Tag Archives: Faith

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

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Luke2_21_ChildJesusPresentedInTheTemple,

Luke 2, 22-40 "When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel,and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, 28he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation,which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him."

 

—AND TO VENERABLE MOTHER MARY OF AGREDA: “My daughter, the doctrine and example contained in this Mystery will teach thee to strive after the constancy and expansion of heart by which thou mayest prepare thyself to accept blessings and adversity, the sweet and the bitter, with equanimity. “How persistently the human  heart forgets that its Teacher and Master has first accepted sufferings, and has honored and sanctified them in His own Person! “Remember the sorrow that pierced my heart at the prophecies of Simeon, and how I remained in peace and tranquility, even though my heart and soul were transfixed by a sword of pain. “Seek ever to preserve inward peace. “Full of trust in me, whenever tribulation comes over thee, fervently exclaim: “‘ The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear?’”

 

THE BLESSED VIRGIN SAID TO ST. BRIDGET OF SWEDEN: “I did not need purification, like other women, because my Son who was born of me, made me clean. Nevertheless, that the Law and the prophecies might be fulfilled, I chose to live according to the Law. Nor did I live like worldly parents, but humbly conversed with the humble. Nor did I wish to show anything extraordinary in me, but loved whatever was humble. “On that day (of the Purification) my pain was increased. For though by divine inspiration I knew that my Son was to suffer, yet this grief pierced my heart  more keenly at Simeon’s words. And until I was assumed in body and soul to Heaven, this grief never left my heart, although it was tempered by the consolation of the Spirit of God. Let not, then, this grief leave thy heart, for without tribulation few would reach Heaven.”

Brown, Raphael (2011-02-28). The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics (p. 132). TAN Books. Kindle Edition.

Your Light, My Light

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Your Light, My Light

As the dark of night
Makes way for Your Sun,
Open our eyes to New Day.

To the Temple of our God,
Your Light is carried forth,
In the arms of the Virgin.

Pure Mother of Nations,
May we, too, be bathed,
And come up from the waters,
Open to Light and Life.

copyright 2015 Joann Nelander

Joann Nelander
lionessblog.com

Let us receive the light whose brilliance is eternal

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via Divine Office.org

From a sermon by Saint Sophronius, bishop
Let us receive the light whose brilliance is eternal

In honor of the divine mystery that we celebrate today, let us all hasten to meet Christ. Everyone should be eager to join the procession and to carry a light.

Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.

The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.

The light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness. This, then, is our feast, and we join in procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God.

The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Let all of us share in its splendor, and be so filled with it that no one remains in the darkness. Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the light whose brilliance is eternal. Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of the light, who sent the true light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendor.

Through Simeon’s eyes we too have seen the salvation of God which he prepared for all the nations and revealed as the glory of the new Israel, which is ourselves. As Simeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness.

By faith we too embraced Christ, the salvation of God the Father, as he came to us from Bethlehem. Gentiles before, we have now become the people of God. Our eyes have seen God incarnate, and because we have seen him present among us and have mentally received him into our arms, we are called the new Israel. Never shall we forget this presence; every year we keep a feast in his honor.

Joann Nelander
lionessblog.com

Playing With God

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Don’t go alone.
Take God dancing.
Swim in Him.
Chase butterflies by His side.
Taste Him in the ice cream.
Try to find Him hiding in broccoli.
Look for Him in a tickle.
God goes undercover in every hug, wink and smile.
You can’t miss Him in a kiss.

You are the dimple in God’s smile.
He delights in your laughter.
when He throws you in the air,
Never fear, He catches you on the way down.
Did you know, He’s got your picture on His fridge?

©2012 Joann Nelander

People of Praise

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Your people praise you, O Lord.
As points of light,
Scattered about
The surface of the Earth.
Together with angelic choirs,
That dot the firmament,
Your children sing.

With fish, and bird,
With rivers and seas,
With mountains,
And heavenly heights,
Creation sings in chorus,
Affirmation,
Acclamation,
And affection,
In sanctifying hosannas,
That fall as bountiful rain,
To water man and beast
With fruitful exaltation,
Multipling our delight,
As we magnify our God.

We are your mothers,
Fathers, sisters,
Brothers, friends
Of Your fold,
Returning praise,
And worship due
The Most High Lord
Of all creation.
In Your Light we
Become Your Light.

© 2012 Joann Nelander

POPE PIUS XI, “Spiritually, we are Semites” (Sept 6, 1938) via Dialogika

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via Dialogika

POPE PIUS XI, “Spiritually, we are Semites” (Sept 6, 1938)

Written by Pope Pius XI

Pius XIOn September 6, 1938, Pope Pius XI spontaneously offered the following reflection to a group of Belgian pilgrims. It was apparently not the Vatican’s practice at the time to publish papal statements that had not been prepared in advance. Consequently, Pius XI’s words were not printed in contemporary Vatican publications, but they were recorded and published in Belgium and elsewhere. Given the legal restrictions being imposed on Jews by the Nazi government, some commentators hold that the sentence on self-defense reflects theological anti-Judaism (which saw Jews as a threat to Christian faith), thus undercutting the power of the famous final sentence. Others see these remarks as a first glimmer of theological solidarity with Jews. Source: La Documentation Catholique (1938), pp. 1459-1460; cited in Johannes G. M. Willebrands, Church and Jewish People: New Considerations (Paulist, 1992), p. 60.

 

At the most solemn moment of the Mass we recite the prayer which contains the expression “sacrifice of Abel, sacrifice of Abraham, sacrifice of Melchisedek” in three strokes, three times, three steps, the entire religious history of mankind—a magnificent passage. Every time we read it we are seized by an irresistible emotion. The sacrifice of our patriarch Abraham. Note that Abraham is called our patriarch, our ancestor. Antisemitism is incompatible with the thought and the sublime reality expressed in this text. It is alien to us, a movement in which we Christians can have no part. The promise was made to Abraham and to his descendants. It is realized in Christ, and through Christ in us who are members of his mystical body. Through Christ and in Christ we are the spiritual descendants of Abraham. No, it is not possible for Christians to take part in antisemitism. We acknowledge for all the right to defend themselves, to adopt measures of protection against what threatens their legitimate interests. But antisemitism is inadmissible. Spiritually, we are Semites.

via Dialogika