Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
February 2, 2018
Mal 3:1-4; Lk 2:22-40
It is a known fact that inventions and discoveries, in some way or other, change the human being. Every invention or discover changes the way that the human person thinks of himself or herself, it changes relationships with others and with the rest of the environment.
One of the greatest inventions in the past 150 years was the invention of the light bulb by Thomas Edison in 1879. This invention has brought about a revolution in the way that men and women live. It gave birth to a huge electrical industry, with all the economic effects that would bring with it. His lightbulb also allowed more efficient indoor lighting, changing even the way that we live and construct our houses, which had an effect on the way in which families live together and interact. Moreover, the installation of lightbulbs into homes also called for wiring int he houses, which in turn enabled home appliances to developed.
In a word, the invention of just one person, in this case the invention of a lighbulb changed the life of millions of people not only of his generation but of generations to come.
According to a long tradition, today's feast was celebrated by processing to church with a lit candle. In fact, the feast was known as Candlemas. The link with light is obvious: it recalls what we heard in today's Gospel. Simeon takes the 40-day child Jesus in his arms and cries out to God,
My eyes have seen your salvation,If Thomas Edison's tiny invention has brought about such a change, a revolution, in the life of many, how greater a revolution in the life of many has the Light of the World brought! Simeon was sensitive to this and was able to see it and proclaim it to others. His own life was changed, such that he feels that he has now finally reached the end of his life, the aim and reason for all his life, that is why he starts his prayer with "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace."
which you prepared in the sight of all the people
light or revelation to the Gentiles
and the glory for your people Israel.
But Simeon also sees the impact that Jesus, the Light of the World is going to have on the rest of humanity: the fall and rise of many in Israel, and a sign that will be contradicted.
In other words, just as light drives away darkness and makes visible all that hides in it, Jesus, the light of the world drives away all evil and gives a new life to all those who are its victims.
Light is in fact a recurrent image even in Jesus's teaching. He urges his disciples to be the light of the world, which like a city on a hill cannot be hidden. A candle, a lamp, Jesus says, cannot be placed under a basket but is placed on a lampstand to give light to everyone in the house.
Today we are called to do two things: first, to recognise, as Simeon did, that Jesus is in fact the light in our lives, that he came to bring about a complete change in our personal lives, and to free us from darkness. Second, we are called to make a step further, that is to become ourselves this light, to become Christs to each other, so that others too might make the same experience of Christ, the light of the world in their own life.
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