."The eyes of her heart are focused on him already at the Annunciation, when she conceived him by the Holy Spirit in the following months and gradually felt his presence, until the day of birth, when her eyes locked with motherly tenderness on the face of her Son, and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. The memories of Jesus, set in her mind and heart, marked every moment of Mary's life. She lives with her eyes fixed on Christ, and treasures his every word. " Luke writes that she "kept all these things and pondered them in her heart" with "an attitude that will last throughout her existence." This image "shows Mary as the model for every believer who maintains and meditates on the words and actions of Jesus, a mediation that is always advancement in knowledge of Him."
Mary's spirituality is "contagious: the first to be drawn is Joseph. He was already a good man with a unique relationship with God. " After the encounter with the angel, "he joins his life to the plan of salvation, doing the will of God with confident trust." The Gospel does not have any of Joseph’s words. "His presence is a silent but faithful one, constant, hard-working. We can imagine that he, like his bride, and in intimate harmony with her, lived the childhood and adolescence of Jesus savoring, so to speak, his presence in their family. Joseph has fully accomplished his paternal role in every aspect."
Announcement to the shepherds (2:8-15)
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| The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds (1833), by Thomas Cole |
9 The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.
10 The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.
12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."
13 And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
14 "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."
The "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (aka abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria) is a hymn that begins with the words that the angels sang when the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds in Luke 2:14. The Gloria has been and still is sung to a wide variety of melodies. Modern scholars have catalogued well over two hundred of them.
- comments by Pope John Paul II:
1. "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy... For to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord" (Lk 2:10-11).
The Liturgy invites us to celebrate with joy the great event of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. As we have just heard in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is born into a family poor by material standards, but rich in joy. He is born in a stable, for there is no place for him in the inn (cf. Lk 2:7); he is placed in a manger, for there is no cradle for him; he comes into the world completely helpless, without anyone's knowledge, and yet he is welcomed and recognized first by the shepherds, who hear from the angel the news of his birth.
The event conceals a mystery. It is revealed by the choirs of heavenly messengers who sing of Jesus' birth and proclaim glory "to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased" (Lk 2:14). Through the ages their praise becomes a prayer which rises from the hearts of the throngs who on Christmas Night continue to welcome the Son of God.
2. Mysterium: event and mystery. A man is born, who is the Eternal Son of the Almighty Father, the Creator of heaven and earth: in this extraordinary event the mystery of God is revealed. In the Word who becomes man the miracle of the Incarnate God is made manifest. The mystery sheds light on the event of the birth: a baby is adored by the shepherds in the lowly stable, at Bethlehem. He is "the Savior of the world", "Christ the Lord" (cf. Lk 2:11). Their eyes see a newborn child, wrapped in swaddling cloths and placed in a manger, and in that "sign", thanks to the inner light o faith, they recognize the Messiah proclaimed by the Prophets.
3. This is Emmanuel, God-with-us, who comes to fill the earth with grace. He comes into the world in order to transform creation. He becomes a man among men, so that in him and through him every human being can be profoundly renewed. By his birth he draws us all into the sphere of the divine, granting to those who in faith open themselves to receiving his gift the possibility of sharing in his own divine life.
This is the meaning of the salvation which the shepherds hear proclaimed that night in Bethlehem: "To you is born a Saviour" (Lk 2:11). The coming of Christ among us is the centre of history, which thereafter takes on a new dimension. In a way, it is God himself who writes history by entering into it. The event of the Incarnation thus broadens to embrace the whole of human history, from creation until the Second Coming. This is why in the Liturgy all creation sings, voicing its own joy: the floods clap their hands, all the trees of the wood sing for joy, and the many coastlands are glad (cf. Ps 98:8, 96:12; 97:1).
Every creature on the face of the earth receives the proclamation. In the astonished silence of the universe, the words which the Liturgy puts on the lips of the Church take on a cosmic resonance: Christus natus est nobis. Venite, adoremus!
