The Presentation of Our Lord

You 

are 

my 

hope, 

O Lord 

God, 

my

confidence 

since 

I was young. 

Psalm Antiphon:Psalm 71

                  Saints and Seasons 

The creches stayed out longest, as usual, waiting for the arrival of the magi. Not that Mary and Joseph themselves awaited the sages from the east - they had no way of knowing that they were even on their way, and had been this long time, bringing their strange treasures. They were busy just getting by, trying to get used to having a child, struggling to keep him warm and dry and fed. The magi themselves knew not where their journey would end; the child was 2 by the time they arrived.

We have managed to take that sacred moment when God took flesh, and have frozen it in time. I wonder if Mary and Joseph don’t look down at our creches and chuckle a little.  In can hear Mary laugh and say  “‘ The Little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes!’ Remember how he cried, Joe? Sometimes  I wondered what I’d gotten myself into! Look at me kneeling there- you’d think we had nothing to do but be lost in adoration! Oh, we did have our moments of wonder, but they were usually after Jesus had  finally fallen asleep and we lay exhausted among the animals.”

But now the mystery of that Incarnation is packed away til next year,  along with it’s amazing implications,  Already, in mid-January, Valentine’s Day is being hawked in the stores; love for sale. Packed away also is the fact that, at least from the outside, the story doesn’t have a happy ending. 

But before we leave the mystery of Christmas behind altogether, the Church offers us a chance to pause and consider it once agin as we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the temple on February 2. (Luke 2:22-38) Much as we do at Baptism, Mary and Joseph bring the offering of their son to the temple. Two faithful people who have watched and waited for the Hope of Israel see and recognize Jesus that day: the prophet Anna, aged 84, who had been married a scant seven years and since then has lived as a widow in the temple until that day. And so did the aged prophet Simeon, who takes Jesus in his arms and proclaims that now he can die in peace, having seen the arrival of the “light to enlighten the nations and the glory of your people Israel.” (BCP Pg 120) 

But even in the midst of fulfillment, of recognition and celebration, the shadow of the cross hangs over them here as Simeon turns for her SOn to Mary and says “and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”  And ours as well. 

Louise Buck 

February 2012

Saints and Seasons @ is a monthly (except for August) column written by Louise Buck for the community at St David's Episcopal Church, 5050 Milton St, San Diego CA.