Word to the Wise
Tuesday, December 29, 2015 - Dec. 29 - 5th Day in the Octave of Christmas
[1 John 2:3-11 and Luke 2:22-35]"Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel." [Luke]
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015 FIFTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS
[1 John 2:3-11 and Luke 2:22-35]
"Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel." [Luke]
The scene in today's gospel scripture should be a familiar one. We celebrate it as the "fourth joyful mystery" of the Rosary: the Presentation. We also celebrate it as a feast on February 2nd: Candlemas. It is a scene of great poignance. Mary and Joseph come to do the usual rtuals connected with the birth of a first child. They encounter an elderly man who utters a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving (which tradition calls the "Nunc Dimittis," after the first two words of the Latin translation). He also utters a dire prophecy about Jesus ("destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel") and about Mary: ("and you yourself a sword will pierce") Celebration and danger seem to haunt the story of Jesus' early days in the "infancy narrative" in Luke. (The same thing seems true in the story of the Magi in the Gospel of Matthew.)
This could be an occasion for those of us who are fortunate enough to celebrate this season securely and happily to reflect on those who must live with constant danger and whose long term future is bleak. Thousands of Christian refugees from the Middle East and Africa are celebrateing this season in migrant camps to which they have fled to escape deliberate violence against them for their faith. They need our prayers and whatever help we can send so that they will know they are not forgotten.
The celebration of Christmas and Epiphany has its somber side which we cannot ignore. AMEN