4. Christ is born for us; come, let us adore him! My thoughts already turn to Christmas next year when, God willing, I shall inaugurate the Great Jubilee with the opening of the Holy Door. It will be a truly great Holy Year, for in a completely unique way it will celebrate the two thousandth anniversary of the event and mystery of the Incarnation, in which humanity reached the apex of its calling. God became man in order to give man a share in his own divinity. Christus natus est nobis — Christ is born for us. Venite, adoremus! Come, let us adore him!
[The Biblical Magi
The Gospel of Matthew and the Christian tradition describes the biblical magi, three distinguished foreigners who visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity celebrations of Christmas and are an important part of Christian tradition.
The single biblical account in Matthew 2 simply presents an event at an unspecified point after Christ's birth in which an unnumbered party of unnamed "wise men" (mágoi) visits him in a house (oikian).
1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
2 saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage."
3 When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:
6 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"
7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage."
9 After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
11 and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
13 When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."
14 Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.
15 He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called my son."
16 When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
The wise men are mentioned twice shortly thereafter in verse 16, in reference to their avoidance of Herod after seeing Jesus, and what Herod had learned from their earlier meeting. The star which they followed has traditionally become known as the Star of Bethlehem.
comments by Edward Sri, professor of theology and Scripture:
The word magi originally described members of the Median and Persian priestly caste who advised the king and interpreted dreams. The term later was used more broadly to denote those who possessed mystical knowledge as priests, astrologers, soothsayers, or sages. Their popular association with kings today may be based on Old Testament passages that recount kings bringing gifts to the royal Davidic son (Ps 72:10-11), including gifts of gold and frankincense (Isa 60:3-6). In the Jewish tradition magi would bring to mind the opponents of Daniel in Babylon, who were associated with enchanters and sorcerers and claimed to interpret dreams and signs (Dan 1:20; 2:2; 4:6-7; 5:7 LXX). Hence, one would not expect magi from the east to be among the first to pay homage to the Jewish messiah. This account thus sets up a theme that will be repeated throughout Matthew’s Gospel: Israel’s king is welcomed by those one would least expect while Jewish leaders work against him (Matthew 2:4).
The account of the magi following a star and searching for a king underscores Jesus’ kingship by recalling the prophecy of Balaam in Num 24. In this episode the Moabite king, Balak, called upon a seer named Balaam to pronounce a curse on Israel. However, each time Balaam tried to curse Israel God took control of his speech and words of blessing came out of his mouth instead. In his last attempt to curse Israel, the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied about a future king arising out of Israel. According to this oracle, a star would be the sign of the great king’s arrival (Num 24:17).
All this foreshadows the events associated with Herod, the magi, and the birth of Jesus. Just as Balak sought to use the pagan seer Balaam to destroy Israel, so Herod seeks to use the pagan magi to destroy the Christ child. And just as Balaam failed to cooperate with the king’s plan, uttering blessings instead of curses, so the magi fail to assist Herod in his plot to destroy Jesus, paying the child homage instead of reporting his location to Herod. Balaam prophesied about a star heralding the coming of a great king to Israel; the magi see that star and come to worship the newborn king. Thus the magi stand as “successors to Balaam” in the sense that they pay homage to the king that Balaam foretold long ago.
The idea of a star signaling the birth of a great person or king was popular in the ancient world. Various explanations have been offered as to what this star guiding the magi was: (1) it was a comet, such as Hailey’s comet that appeared in 12-n BC; (2) it was a planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which gave the appearance of a bright, single star in 7 BC; or (3) the star was a stellar explosion—a nova—which is reported to have been sighted in 5-4 BC.One shortcoming of these naturalistic explanations is that the star in Matthew’s Gospel leads the magi and then comes to rest over a house (2:9)—things ordinary stars do not do. This suggests that—whatever the nature of the star in Matt 2 might have been—God intervened in an extraordinary way to lead the magi to the messiah. One interesting proposal is that the star guiding the magi represents an angelic figure. In the Jewish tradition stars were associated with angels and the guiding star in Matthew’s Gospel recalls the angel God sent to guide the people in the desert on their way to the promised land (Exod 14:19). Thus while some natural stellar phenomenon might have initially led the magi in search of a king, Matthew is telling us that God is providing a supernatural guide to lead the magi to Christ, just as he provided Israel with an angel to lead them through the desert.
