Presentation of the Lord – Cycle A
Reflecting on Luke 2: 22-40
Rembrandt, Simeon in the Temple, 1669
Even though we are reading from the gospel of Matthew this year, today’s feast falls on a Sunday and therefore trumps the Ordinary Time readings. Since two female saints, Mary and Anna, are featured in the account, you can bet that Luke is the author. He loves to tell us stories about women, especially Mary, and we love to hear them.
This story is all about timing. Mary and Joseph waited the prescribed forty days and then entered the Temple. Simeon was led by the Spirit to go there that day, and Anna purposely placed herself in the Temple every day so that she could bear witness to God’s perfect timing.
Have you ever been at the right place at the right time? So often it’s only in looking back that we recognize the perfect timing that led us to our spouse, or to our friends, or to faith itself. But much of “perfect timing” has to do with aligning ourselves with grace. Mary and Joseph complied with the Law. Simeon complied with the Holy Spirit. And Anna complied with her inner knowledge that if she was to see her Savior she needed to stay in the Temple.
We live our lives immersed in mystery. We are astounded at the perfect timing of many events in our lives. Somehow, we intuitively sense the Divine, and situate ourselves to be receptive to the presence of Christ, visible and invisible.
It’s in that patient day-to-day watchfulness that our lives unfold. And one day, in God’s own time, we too will say: Lord, dismiss your servant in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation.
What moments of “perfect timing” have you experienced?
You wrote: ” So often it’s only in looking back that we recognize the perfect timing that led us to our spouse…..But much of the “perfect timing” has to do with aligning ourselves with grace.” – – – I appreciate the profound insights contained in these words, Kathy because it took from 1964 / 65 to 1972 before I finally got to marry my wife in 1972 – – all with the timing that comes from grace alignment; and then my landing a job in Denver in 1987 – -the timing that did not look like “grace” because it was occasioned by unethical politics by supervisor in Richmond – -now looking back, Denver has been a most grace-full experience.
I wrote a rather lengthily share last week that still applies this week. It amazes how God gives me life changing gift right a difficult time. When I first got psoriasis at the same time I and my family had been homeless for three months, and then my grandma died I thought please Father no more I’m sick and I’m tired, please no more suffering. And then I found a job at Laradon. It was my chance in a life, I am very educated and I have always been obese, But here I was at a job serving God’s special needs people. I think I can relate to the Gospel the long awaited salvation and hope for a better life had arrived. I retired in 2006, but I still reap blessings from working there the friends I met and my pay that has offered me a reasonable disability check. Sometimes the blessing aren’t exactly what we asked and sometimes they are even better. Jesus wasn’t the great warrior Israel was looking for, He was better He was the Son of God and our salvation.
Sorry for the typos “I’m not very educated” is what I
meant So many typos and no editing Oh well thank for understanding.
When I read stories like Becky’s, embracing the pluses and minuses of life, the question comes to me:
“How do you create an accommodating heart?”
Thank you Cris, trust me right now I’m doing well My depression is somewhat under control but there are those days that I just wouldn’t share because I’m in a negative place. And sharing would so difficult, But God Bless you for the kind words.