FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD
Mal 3:1_4, Psalm 23:7-10 Hebrews 2:14-18, Luke 2:22_40
Today we celebrate the presentation of our lord Jesus in the temple. Just as we have in our various cultures, a new born baby is not brought out until after some days, depending on the culture. It is after some time that the baby is now presented to the community and dedicated. In some cultures, the presentation goes with naming ceremony. In the Jewish culture and religious rites as seen in Exodus 13: 2-12, every parent is to circumcise their children after 8 days and if a Male child, he must be presented in the temple 40 days after the birth. This is with the understanding that every first born Male belongs to God. It has a connection with the slaying of the first male sons of the Egyptians and those of the Israelites spared, before the Israelites were allowed to leave Egypt. This dedication of first Male children in the temple as laid down in Lev 12:1-8, has a ritual. The parents are to provide a lamb one year old for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or turtledove as a sacrifice for sin. Because of the financial difficulty in getting these items, it was allowed for poor families to provide only a pair of turtle doves and 2 pigeon. This was actually what the poor parents of Jesus, Mary and Joseph could afford. Today which is 40 days after Christmas, we celebrate this feast. We also see in our church today how women who have given birth follow this process of initiating their children into the society and the church. In the church today, all children not only first born are baptized and dedicated to God. Jesus Christ is God and did not need to be dedicated to his father, but he obeyed the Jewish law and religion. It is good for us to ask ourselves today if we have been dedicated or if we have dedicated ourselves to God or something/someone else. Have you been initiated into another body other than the body of Christ which is the church.
During the celebration of this feast, it has become a custom to have candle light procession which shows that Christ is truly the light of the world and has been presented to the world today. It is another Epiphany of Jesus. We see Anna and Simeon 2 old people in the picture today. They were upright people, and it had been revealed to simeon that he would not die until he sees the salvation of Israel, and Anna had also been coming to the temple every day hoping to see the day when the salvation of Israel will come. We see simeon so happy that he tells God that he would not mind to die after seeing Jesus presented in the temple. Jesus is truly the saviour of the world. He has come to save us. Nevertheless, let us also like Jesus dedicate our entire being to God, and we shall be saved. God help us. Amen
Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP
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