When news about the magi’s quest spreads around Jerusalem, King Herod becomes greatly troubled. Herod was not born king of the Jews. He was an Idumean, whose family got itself appointed by Rome to rule over the Jews. Magi following a star and seeking the newborn king of the jews would have been quite alarming to the ethnically non-Jewish Herod, especially in these later years of his life when he was violently paranoid about any potential rival to his throne.
The chief priests and scribes tell Herod that the messiah was expected to be born in Bethlehem, a city charged with Davidic hopes. This was the place where David was born and, according to the prophet Micah, the new Davidic king was expected to come from this city (Mic 5:1). The Jewish leaders quote this passage and then go on to say that this ruler will shepherd my people Israel—an echo of God’s words to David at the beginning of his reign (2 Sam 5:2).
The magi's long journey reaches its climax as they enter the house and see the child with Mary his mother. This reference to Mary and the child in a house in Bethlehem can stand in complete harmony with Luke’s account of the child being laid in a manger (Luke 2:7). Since first-century peasant homes in Palestine often had the lodging place for persons on one level and animals dwelling with a manger on a lower level, the house the magi visit in Matt 2 might be the same house where Jesus was born in Luke 2. Another possibility is that Jesus was born in a cave near Bethlehem (a tradition that goes back to second-century pilgrims traveling to Bethlehem) and that later the holy family moved to a more comfortable dwelling, a house, which is where the magi find them.
The magi do not simply kneel before Christ; they prostrated themselves on their faces and did him homage. Though prostration before kings was common in the ancient Near East, elsewhere in Matthew’s Gospel prostration and giving homage are associated with divine worship (4:9-10; 14:23; 15:25; 28:9, 17). The Gentile magi, therefore, offer Christ the worship that Herod, the chief priests, and scribes failed to offer.
The gifts of gold, frankincense (an expensive perfume used for incense in worship), and myrrh (an exotic spice) represent luxurious gifts fit for a king. They recall the Gentile queen of Sheba bringing spices and a large amount of gold for King Solomon (1 Kings 10:1-2). Jesus, the new son of David (1:1-17), 's welcomed with similar gifts by these Gentile magi. The gifts also recall prophecies about the nations coming to pay homage to the king of Israel, falling down before him and offering gifts of gold and frankincense (Ps 72:10-11; Isa 60:1-6). As such, this scene underscores that Jesus is not just king of the Jews (2:2)—he is king of the whole world.
When the magi failed to return to Herod, he ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under. Such violence is consistent with other ruthless acts Herod performed near the end of his life, including the murder of his own wife and sons whom he feared were trying to supplant him. Yet, as horrific as the “Massacre of the Holy Innocents” was, it probably was not of the magnitude that is sometimes imagined. Bethlehem in the first century had a maximum of a thousand people, and there were probably only about twenty male children under age two dwelling in the village and surrounding district. It is not surprising that other historical works from this period do not mention this event. As tragic as these killings would have been, they remain on a smaller scale compared to Herod’s other atrocities.
]
Adoration of the Shepherds (2:16–20)
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Adoration of the Shepherds (1620) by Gerrit van Honthorst
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17 When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.
18 All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.
19 And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.
20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
- comments by Pope John Paul II (January 1, 2006 Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Mother of God):
"The fullness of time"! St Paul says that this "fullness" was achieved when God "sent forth his Son, born of woman" (Gal 4:4). Eight days after Christmas, today, the first day of the new year, we commemorate in a special way the "Woman" of whom the Apostle speaks, the Mother of God. In giving birth to the eternal Son of the Father, Mary contributed to achieving the fullness of time; she contributed uniquely to ensuring that human time would reach the measure of its fullness in the Incarnation of the Word.
