February 2, 2026
Feast of the Presentation of the
Lord
Lectionary: 524
Reading
I
Thus says the Lord GOD:
Lo, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me;
And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner’s fire,
or like the fuller’s lye.
He will sit refining and purifying silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi,
Refining them like gold or like silver
that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD.
Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem
will please the LORD,
as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
Responsorial
Psalm
R.
(8) Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory.
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Reading
II
Since the children
share in blood and flesh,
Jesus likewise shared in them,
that through death he might destroy the one
who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and free those who through fear of death
had been subject to slavery all their life.
Surely he did not help angels
but rather the descendants of Abraham;
therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
A light of revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
When the days were
completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
Mary and Joseph took Jesus 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 Christ 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,
he 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 the 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.
OR:
When the days were
completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
Mary and Joseph took Jesus 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 Christ 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,
he 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 the sight of all
the peoples:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.”
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020226.cfm
Commentary on
Malachi 3:1-4 or Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40
Today’s Gospel says:
…they brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to
present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every
firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”)…
The actual ritual is not described, but we are introduced to
two elderly people who were in the Temple at the time.
The first of these was a devout man called Simeon. He had
been told that he would not die until he had first laid eyes on the promised
Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he came into the Temple and recognized Mary’s
child as the long-awaited Messiah. He makes a prayer of thanksgiving to God for
answering his prayer “for my eyes have seen your salvation”. And what he has
seen is:
…a light for revelation to the gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.
Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God, is a divine revelation to
the non-Jews and the glory of God’s own people from whom he came.
Mary and Joseph are quite amazed at the words being spoken.
There is a lot they still do not know about their Son. But Simeon then had some
ominous words for the Mother:
This child is destined for the falling and the rising of
many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts
of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.
This is the paradox of Jesus. He comes as Saviour bringing
life for the whole world, and yet there will be people who will reject his
message of truth and life. His own people will be deeply divided over him. This
will be a source of deep pain for his Mother, something she will not realize
fully until she sees him die in agony before her eyes. Though at the time,
Simeon’s words must have been very puzzling and even alarming to Mary and
Joseph.
The second person to greet the parents and their Child was
another deeply religious person. She was Anna, who:
…lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
then as a widow to the age of eighty-four.
She spent all her time in the Temple in prayer and fasting.
On seeing the Child, she gave thanks to God and spoke about him to everyone she
met.
In the past, when this feast was called the Purification of
Our Lady, there was for a long time a custom in the Church for mothers to go
through a purification ceremony after giving birth. Such a rite is now seen as
unnecessary, but the revised Rituale Romanum (Roman Ritual)
still provides for the “blessing of a woman” both before and after childbirth.
The latter is only in cases where the mother could not be present at the
baptism of her child. In general, it would seem highly appropriate for a
special blessing to be given to mothers on this day.
The feast is now called the Presentation of Our Lord and the
emphasis is more on Jesus than on his Mother. The blessing and the procession
of candles, as well as the Scripture readings, focus on Jesus who is the “Light
of the World”.
The First Reading* is from the
prophet Malachi. It consists of a prophecy which can be applied to the Messiah,
and hence to Jesus. The opening sentence reminds one of John the Baptist:
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before
me…
But then the rest of the paragraph foreshadows today’s
feast:
…the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.
The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says
the Lord of hosts.
This is a clear reference to Jesus as the Word of God and
the one who will inaugurate the New Covenant between God and his people. The
prophecy goes on to warn that the coming Messiah will be a real challenge; he will
be “like the refiner’s fire”. He will:
…purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold
and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.
For those who welcome his message and his call, Jesus is
good news, but for those who will reject his call, it will mean death and the
end of life.
The alternate First Reading (or Second Reading when the
feast falls on a Sunday) is from the Letter to the Hebrews. It speaks of
the meaning of God’s Son coming to live among us as one of us—which, of course,
is the theme of today’s feast. For the Son of God came to share our flesh and
blood and all that goes with it. It was in this way that he would:
…destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the
devil…
On the contrary, for us he has come to:
…free those who all their lives were held in slavery by
the fear of death.
In order to do this, the Son:
…had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect,
so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of
God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.
And, on the cross, Jesus will be both Priest and Victim, the
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
As the reading concludes,
Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is
able to help those who are being tested.
All of this is foreshadowed in the warnings that Simeon
gives to Mary about the sword of sorrow which will pierce her heart.
_________________________________________
*During years when this feast falls on a
Sunday, both First Reading options are read as a First Reading and Second
Reading.
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Monday,
February 2, 2026
The Presentation of the Lord
Opening Prayer
O God, our Creator and
Father, You willed that Your Son, generated before the dawn of the world,
should become a member of the human family. Rekindle in us an appreciation for
the gift of life, so that parents may participate in the fruitfulness of Your
love, old people may pass on to young ones their mature wisdom, and children
may grow in wisdom, piety and grace, all giving praise to Your holy name. Through
Christ our Lord.
Gospel Reading: Luke 2: 22-40
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of
Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus 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
Christ 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,
he 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 the 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
Band 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.
A Moment of Prayerful Silence
•
that the Word of God may dwell in us and that we
may allow it to enlighten our lives;
•
that before we share any comments, the very
light of the Word may shine and dominate with the mystery of the living
presence of the Lord.
