The Beatitudes Hinge Upon Trust in God - Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

First, let us connect the Gospel Reading of the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, C (Luke 6:17, 20-26) with the Gospel Reading of the 5th Sunday (Luke 5:1-11).

After recruiting the first batch of the disciples (Luke 5:1-11, Gospel Reading of the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, C), Jesus healed a man with leprosy and commanded him not to tell anyone about it but show himself to the priest (Luke 5:12-14). But the news about this man’s cure of leprosy spread, resulting in more people coming to Jesus to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments (Luke 5:15). Then, he withdrew to pray in deserted places (Luke 5:16). Afterward, he healed a paralytic man, who was brought down to Jesus through the roof as the man’s friends put him on a stretcher, lifting up to the rooftop, opening the roof, and lowering him on the stretcher to right in front of Jesus, as the house was so packed with the crowd who wanted to listen to him (Luke 5:17-26). Then, he recruited Levi (Matthew), tax collector, as his disciple, and Levi hosted a great banquet for Jesus and his disciples, with a large crowd of his tax collector friends (Luke 6:27-29). But the Pharisees and their scribes complained to the disciples for eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners, resulting in Jesus explanation of his reason to associate himself with the tax collectors and sinners:

Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners (Luke 5:31-32).

This was to tell the self-righteous people, like the Pharisees and the scribes that those who are not aware of their problems do not seek help but those who recognize problems do. 

Then, they questioned Jesus why his disciples eat and drink, though the disciples of John the Baptists and the Pharisees and the scribed fast (Luke 5:33). In response, Jesus used a metaphor of a bridegroom to remind that those who are with the bridegroom feast rather than fast with him until his departure (Luke 5:34-35). This suggests that those who feast with him are considered to be his disciples, while those who fast because of their take on the Law under the old covenant but find it difficult to feast with Jesus are not. 

Because it is a matter of those who follow Jesus for the new covenant and those who do not for the sake of their belief and observance of the Law of the old covenant, Jesus spoke of the set of parables of patching old cloth with new one and of pouring new wife into old skin (Luke 5:36-39).

On another occasion, Jesus taught on the priority to do life-saving works even on sabbath, as lord of sabbath (Luke 6:5), in response to an inquisition by some Pharisees why he did not strictly observe sabbath (Luke 6:1-6). And he healed a man with a withered hand on sabbath while the Pharisees were present (Luke 7:1-10). This teaching of Jesus on justifying a work to take care of life’s need touches on the spirit of פיקוח נפש (pikuach nefesh). However, they were enraged and began to discuss what to do with Jesus (Luke 6:11).

Then, on the mountain where he prayed in the night (Luke 6:12), Jesus gathered his twelve disciples, whom he also call apostles (Luke 6:13-16). Afterward, he and his twelve disciples came down to the plain with his twelve disciples, as a great number of people not only of Galilee but also from Judea and Judea, as well as, Tyre and Sidon, gathered to hear him and to be healed by touching him (Luke 6:17-19). Then, he raised his eyes to the disciples and began his sermon on the plain (Luke 6:20-49). On the 6th Sunday, we read vv.20-26, and on the 7th Sunday, we read vv. 27-38.

Jesus delivered the sermon on the plain to his disciples and to the large number of people from many places (Luke 6:17, 20a).

First, Jesus described those who are blessed (μακάριος /Makarios) (vv. 20b-23). In contrast, he addressed those who are subject to woe (οὐαὶ /ouai)(vv. 24-26).

20  Blessed are you who are poor, 

for the kingdom of God is yours.

21  Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who are now weeping,

for you will laugh. 

22  Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude e and insult you, and denounce your name as evil

on account of the Son of Man.  

23  Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.

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24  But woe to you who are rich,

for you have received your consolation. 

25  But woe to you who are filled now,

for you will be hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will grieve and weep. 

26  Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.

These words of Jesus on who are blessed and who are subject to woe make it clear that he is for and with those who are poor, hungry, weeping, hated, excluded, insulted, and denounced, because of their association with him. However, he considered those who are rich, filled, laughing, self-righteous, are rather pitied. The Greek word, οὐαὶ/oua, which is translated as “woe” has a nuance of “alas”, while it also gives an impression of being doomed. 