The liturgy of today's solemnity has a profoundly Marian character, although this is rather soberly expressed in the biblical texts. The passage from the Evangelist Luke summarizes, as it were, what we heard on Christmas night. It says that the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph and the Child lying in the manger. After seeing him, they recounted what they had been told of him. And all were amazed at the shepherds' tale. "
"But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (2:19). It is worth reflecting on this sentence which expresses a wonderful aspect of Mary's motherhood. In a certain sense, the whole liturgical year follows in the footsteps of this motherhood, beginning with the feast of the Annunciation on 25 March, exactly nine months before Christmas. On the day of the Annunciation, Mary heard the Angel's words: "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.... The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God" (Luke 1: 31-33, 35). And she answered: "Let it be to me according to your word" (ibid., 1:38).
Mary conceived through the Holy Spirit. Like every mother, in her womb she carried that Son, whom she alone knew to be the Only-begotten Son of God. She gave birth to him in the night of Bethlehem. Thus began the earthly life of the Son of God and his mission of salvation in the world's history.
"Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart."
How can we marvel that the Mother of God should remember all this in a special and indeed unique way? Every mother has a similar knowledge of the beginning of a new life within her. Every person's history is written first of all in his own mother's heart. It is no wonder that the same was true for the earthly life of the Son of God.
Today, the first day of the new year, on the threshold of a new year, the Church returns to this inner experience of the Mother of God. She does so not only by thinking back to the events of Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem, to the various stages, that is, of the Redeemer's earthly life, but also by considering all that his Life, Death and Resurrection have brought about in human history.
Mary was present with the Apostles on the day of Pentecost; she participated directly in the birth of the Church. Since then her motherhood accompanies the history of redeemed humanity, the journey of the great human family, for whom the work of Redemption is intended.
At the beginning of the year, we trust in your motherly "memory", O Mary! We set out on this special path of salvation history, which is kept alive in your heart as Mother of God. To you we entrust the days of the new year, the future of the Church, the future of humanity, the future of the entire universe.
Circumcision of Jesus (2:21–40)
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| Giovanni Bellini - The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (1460) |
22 When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,
23 just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,"
24 and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him.
26 It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.
27 He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
28 he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
29 "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word,
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."
33 The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted
35 (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
38 And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
The presentation of Jesus in the temple depicts the parents of Jesus as devout Jews, faithful observers of the law of the Lord.
The Nunc dimittis (Luke 2:29–32) (also Song of Simeon or Canticle of Simeon) is a canticle from a text in the second chapter of Luke named after its first words in Latin, meaning 'Now you dismiss...'., and is often used as the final song in a religious service.
According to over eight centuries of tradition, the swaddling clothes that baby Jesus wore during the presentation at the Temple are kept in Dubrovnik Cathedral, Croatia.
comments by Pope John Paul II (Homily for the Feast of the presentation of Jesus in the temple, Monday, 2 February 1998):
With his inspired words, Simeon, a man of the Old Covenant, a man of the temple of Jerusalem, expresses his conviction that this Light is meant not only for Israel, but also for pagans and all the peoples of the earth. With him, the “aged” world receives in its arms the splendour of God’s eternal “youth”. However, the shadow of the Cross already looms in the background, because the darkness will reject that Light. Indeed, turning to Mary, Simeon prophesies: “This child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed” (Lk 2:34-35).
The words of Simeon’s canticle ring out in many temples of the New Covenant, where every evening Christ’s disciples finish the Liturgy of the Hours by praying Compline (the Compline is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition of the Liturgy of the Hours which are the prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited by clergy, religious institutes, and the laity) . In this way the Church, the people of the New Covenant, takes as it were the last word of the Old Covenant and proclaims the fulfilment of the divine promise, announcing that the “light for revelation to the Gentiles” has spread over all the earth and is present everywhere in Christ’s redemptive work.
Together with the Canticle of Simeon, the Liturgy of the Hours has us repeat Christ’s last words on the Cross: In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum — “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (cf. Lk 23:46). It also invites us to contemplate with wonder and gratitude the saving action of Christ, “light for revelation to the Gentiles”, for the sake of mankind: Redemisti nos, Domine, Deus veritatis — “You have redeemed us, Lord, God of truth”.
