Weekly Reflection

February 1st to 7th

(February 2nd is Candlemas)

The Presentation of Christ in the Temple

Readings: Malachi 3:1-4, Hebrews 2:12-18

1“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.

12 [Jesus] says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”

13 And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

I am focusing this week on the Feast of Candlemas, also referred to as the Presentation.

The story of Simeon and Anna and the Presentation of the Christ child in the Temple is well-known and if you would like to read this passage, you can find it in Luke 2:22-40. However if we zoom out and look at this from the perspective of Jesus’ Presentation to His Mission on earth we see the cosmic picture of when at the End of Time He comes into His Kingdom.

The reading from Malachi, especially Verse 2, points us to the fulfilment of His Mission and the point when He finally wraps up the Universe – the First and Second Advent all rolled into one! We are to be refined into pure gold and silver, to be made ready to sit with Him in His Kingdom.

Hebrews 2:16 refers to Abraham’s descendants; while making it clear that this is not Replacement Theology (the view that the Church replaces Israel and the Jewish people) we need to see that it is inclusion: as Christians we are adopted sons and daughters of Abraham – that the phrase Abraham’s descendants also includes the Church; we are privileged to be counted among God’s chosen people. Thank you Lord!

Let us devote ourselves to the path of firm discipleship; let us seek the Holy Spirit’s daily help and strength to live our lives for Him. Lord, when our time comes and when your Kingdom is fulfilled, may we be counted as those of the sheep and not the goats (Matthew 25:31 ff).

Purify my heart, let me be as gold

And precious silver

Purify my heart, let me be as gold

Pure gold.

Refiner's fire, my heart's one desire

Is to be holy

Set apart for you Lord

I choose to be holy

Set apart for You my Master

Ready to do Your will.

Malachi 3:2-3, 2 Timothy 2:21

Amen.