Those who are blessed in the eyes of Jesus may be seem pitied in the world. On contrary, those who may been seen as “blessed” in a worldly standard are objects of pity in the eyes of Jesus. It is because their wealth, satisfaction, pleasure, self-righteousness are not rooted in their faith in Christ but in carnal and worldly matter. 

This contrast of being blessed in the eyes of Jesus but being pitiable by the world and those who may seem “blessed” by a worldly standard but rather pitied by Jesus can be understood in connection to the First Reading (Jeremiah 17:5-8), in which God speaks those who are cursed and those who are blessed. 

7  Blessed are those who trust in the Lord; the Lord will be their trust.

8  They are like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It does not fear heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still produces fruit.

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5  Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. 

6  He is like a barren bush in the wasteland that enjoys no change of season, but stands in lava beds in the wilderness, a land, salty and uninhabited.

A key to be blessed to trust in God. The Hebrew word for “to trust” is בָּטח(batach), and it has a nuance to secure oneself in. In other words, those who trust in God are secure in God but in nothing else. In contrast, those who secure themselves in humans tend to find their strength and security in the flesh but turn away from God. In other words, their source of security is in what is perishable. This is, indeed, foolish as it goes against Jesus’ these words of wisdom:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be (Matthew 6:19-21).

Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal (John 6:27).

This is why they are like a barren bush in the wasteland (Jeremiah 17:6). 

In contrast, those who are wise rather secure themselves in God – by putting their full trust in nothing but in God (Jeremiah 17:7). As a result of their trust in God, they are blessed to be like a tree that remain fruitful and green even heat and draught strike for their roots are stretched to the stream (Jeremiah 17:8). And those whom Jesus describes to be blessed (Luke 6:20b-23) correspond to those who trust in God and therefore they are like a tree that stays fruitful and green regardless of climate challenges (Jeremiah 17:7-8). 

The constant and undisturbed livelihood and fruitfulness, regardless of world’s conditions of those who trust in God (Jeremiah 17:8) reflects the great reward to be rejoiced in heaven (Luke 6:23). 

When Jesus preached in the synagogue in Nazareth, those who listened to him were at first amazed but soon rejected (Luke 4:16-30). They trusted in worldly convention, and it resulted in rejecting him and disabling them to have faith in him. Then, ever since those whose commitment to the Law under the old covenant, such as the Pharisees who accused Jesus, challenged Jesus, the division between those who were with Jesus and those who were against Jesus began to grow, as the old wineskin cannot receive the new wine, which is the new covenant that Jesus brings (i.e. Luke 5:12-39). 

The division between those who are with Jesus and those who are against him (Luke 5:12-39) reflects the division between the blessed and those who are subject to woe (Luke 6:20b -26) and those who are blessed by God and those who are cursed by Him (Jeremiah 17:5-8).

A key is to enjoy the greater rewards for being faithful to Christ, even though it can make us poor, hungry, weeping, hated, excluded, and insulted (Luke 6:20b-23) is to put full trust in God to stay fully alive and fruitful in spite of climate challenges (Jeremia 17:5-8). To put trust in God means to keep faith in Him, as the Greek word of faith, πίστις/pistis, also means trust. 

In the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20), Paul justifies the faith in Jesus, attributing to his resurrection from the dead. Jesus’ words on the beatitudes (Luke 6:20b-23) and God’s words on the blessedness (Jeremiah 17:7-8) are fully validated by Jesus’ resurrection. 

God Rather Calls Those Who Are Not “Qualified” to be at His Service – Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

 When God calls you to serve His will, are you willing to respond affirmatively, saying, “Here I am! Send me!”? Or, are you going to say, “Sorry, not me. Find someone better qualified than me”? If the latter is the case with you, is it because you think you are not “qualified” to serve Him? Then, what makes you think that you are incompetent to serve? In other words, what is your disqualification to be at God’s service? 

The readings of the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C, (Isaiah 6:1-2,3-8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11), challenge us to ask ourselves how we will respond to God’s call to be at His service – regardless of what we think of our own “qualification”.