In this way the Church proclaims the fulfilment of the world’s Redemption, awaited by the prophets and announced by Simeon in the temple of Jerusalem.
comments by Pope Benedict XVI (Homily 2 February 2010):
On the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple we are celebrating a mystery of Christ's life linked to the precept of Mosaic Law which prescribed that 40 days after the birth of their first-born child parents should go to the Temple of Jerusalem to offer the infant to the Lord and for the ritual purification of the mother (cf. Ex 13:1-2, 11-16; Lv 12:1-8). Mary and Joseph also fulfilled this rite, offering to comply with the law a couple of turtle doves or pigeons. In giving a deeper interpretation to these things we understand that at this moment it is God himself who is presenting his Only-Begotten Son to humanity through the words of the elderly Simeon and the Prophetess Anna. Simeon, in fact, proclaimed Jesus as the "salvation" of humanity, a "light" for all the nations and a "sign that is spoken against", because he would reveal the thoughts of hearts (cf. Lk 2:29-35). In the East this Feast was called Hypapante, a feast of encounter. In fact, Simeon and Anna, who met Jesus in the Temple and recognized him as the Messiah so long awaited, represent humanity that encounters its Lord in the Church. Subsequently, this Feast also spread to the West, where above all the symbol of light and the procession with candles which gave rise to the term "Candlemas" (Candle Mass on February 2nd) developed. This visible sign is intended to mean that the Church encounters in faith the One who is "the light of men" and in order to bring this "light" into the world, receives him with the full dynamism of her faith.
In conjunction with this Liturgical Feast, as from 1997, Venerable John Paul II decreed that a special Day of Consecrated Life to be celebrated in the whole Church. In fact, the sacrifice of the Son of God symbolized by his presentation in the Temple is the model for every man and woman who consecrate their life totally to the Lord. The purpose of this Day is threefold: first of all to praise and thank the Lord for the gift of consecrated life; secondly to promote knowledge and appreciation of it among the whole People of God and lastly to invite all those who have dedicated their life totally to the cause of the Gospel to celebrate the marvels that the Lord has worked in them.
"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession of faith" (Heb 4:14). This verse shows Jesus who ascends to the Father. Christ is presented as the Mediator: he is true God and true man and for this reason truly belongs to both the divine and human worlds.
In fact, it is precisely and only on the bases of this faith, on this profession of faith in Jesus Christ, the only and definitive Mediator, that consecrated life, a life consecrated to God through Christ has meaning in the Church. It has meaning only if he is truly the mediator between God and us; otherwise it would merely be a form of sublimation or of escape. If Christ were not truly God and at the same time fully man, the foundation of Christian life as such would be lacking as, in quite a significant way, would the foundation of every Christian consecration of man and woman. The consecrated life, in fact, "powerfully" witnesses and expresses the reciprocal seeking of God and man, the love that attracts them to each other. The very fact of being consecrated makes the consecrated person, as it were, a "bridge" to God for all who encounter him or her a reminder, a reference point. And this is all by virtue of the mediation of Jesus Christ, the Consecrated One of the Father. He is the foundation! He who shared our weaknesses so that we might participate in his divine nature.
Rather than on faith our text insists on "trust", with which we may draw near to the "throne of grace", since our high priest was himself "put to the test in all things like ourselves". We may approach him to "receive mercy" and "find grace" and "help in time of need". It seems to me that these words contain a great truth and also a great comfort for us who have received the gift and commitment of special consecration in the Church.
