The Presentation

February second brings us to the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple.

"When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord" - Luke 2:22

Here we celebrate that God gave his son to Mary and Joseph, and they have come to the temple to give him back. They brought a pair of turtledoves as a sacrifice – when, in fact, it was Jesus himself who was to be the sacrifice. Simeon called Jesus “a light of revelation for the Gentiles” and told Mary that "a sword will pierce your own soul too" while Anna spoke of him "to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."

Mary and Joseph had fulfilled the law concerning first-born sons. They had given Jesus back to the Father. They had started the saviour, the redeemer on his way.

Throughout our lives we have been presented to the Lord many times - at baptism and confirmation for example. Perhaps it is time to look at the gifts God has given to us, to search our lives for ways to return those gifts and the gift of ourselves to him.

Mary Buckley CSJ

For other prayers, see this page