The readings also remind us that God rather calls those who are not so “qualified”. God called Isaiah, who was with עָוֹן/avon, guilt and חַטָּאָה/chattaah, sin (Isaiah 6:7). Risen Christ called Paul, who was ἔκτρωμα/ ektroma, “abnormal birth”, untimely birth (1 Corinthians 15:8). Jesus called Simon (Peter), who was with sin (Luke 5:8). Given these facts, we cannot assume that we are not fit to serve God because we think we are not good enough to be at His service. 

In the eyes of humans, none of these three figures, Isaiah, Paul (Saul), and Peter (Simon), seems fit to be at God’s service because of their respective sinfulness. 

It was in the year of Uzziah’s death when God appeared to Isaiah in a vision of heavenly King on His throne with seraphim, who were glorifying Him (Isaiah 6:1-4). This timing suggests that God made His revelation to Isaiah as to tell that death of Uzziah did not mean Judah lost its king for the Lord God Himself is the King in heaven. Given that Uzziah was a popular king of Judah for the kingdom thrived during his reign (2 Chronicles 26:1-15), though his pride resulted in contracting leprosy, which eventually took his life (2 Chronicles 16-23), Isaiah must have been grieving of Uzziah’s death. But, God wanted him to make something better for him than mourning Uzziah’s passing. So He appeared to him in such a way. 

However, when God revealed Himself to him, Isaiah must have been frightened, as he said:

Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts! (Isaiah 6:5)

He must have thought that he had a vision of God with seraphim because God was about bring a judgement upon him for his uncleanliness. Because it had been said that one would no longer live upon seeing God (Exodus 33:20), Isaiah must have feared to have seen Him on His heavenly throne. And it instantly made him painfully aware of his guilt and sinfulness. Isaiah must have thought that a seraph was coming to him to burn him into ashes for his sinfulness, for seraph (שְׂרָף/serap) literally means “to set on fire”. But the seraph flew to Isaiah to touch his unclean mouth with burning coal from the heavenly alter for cleansing (Isaiah 6:6-7). Upon the purification of Isaiah, God on His heavenly throne spoke:

Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? (Isaiah 6:8a)

And Isaiah responded:

Here I am! Send me! (Isaiah 6:8b).

Isaiah was willing and enthusiastic to serve for God and heavenly hosts, including seraphim. Thus, he served God as a prophet to convey His words to kings of Judah. He was instrumental for Hezekiah’s reign to be in accordance with God’s will (2 Kings 18:1-20:21; Isaiah 38:1-39:9).

Though, at first, it was a frightening surprise see God on His throne in heaven, because a prospect of his death was evoked and his own guilt of sinfulness were reminded, Isaiah must have thought that he would be condemned to death. However, by His grace, he was purified to serve Him as a prophet. And the grace came to him through as an ember that was placed on his mouth by a seraph. This transformed Isaiah from a man frightened of God to a new man who was eager to be sent by Him to be at His service. Rather than being mournful of the death of Uzziah, a popular king of Judah, as God’s prophet, Isaiah helped kings of Judah govern in accordance with God’s will. 

In Paul’s (Saul’s) case, he was once an enemy of Christ as he was a zealously persecuting those who believed in Christ (Acts 8:3; Philippians 3:5-6). He and his colleague were on their way to Damascus to arrest those who follow the way of Christ and bring them to Jerusalem in chain when a lightening struck him to the ground (Acts 9:1-3). Then, the ascended Christ spoke to him:

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? (Acts 9:4)

Paul sure wondered who it was. He could have also been frightened, wondering if it was ghost of one of those whom he had persecuted. Paul had to find out who was speaking to him in such a way. So he asked:

Who are you, sir? (Acts 9:5a)

And the reply said:

I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting (Acts 9:5b).

Representing those who believed in him and followed his way with the Apostles Christ directly spoke to Paul in such a way. Christ represents those who constitute his Church, for she is his body and they are many parts of this body (1 Corinthians 12:12-17; Colossians 1:18).

At that moment, Paul could have thought his life would be taken away by him for all the offenses against him. Indeed, it was not to condemn him but to convert this fervid enemy of Christ and his Church into a ardent servant of Christ. So Christ commanded Paul:

Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do (Acts 9:6).