Full of trust and gratitude, let us therefore also renew the act of the total offering of ourselves, presenting ourselves in the Temple. May the Year for Priests be a further opportunity for religious who are priests to intensify their journey of sanctification and, for all consecrated men and women, may it be an encouragement to accompany and sustain their ministry with fervent prayer. Let us approach God who is thrice Holy to offer our life and our mission, both personally and as a community of men and women consecrated to the Kingdom of God. Let us make this inner gesture in profound spiritual communion with the Virgin Mary. As we contemplate her in the act of presenting the Child Jesus in the Temple, let us venerate her as the first and perfect consecrated one, carried by the God whom she carries in her arms; Virgin, poor and obedient, totally dedicated to us because she belongs totally to Gods. At her school and with her motherly help let us renew our "here I am" and our "fiat". Amen.
comments by Francis Martin, president of Father Francis Martin Ministries (FFMM), "commentary on the Gospel of John":
One of the most difficult experiences in human life is to witness the suffering of a loved one. While we might not be afflicted in the exact same way, we nevertheless share the suffering of our loved ones in a very real way. Since we love, we suffer with those who suffer.
The Church prescribes this reading for the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, a feast that speaks to this experience. At Jesus’ presentation in the temple, Simeon prophesied to Mary, “You yourself a sword will pierce,... that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35). The sword of sorrow pierces Marys heart as she stands at the foot of the cross and watches her only Son die. She is powerless to change anything, and all she can do is simply be present to her Son. As we share the suffering of our loved ones, so too does Mary share in the suffering of her dying Son. When we find ourselves sharing our loved ones’ pain, we can turn to the intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, who has been in the same place we are. We are encouraged to ask Our Lady of Sorrows to intercede for us in such times, so that through her prayers and maternal tenderness, we might find help and consolation.
Finding in the Temple (2:41-52)
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| Heinrich Hofmann - Christ in the temple (1871) |
42 and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom.
43 After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
44 Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
45 but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions,
47 and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety."
49 And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"
50 But they did not understand what he said to them.
51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus advanced (in) wisdom and age and favor before God and man.
- comments by Pope John Paul II:
The Evangelist Luke describes the young Jesus’ pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem as the last episode of the infancy narrative, before the start of John the Baptist's preaching. It is an usual occasion which sheds light on the long years of his hidden life in Nazareth.
On this occasion, with his strong personality Jesus reveals that he is aware of his mission, giving to this second “entry” into his “Father’s house” the meaning of his total gift of self to God which had already marked his presentation in the temple.
This passage seems to contrast with Luke’s note that Jesus was obedient to Joseph and Mary (cf. 2:51). But, if one looks closely, here he seems to put himself in a conscious and almost deliberate antithesis to his normal state as son, unexpectedly causing a definite separation from Mary and Joseph. As his rule of conduct, Jesus states that he belongs only to the Father and does not mention the ties to his earthly family. Jesus’ behaviour seemed very unusual.
Certainly for his parents, finding him on the third day means discovering another aspect of his person and his mission.
He takes the role of teacher, as he will later do in his public life, speaking words that arouse admiration: “And all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers” (2:47). Revealing a wisdom that amazes his listeners, he begins to practice the art of dialogue that will be a characteristic of his saving mission.
His Mother asked Jesus: “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously” (Lk 2:48). Here we can discern an echo of the “whys” asked by so many mothers about the suffering their children cause them, as well as the questions welling up in the heart of every man and woman in times of trial.
On his reply to his anguished Mother, the Son immediately reveals the reason for his behavior. Mary had said: “Your father”, indicating Joseph; Jesus replies: “My Father”, meaning the heavenly Father.
Referring to his divine origin, he does not so much want to state that the temple, his Father's house, is the natural “place” for his presence, as that he must be concerned about all that regards his Father and his plan. He means to stress that his Father's will is the only norm requiring his obedience.
This reference to his total dedication to God’s plan is highlighted in the Gospel text by the words: “I must be”, which will later appear in his prediction of the Passion (cf. Mk 8:31).
His parents then are asked to let him go and carry out his mission wherever the heavenly Father will lead him.
The Evangelist comments: “And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them” (Lk 2:50). Mary and Joseph do not perceive the sense of his answer, nor the way (apparently a rejection) he reacts to their parental concern. With this attitude, Jesus intends to reveal the mysterious aspects of his intimacy with the Father, aspects which Mary intuits without knowing how to associate them with the trial she is undergoing.