Some Questions
to help us in our personal
reflection.
•
Why should Jesus, Son of the Most High, and His
mother Mary, conceived without sin, obey the prescriptions of Moses? Was Mary
perhaps not yet aware of her innocence and holiness?
•
Is there special significance in the words and
attitudes of Simeon and the prophetess Anna? Do not their actions and joy
perhaps recall the style of the ancient prophets?
•
How can we explain this "sword" that
pierces? Is it a rending of consciences before the challenges and richness of
Jesus? Or is it only the inner pains of the Mother?
•
Can this scene mean anything to parents today:
for the religious formation of their children; for the plan that God has for
each of their children; for the fears and sufferings that parents carry in
their hearts when they think of the time when their children grow up?
A Key to the Reading
for those who wish go deeper into
the text.
•
As laid down in the law of Moses/of the Lord.
This is a kind of refrain repeated several times. Luke mixes two prescriptions
without making any distinction. The purification of the mother was foreseen in
Leviticus (12: 2-8) and was to take place forty days after the birth. Until
then, the woman could not approach sacred places, and the ceremony was
accompanied by the gift of a small animal. But the consecration of the
first-born was prescribed in Exodus (13: 11-16) and was considered a kind of
"ransom" in memory of the saving action of God when He liberated the
Israelites from slavery in Egypt. For this also the offering was a small
animal. Throughout this scene, the parents seem to be in the process of
presenting/offering their son as was done with sacrifices and Levites, while
through the persons of Simeon and Anna it seems rather God who offers/presents
the son for the salvation of people.
•
Simeon and Anna: these are figures full of
symbolic value. Their role is one of recognition, that comes from both the
enlightenment and action of the Spirit and a life lived in expectation and
faith. Simeon especially is defined as prodek
menos, that is, one entirely absorbed in waiting, and one who goes forward
to welcome. He, too, appears to be obedient to the law, the law of the Spirit,
who leads him towards the child in the temple. The canticle he proclaims
manifests his pro-existentia: he has lived in order to come to this moment, and
now he withdraws so that others may see the light and the salvation to come for
Israel and the gentiles. Anna completes the picture, by her very age (symbolic
value: 84 equals 7x12, the twelve tribes of Israel; or 84 7 = 77, double
perfection), but above all by her way of living (fasting and praying) and by
her proclamation to all who "looked forward". She is led by the
Spirit of prophecy, docile and purified in her heart. Besides, she belongs to
the smallest of the tribes, that of Asher, a sign that the small and fragile
are the ones more disposed to recognize Jesus, the Savior. Both of these old
people, who look like an original couple, are symbols of the best of Judaism,
of faithful and meek Jerusalem, that awaits and rejoices and that from now on
allows the new light to shine.
•
A sword will pierce: generally, these words are
interpreted as meaning that Mary will suffer, a drama made visible in Our Lady
of Sorrows. Rather, we need to see the Mother as a symbol of Israel. Simeon
feels the drama of his people who will be deeply torn by the living and sharp
word of the redeemer (cf. Lk 12: 51-53). Mary represents the path: she must
trust, but will go through times of pain and darkness, struggles and painful
silences. The story of the suffering Messiah will be painful for all, even for
the Mother. One does not follow the new light of the whole world without paying
the cost, without being provoked to make risky choices, without being always
born again from on high and in newness. But these images of the "sword
that pierces," of the child who will "trip" and shake hearts
from their lethargy, are not to be separated from the meaningful action of the
two old people: the one, Simeon, takes the child in his arms to show that faith
is a meeting and an embrace, not an idea or theorem; the other, Anna, takes on
the role of proclaiming and en-kindles a bright light in the hearts of all who
"looked forward" to Him.
•
Daily life, an epiphany of God. Finally, it is
interesting to note that the whole episode emphasizes the situation of the most
simple and homely: the young couple with the child in their arms; the old man
who rejoices and embraces, the old woman who prays and proclaims, those
listening who appear to be indirectly involved. At the end of the passage, we
also get a glimpse of the village of Nazareth, of the growth of the child in a
normal context, the impression of a child extraordinarily gifted with wisdom
and goodness. The theme of wisdom, woven into the fabric of normal life and
growth in a village context, leaves the story as if in suspense, and it will be
taken up again precisely with the theme of the wisdom of the boy among the
doctors in the temple. Indeed, this is the episode that follows immediately (Lk
2:41-52).
Psalm 122
I was glad when they said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the Lord!" Our feet have been standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem!
Jerusalem, built as a city
which is bound firmly together, to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the
Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. There
thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
"May they prosper who love you! Peace be within your walls, and security
within your towers!"
For my brethren and companions' sake I will say,
"Peace be within you!" For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.
Final Prayer
Father, we praise You and we
bless You because through Your Son, born of woman by the working of the Holy
Spirit, born under the law, has ransomed us from the law and You have filled
our life with light and new hope. May our families welcome and remain faithful
to Your designs; may they help and sustain in their children the new dreams and
enthusiasm, wrap them in tenderness when they are fragile, educate them in love
for You and for all creatures. All honor and glory to You, Father. Amen.
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