From that point on, Paul was no longer against Christ and his Church but for him and in his Church as the newest addition to the college of the Apostles. He was baptized by Ananias in Damascus (Acts 9:10-19) and began preaching astonishingly, proving that Jesus is the Messiah (Christ), as they wondered if Paul was the Messiah (Acts 9:20-22).

Also to the church in Corinth, Paul gave his testimony of Christ’s appearance to him, with reference to himself as the least among the Apostles:

Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed (1 Corinthians 15:8-11).

In regarding himself as being born abnormally (Acts 15:8), Paul indicated that was not worthy for Christ to appear to him as he was baptized untimely by Ananias (Acts 9:10-19), while all the other Apostles were believed to have been baptized before by Jesus (i.e. John 3:22). At the same time, he was so grateful that Christ appeared to him and called him to serve as an Apostle, though he considered himself to be the least qualified to serve as Christ’s Apostle, for he had been an enemy and destroyer of the Church.

The Gospel Reading (Luke 5:1-11) describes how Jesus, the incarnated Christ, appeared to Peter (Simon) and his fishing partners, and how their lives changed upon their encounter with him. 

First, let us review Jesus’ activities prior to his appearance to Peter and his fishing partner . 

According to Luke, following his Baptism to initiate his public ministry (Luke 3:21-23a),  being led by the Holy Spirit, Jesus spent 40 days in fasting and fended off the temptations from Satan (Luke 4:1-13). Then, in the power of the Holy Spirit, he returned to Galilee from Judea and began teaching in the synagogue, while news about him spread through the region, and everyone praised him (Luke 4:14-15).

Jesus taught in his hometown, Nazareth, and indicated his Christological (Messianic) identity by proclaiming the fulfillment of a scripture passage from Isaiah (61:1-2) (Luke 4:14-21). Those who heard his were astonished. But they also questioned if this amazing prophetic and messianic person was just Joseph’s son (Luke 4:22b). Then, Jesus described himself as a rejected prophet in his own hometown and by his people, in connection to Elijah and Elisha, who were also rejected by their own people (Luke 4:23-27). In response to this, though they spoke highly of him (Luke 4:22a) violently rejected him (Luke 4:28-30).

Then, he moved to Capernaum and taught in the synagogue there with authority to the audiences’ astonishment (Luke 4:31-32). While in the synagogue, Jesus also rebuked an evil spirit in a possessed person, to further amazement of his audience (Luke 4:33-36). So the news about Jesus spread through Capernaum and its  vicinities (Luke 4:37), though he was rejected in his hometown, Nazareth (Luke 4:22b-30). 

From the synagogue, Jesus came to the house of Simon (Peter) and cured severe fever of his mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39). After sabbath, Jesus healed more people in Capernaum (Luke 4:40). However, while exorcising, demons shouted Jesus’ Messianic (Christological) identity, but he rebuked them and prohibited them from speaking about it (Luke 4:41). Then at daybreak of the day after sabbath, Jesus left Capernaum and taught in the synagogues in Judea though the crowds in Capernaum tried to keep him (Luke 4:42-44).

It looked like Jesus did not stay in Judea long. He was back in Galilee, as indicated in the Gospel Reading (Luke 5:1-11).

The crowd must have remembered Jesus, as he was impressively popular in Capernaum (Luke 4:31-42). As they listened to him, the crowd was pressing in on Jesus, when he was teaching by the Lake of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee) (Luke 5:1). Then, he saw two fishing boats alongside the lake and fishermen washing their nets (Luke 5:2). So, he embarked on Peter’s boat and asked him to put the boat a little bit off the shore and taught the crowd from the boat (Luke 5:3) so that he would be pressed by the crowd. And Jesus certainly knew Peter well enough to get on hi boat and asked him to move the boat for him, because he cured his mother-in-law in his house before on sabbath day after teaching in the synagogue (Luke 4:38-39).

After teaching from the boat, Jesus asked Peter:

Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch (Luke 5:4).

Peter replied:

Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets (Luke 5:5).

This response of Peter suggests that he wondered why Jesus had to bother him to put the nets for a catch again, after spending all night for fishing but catching none. Nevertheless, Peter regarded Jesus above him in terms of fishing capabilities and skills, calling him “master”(ἐπιστάτης/epistates)(Luke 5:5). 

