The Sixth Day in the Octave of the Nativity
Year A
Reading: 1 John 2: 12-17
Responsorial Psalm: PS 96: 7-10
“Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!”
Gospel: Luke 2: 36-40
Luke 2:38 – “She gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Today the Gospel continues the account of the presentation of the Lord in the Temple.
Why was the Temple so important for ancient Israel? In the Temple, divinity and humanity embraced, and the human race was brought back online with God.
There is more to the presentation story than the return of the Lord to His Temple, for He comes to His Temple precisely in human form, indeed in the form of a little baby. The Son of God, having taken to himself a human nature, is presented to the Father as a sacrifice, and thereby the human race is set right.
God himself is forming us in the right worship of God. Ponder the significance of that truth.
This little baby is the reconciliation of divinity and humanity. He is the very essence of Temple worship.
Pray for peace in our world today.
With thanks to Holy Name of Mary Parish, Hunters Hill, who have supplied these daily Advent and Christmas 2019 reflections from their publication Daily Inspirations of Faith: A Season of Prayer – Advent to Epiphany 2019-20.