Luke’s words teach us how Mary lives this truly unusual episode in the depths of her being. She “kept all these things in her heart” (Lk 2:51). The Mother of Jesus associates these events with the mystery of her Son, revealed to her at the Annunciation, and ponders them in the silence of contemplation, offering her co-operation in the spirit of a renewed “fiat”.
In this way the first link is forged in a chain of events that will gradually lead Mary beyond the natural role deriving from her motherhood, to put herself at the service of her divine Son’s mission.
At the temple in Jerusalem, in this prelude to his saving mission, Jesus associates his Mother with himself; no longer is she merely the One who gave him birth, but the Woman who, through her own obedience to the Father’s plan, can co-operate in the mystery of Redemption.
Thus keeping in her heart an event so charged with meaning, Mary attains a new dimension of her co-operation in salvation.
- comments by Kathy Bernard (Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist and author of catholicvu.com) :
TODAY, over two thousand years later, it is our turn to carry out this mission, our turn to be “about the Father’s business”. If we have dedicated our lives to being a Christian, we also have the responsibility as co-heirs to take up our mantles of discipleship and spread the word in the corner of our world. We cannot shrink back and hide and expect to reap the fruits of suffering and martyrdom of early believers. We, too, must take responsibility in the Father’s business.
HOW can we do this as sons and daughters of the living God? We can spread His word to all who are willing to listen. If we can expect to enjoy what early Christians gave we must be willing to sow the seeds of faith wherever we are and keep the family business alive and well. Jesus told us in Matt 28:19-20) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you”. This is the legacy given to us as God's children.
This life is short, therefore we do not have time to squander and waste on frivolities. We cannot spend the precious moments of this brief journey on things that take us away from our Father’s business. Sometimes it is hard to see beyond the refuse life lays in our paths.
NO one said it would be easy to be a Christian. Many of us have stood on the bridge of uncertainty and doubt. We have been torn between the now of this earth and the forever promised. Sometimes we get weary and many times do not understand why so many bad things come our way especially when we are striving to be like Jesus. It shakes our faith somehow. We feel it is an impossible climb to reach the level of obedience God requires of us and we think we cannot reach that pinnacle of perfection. Well, God understands and that is why he forgives and climbs that mountain with us. Sometimes we get tired and discouraged when we pray and there doesn’t seem to be an answer. We feel abandoned and afraid; adrift on the waves of sin that plagues the world. And yes, we are sometimes tempted to forego our charge to keep the word of God and go our own way. But because we know what we know about the Father we cannot be entirely happy moving away from the safety of His wings. We cannot have peace in our souls without Him in our lives, and so we come back with humble and contrite spirits when we realize that the only good that is good has to come from our Father’s Hands. It becomes clear to us when we realize that God is our stronghold and therefore things can only come out right if He is in control.
WITHOUT God, there is a void that nothing and nobody can do anything about. Only the Father can pour the oil of content on our discontent. Only God can put out the fire of rage and anger we sometimes feel by giving us the living water that quenches all fire and thirst. Only God can fill us when we are hungry by giving to us His everlasting food called grace. Only the faith in Jesus Christ our Savior can give us the hope that we will rise again and live forever in glory, just as He did over two thousand years ago, never again to suffer the ills and pains of this imperfect life, never to grow old and infirm, and never again to shed an impotent tear. We shall then be privileged to see the face of God in awesome splendor and never tire of its wonder.
The Father sent His Son Jesus Christ our Lord to shed his blood for us, to die for us, in order to make us eternal heirs to His eternal Kingdom. And to heed the command of the Son as He rose to be with our Father “to keep our Father’s business alive and flourishing by spreading His Word”.
THERE will be those who will not understand. There will be those who will not want to know the means to salvation. There are those who will be blind to truth. Those souls we will pray for, asking God’s mercy, knowing we are using the greatest and most powerful tool ever given to man. And if we encounter those who ask why we are so strong in our faith when we talk about God and Eternity, we can truly say as Jesus said when He was only 12 years old “I must be about my Father’s business”.
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