Then his nets were filled with fish to the point of tearing them (Luke 5:6). The other boat had to help but the great catch resulted in filling both boats to the point of endangering them to sink (Luke 5:7). 

This must have prompted Peter to suspect something divine in Jesus, for what Jesus possessed and exercised to make him and his partners to catch so many fish at once was absolutely supernatural. Sensing the divine power in Jesus, Peter must have internally trembled, knowing that he was sinful. Perhaps, Peter was thinking, “Jesus, you are not only a mater fisherman and amazing teacher and healer but you are more than human because you just showed us your divine power by making us catch so many fish after catching nothing myself.  It was like you gathered countless fish in no time where there was no fish! Now what? What are you going to do with me through your divine power?” 

Seeing the amazing power of Jesus and suspecting the divine power in him, Peter fell at Jesus’ knees and said:

Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man (Luke 5:8).

This time, Peter identified Jesus as “Lord”( Κύριος/kurios). This suggests that Peter was at least sensing the divine power in Jesus, if not necessarily convinced yet. This evoked a sense of shame and fear in Peter, he became so aware of his sinfulness to have interacted with an astonishing man with the divine supernatural power. Also, perhaps, it was Peter’s pride as an experienced fisherman in Galilee, to feel like being kept away from Jesus, as he must have felt loosing his faith in regard to fishing skills. So, it resulted in Peter asking Jesus to depart from him. 

In response, did Jesus confronted and rebuke Peter’s sinfulness, saying, “Oh, yeah, you are a sinful man. No wonder you caught no fish. So it was a lesson for you to be aware of your sin”. No. Jesus did not touch on Peter’s sinfulness at all. Instead, while Peter and his fishing partners awestruck, Jesus said to Peter:

Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men (Luke 5:10).

And they left everything and followed Jesus (Luke 5:11).

Instead of addressing Peter’s sinfulness, Jesus gave this Galilean fisherman his assurance to make him a new person – a fisher of men from a catcher of fish. This assurance from Jesus also means that Christ found great potential in this sinful fisherman to transform him to make a great catch of men. Fast forward about 3 years from this point, Peter indeed became a great fisher of men, as he about 3,000 people at once for the nascent Church on Pentecost day (Acts 2:14-41).

God does not want us to be afraid just because we are not perfect due to our sinfulness, though it is important that we are humbly aware of our own sinfulness so that we can attain reconciliation. This is why Jesus assured Peter, saying, “Don’t be afraid”. 

If we let fear keep us from Christ, who was sent for us to live fully (i.e. 1 John 4:9; cf. John 10:10), then, we may end up being slaves of fear because of sin. It means that fear can keep us from salvation. But as in the case with Peter, Paul, and Isaiah, accepting God’s call to be at His service, whether as fishers of men to make more disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) or as prophets, we can enjoy meaningful life toward salvation by being its agents. And God choses those who do not seem “qualified” for this, as Peter, Paul, Isaiah, all knew their sinfulness.

Awareness of our sinfulness can frighten us especially when encountering God lest condemnation. Perhaps, it may make us utter, “Woe is me!” But, God reveals Himself to transform us from being sinful and disqualified into being well-qualified by His grace. Through the readings of the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C (Isaiah 6:1-2,3-8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11), we see it was the case with Isaiah, Paul, and Peter. 

Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful song. Know that the Lord is God, He made us, we belong to Him, we are His people, the flock he shepherds (Psalm 100:2-3).

The Presentation of the Lord Prophetically Reveals the Cross of the Lord for Our Redemption

The Roman Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Fourth Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary) 40 days after the Nativity of the Lord (Third Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary). After he was circumcised on the 8th day from his birth (Luke 2:21) to mark him as a son of Abraham and as a sign of the covenant that God made with Abraham (Genesis 17:1-14), Jesus was presented to God in the Temple to be consecrated as the firstborn son of Mary and Joseph, as commanded by God (Exodus 13:2,12) in grateful memory of God redeeming His firstborn, Israel, from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 4:21-23; 11:1-10;12:24-36).

