Gospel Reflection for Sunday, February 2, 2025

Dear brothers and sisters, peace and blessings to you.

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. Hard to believe, but forty days have already passed since Christmas. Joseph and Mary travel to Jerusalem to fulfill the Jewish purification rites. This moment is another revelation of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah—yet only two people, Simeon and Anna, were able to recognize Him.

In Bethlehem, the glory of the Lord shone upon the shepherds. In distant lands, the star guided the Magi. And now, in the Temple of Jerusalem, light has appeared for all people. This feast serves as a bridge between Christmas and Easter, with Mary, the Mother of God, as the connecting link between these two key moments of salvation. In the Eastern tradition, this day is known as the Feast of the Encounter, symbolizing the meeting of the Christ Child and the elder Simeon, the union of the Old and New Testaments.

The Consecrated Life: A Call to Witness

As we celebrate the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, the Church also marks the Day of Consecrated Life. St. John Paul II established this day so that the Church would increasingly value the witness of consecrated persons and so that they, in turn, might renew their commitment to the Lord.

Pope Francis reminds us that to be “pilgrims and sowers of hope”, consecrated men and women turn to the Lord and feel “anchored in hope”, firmly grasping the anchor of the soul, secure and steadfast, that reaches beyond the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us (Hebrews 6:18-20).

Reflections from Today’s Readings

In the book of Malachi, the Jewish people were questioning where the God of justice was. The prophet responds by proclaiming the coming of the long-awaited Savior, who would purify the temple so that the people’s offerings would once again be just and pleasing to God.

Malachi’s prophecy was fulfilled with the arrival of Jesus, who entered the Temple that should have been a house of prayer for all people but had been turned by priests and Levites into a den of thieves. Just as in Jesus’ time, there is still resistance today to accepting the coming of the Savior. This passage invites us to open the doors of our own temples—our hearts—to the Lord, who comes to purify them.

The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us of the Incarnation of the Lord. Jesus did not come to help angels, but to become one of us, to be our connection with the Father. He took on our fears and struggles, sharing in our weaknesses from the inside, not as a distant observer. Since He was tested in every way, yet without sin, He understands our struggles, offering us help when we feel overwhelmed.

A Different Kind of Arrival

Israel had long clung to Malachi’s prophecy, expecting God to show His power against those who failed to keep the law. But Jesus’ arrival in the Temple was not what they imagined. The Pharisees expected a grand entrance, perhaps with angelic legions, as a severe judge ready to condemn.

Instead, He arrives as a newborn, fragile and helpless, wrapped in simple cloth, cradled in the arms of a young teenage girl, accompanied by her husband.

Mary and Joseph understood that the Child did not belong to them—He was entrusted to them by God to be cared for until the day He would begin His mission. With trust, they brought Him to the Temple so that the world would know: He had arrived.

The Encounter with Simeon and Anna

This sacred encounter happens with two elderly figures—one man and one woman, the only ones able to recognize the Messiah. We still remember their names: Simeon and Anna.

A man and a woman, at the twilight of their lives, meet the Light of the World, just forty days old. This encounter was so powerful it prepared them to depart in peace. Simeon himself proclaims:

“Now, Lord, according to Your promise, You may let Your servant go in peace.”

Called to Bear Witness

The Savior Himself faced death. Because He was fully incarnate, He had to confront the “sister death”, as St. Francis called it. But Jesus embraced death as the Lord that He is, defeating it by surrendering Himself to it. He refused to let fear silence His testimony.

This call to witness our faith is for all Christians. No one is exempt from giving a reason for their faith. But some are called in a special way to a life of total dedication to God, holding nothing back. This is the testimony that religious men and women are called to live.

A personal encounter with Christ changes a person’s life. From that encounter comes the call to follow Him more closely, even at great risk. But like Mary and Joseph, this call must be answered with absolute trust in God.

A Prayer for the Consecrated Life

We are in great need of prayer and support. That is why it seems fitting to end with the prayer prepared by the Spanish Bishops’ Conference for this year’s Day of Consecrated Life.

Jubilee Prayer for the XXIX Day of Consecrated Life

Father in heaven,

the faith You have given us in Your Son Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
awaken in us the blessed hope of the coming of Your Kingdom.
May Your grace transform us into dedicated cultivators
of the seeds of the Gospel,
which ferment humanity and the cosmos,
as we await with confidence the new heavens and the new earth,
where, having overcome the forces of evil,
Your glory will shine forever.
May the grace of the Jubilee Year rekindle in us,
pilgrims of hope, the desire for heavenly goods,
and may it pour out upon the whole world
the joy and peace of our Redeemer.
To You, God, blessed forever,
be praise and glory for all eternity.
Amen.

Your brother in faith,