IV. The Purification of the Blessed Virgin - The Presentation of Jesus

And after the days of her purification were accomplished they carried Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord; and to offer a sacrifice as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons. And Simeon took the Child into his arms and blessed God, and said, 'My eyes have seen Thy salvation.' And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother: 'Behold this Child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed.' - Luke 2:22,24,28,29,30,34,35

And presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the testament, whom you desire shall come to the temple. Behold He cometh, saith the Lord of Hosts' (Malachi 3). Holy souls did truly desire His coming. They anxiously waited for that event and seriously desired it. And they filled the ages with their plaintive invocations. In the mystery now under our consideration these true Israelites are represented by an old man, just and fearing God, who looked for the consolation of Israel, for the Holy Spirit had promised him in sleep that he would not die before he saw the ' Christ of the Lord'; also by a venerable and holy widow who, although old, was less burdened with years than with austerities. Simeon, taking in his arms the Child of heavenly promise, chanted his canticle of eternal farewell to the world in the beautiful words recited every day in the office of the Church: 'Now thou dost dismiss Thy servant in peace, O Lord! for my eyes have seen Thy salvation' (Luke 2). Anna, the prophetess, in ah ecstasy of joy on seeing Him whom she had invoked in her prayers day and night, 'hastened to publish His glory everywhere and to tell of His coming to those who looked for the redemption of Israel.'

These just souls are holding high festival, yet nothing extraordinary is seen in the temple; to other eyes it is only a poor infant that is brought to be presented to God according to the law of Moses. But this Infant accomplishes an admirable substitution that can only be comprehended by true Israelites. To all appearance He is ransomed according to law; but in reality He immolates Himself instead of the insufficient victims of the law. 'Holocausts for sin were not pleasing in Thy sight; then said I: Behold I come.'

Let us carefully consider this mystery. The labours and fatigues, the sweat, the humiliations, the opprobrium, the sufferings and wounds, the blood and death of Jesus Christ are all laid at the feet of God in this presentation. All is offered and accepted; it is a sacrifice of propitiation and salvation. Mary takes part in this sacrifice. The sword of sorrow which will one day consummate her anguish has a prototype in the sad prophecy addressed to her today: 'Thy own soul a sword shall pierce.' But will not all humanity, or at least the chosen people of God, profit by this offering of Jesus? Alas, no! The divine Child will meet with a thousand contradictions, and along with those who will rise to glory by virtue of His sacrifices we shall see many, who will despise it, eternally lost. 'Behold this Child is set for the ruin and resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign that shall be contradicted.'

Let us aspire to be of those included in the resurrection; and, as Christ offers Himself for us, let us also offer ourselves through Him to His Father. It is only infinite perfection that can fill the void of our unworthiness and of our insufficiency. The victims of the old law, permeated with our intentions and our faults through the imposition of human and guilty hands, represented our guilty lives. Therefore God rejected them. He will reject us also if we dare present ourselves to Him alone; but in company with His well-beloved Son He can refuse us nothing.

Receive, then, O my God! from our unworthy hands this unspotted Host that gives Himself to us; this living religious worship which unites heaven with earth in the union of the divine and human natures.

Thrice blessed Majesty of God! I cannot offer anything proportionate to the greatness of Thy being out of my nothingness. The benedictions of all humanity, the universal canticle of praise taken up by all creatures, would be far too little for Thy glory; but we adore Thee with Jesus, and through Him, and in Him.

Unbounded goodness of God! neither our acts of thanksgiving nor the joyful transports of a world filled with Thy gifts can perfectly respond to Thy infinite benefits; but with whatever spiritual or temporal good there is in us we thank Thee with Jesus, through Jesus, and in Jesus.

Terrible justice of God! Thou wilt not be appeased by the sacrifice of our poor, sin-stained life. A hetacomb of all nature could not restore Thee the honour that sin has taken from Thee; but we implore pardon with Jesus and through Him, and in Him.

Author of all good! Thou hast anticipated us in the effusion of Thy gifts. But how can we hope to secure a continuance of these, except with Jesus, and through Him, and in Him?

O heavenly Father! we present to Thee Thy only-begotten and well-beloved Son the object of Thy eternal complacency. We hide ourselves in His heart; we present ourselves with Him in the arms of Mary to be immolated to Thy glory, if it is Thy good pleasure. Take all that we have - our mind, our heart, our body, our thoughts, affections, and desires, our life itself - and declare to us that our sacrifice is agreeable to Thee, so that we may joyfully sing with the holy old man, Simeon: 'Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine.'

- text taken from Jesus in the Rosary, by Father Jacques-Marie Louis Monsabre, O.P.