Mary, however, had to wait at least 40 days to bring baby Jesus to the Temple for his consecration to God from his birth, because she had to seclude herself for 40 days in observance of the postpartum purification law for giving birth to a boy (Leviticus 12:2-4). This legal requirement reflects that genital discharge is unclean and requires purification (Leviticus 15:1-33).

Mary and Joseph, with baby Jesus, came to the Temple in Jerusalem, not only to present Jesus there to God for consecration (Exodus 13:2,12) but also for Mary’s postpartum purification ritual according to the Law (Leviticus 12:6-8). In Mary and Joseph’s case, they were not able to afford a yearling lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or a turtledove for a purification offering (Leviticus 12:6), they offered a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, instead (Luke 2:24), as this option was allowed by the Law to those who could not afford a lamb and a pigeons (Leviticus 12:8).

Having completed Mary’s postpartum purification, being a faithful Jewish couple, Mary and Joseph presented their firstborn son, Jesus, to God in the Temple, according to these words of God:

Consecrate to me every firstborn; whatever opens the womb among the Israelites, whether of human being or beast, belongs to me (Exodus 13:2).

When the Lord, your God, has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, just as he swore to you and your ancestors, and gives it to you, you will dedicate to the Lord every newborn that opens the womb; and every firstborn male of your animals will belong to the Lord (Exodus 13:11-12).

And God explains why He demands firstborn sons of Israel to be consecrated to Him:

When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, the firstborn of human being and beast alike. That is why I sacrifice to the Lord every male that opens the womb, and why I ransom every firstborn of my sons (Exodus 13:15).

The Law of presenting firstborn sons of Israel to God for consecration (Exodus 13:2, 12) is based on God’s redemption of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, while killing firstborns in Egypt (Exodus 11:1-10), based on these words of God:

The Lord said to Moses: On your return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go. So you will say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord: Israel is my son, my firstborn. I said to you: Let my son go, that he may serve me. Since you refused to let him go, I will kill your son, your firstborn (Exodus 4:21-23).

Upon killing firstborns in Egypt (Exodus 11:1-10), God redeemed the Israelites, who were figuratively God’s firstborn, thus, represented by firstborn sons of Israel (Exodus4:21-23; cf. Jeremiah 31:9), out of slavery in Egypt through Passover (Exodus 12:1-51). 

Then, Simeon recognized baby Jesus being consecrated to God as the Messiah (Christ), blessed this Holy Family, and prophesized what this Messiah baby would bring in the fullness of time and how it would impact Mary (Luke 2:25-35). And Anna also acknowledged baby Jesus as the Messiah to redeem Jerusalem (Luke 2:36-38). 

Simeon came into the Temple in the Holy Spirit when Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus for consecration (Luke 2:27). This was to witness a fulfillment of a prophecy on the coming of the Messiah to the Temple (Malachi 3:1, NABRE), as he saw the Messiah in the Temple. This is another example of how the Holy Spirit can enable a faithful person see what God reveals while others cannot see, as it was the case with Elizabeth recognizing the Son of God in Mary’s womb during the Visitation (Second Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary)(Luke 1:41-43). In contrast, Anna, a prophetess, remaining in the Temple, worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer (Luke 2:36-37). Because of the gift of prophecy in her, Anna could see what God revealed (i.e. Amos 3:7) – the Messiah appearing in the Temple. So, she also came forward and thanked God and spoke about baby Jesus as the Messiah to those who had been waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:38; cf. Isaiah 52:9). 

Holding baby Jesus and blessing God (Luke 2:28), Simeon prophesized on this Messiah baby:

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 (Luke 2:29-32).

For Simeon, a devout old Jewish man with the Holy Spirit, waiting for the Messiah to bring consolation to Israel (Luke 2:25; cf. Isaiah 40:1-2), it was a theophanic joy to see and hold the long-awaited Messiah manifesting in his arms. As the Holy Spirit had revealed that he would see the Messiah during his lifetime (Luke 2:26), witnessing the very presence of the Messiah, held in his arms, fulfilled Simeon’s life with a salvific hope. Thus, to him, there was no more waiting for the Messiah. Out of relief and contentment, Simeon said, " Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine”( Now, Master, you may let your servant go)(Luke 2:29a). From these words of Simeon in vulgate Latin, his canticle (Luke 2:29-32) is titled “Nunc Dimittis” (Now Dismiss). 

He sees Jesus not only for consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25; cf. Isaiah 40:1-2) but also salvation for all peoples (Luke 2:30-31; cf. Isaiah 52:10; cf. Psalm 67:8; 98:3). In addition, Simeon also foresaw baby Jesus as the Messiah as a light of revelation also to te Gentiles and glory for the Israelites (Luke 2:32). Indeed, while he was a newborn baby, Jesus was already a light to the Gentiles, guiding the Magi from the east to where he was manifested (Matthew 2:1-11). And, he identifies himself as the light of the world (John 8:12), as well as, a great light over the land of gloom to bring abundant joy as a Davidic King (Isaiah 9:1-6).

To Mary, Simeon said:

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 (Luke 2:34-35).

Simeon foresaw Jesus’ Messianic role as bringing judgermen to sort those who are saved and those who are condemned, saying “the fall and rise of many in Israel” (Luke 2:34; cf. Luke 12:51; Isaiah 8:14; John 9:39; Romans 9:33; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Peter 2:7-8). He also saw Jesus as a contradicted sign (Luke 2:35), as he would defy a Messianic expectation of many (e.g. Luke 23:39). Because of this, many would not see Jesus as the Messiah but rather a blasphemous lunatic (Matthew 26:55-68), resulting in his crucifixion (Matthew 27:1-56). And seeing her firstborn son being tortured and executed by crucifixion, Mary would suffer as a sword piercing her heart. This insight of Simeon by seeing baby Jesus in the Temple is reflected in the First Reading (Malachi 3:1-4).

Though the consecrated Jesus would bring great suffering to his mother, Mary, the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed (Luke 2:35). “The thoughts of many hearts” can refer to the wickedness people keep in their hearts.  Even it is hidden in hearts, people’s wickedness shall be revealed, as it is in God’s will (i.e. Jeremiah 13:26). In fact, Jesus exposed hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the Scribes publicly and anathematizingly (Matthew 15:1-9; 23:1-36). “The thoughts of many hearts” may also suggest that many would be awaken to the Messianic truth in him and go through conversion of their hearts so that they would be drawn to him (i.e. John 12:32). It is because we are created in God’s Triune image (Genesis 1:26-27). By coming to us, being incarnated in the human flesh of Jesus (John 1:1, 14; Luke 1:30-33, 35; 2:7), the Messiah (Christ), the firstborn of all creation, has become the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15; cf. Psalm 89:28; 2 Corinthians 4:4). This reminds us that our hearts’ deep desire is to seek him (Isaiah 55:6-7; Colossians 3:1) to be one with him (i.e. John 14:20; 17:20-23). For those who turn to Him, God can make our hearts fit for His covenant (i.e. Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26; Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10) so that our hearts do not harbor evil. Then, the Messiah (Christ) can dwell in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17) and our faith in him reaches to the depth of our hearts (i.e. Romans 10:10-17). When this is revealed, the Messiah can be revealed through our loving and faithful hearts. 

Then, we recognize that he is our Abrahamic brother, and love him, for he has saved us from sin by suffering and dying in our place to atone with God, grieving Mary deeply, out of his love for us and his faithfulness to the Father, making us capable to be refined through our trials. And this is reflected in the Second Reading (Hebrew 2:14-18) in connection to the First Reading (Malachi 3:1-4) and the Gospel Reading (Luke 2:22-40), especially in Simeon’s prophecy (Luke 2:29-32, 34-35).

The Presentation of the Lord, therefore, expresses the Holy Family's gratefulness to God for redeeming His firstborn nation, Israel, from the slavery in Egypt, as consecrating the firtborn son of Mary and Joseph. And as Simeon prophesized, this firstborn son of the Holy Family, the firstborn of all creation, is to be sacrified to redeem us from the enslavement of sin so that the hearts of those who are saved are revealed. And it is Christ dwelling in our hearts, as we are one with him, as Abragamic brothers and sisters with him. But for this, Mary's heart has to be pierced with grief. Indeed, the Presentation of the Lord foreshadows the Cross of the Lord for our redemption to be one with him.