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Presentation of the Lord

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Saint of the day for february 2.

The Story of the Presentation of the Lord

At the end of the fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her journal, discovered in 1887, gives an unprecedented glimpse of liturgical life there. Among the celebrations she describes is the Epiphany, the observance of Christ’s birth, and the gala procession in honor of his Presentation in the Temple 40 days later. Under the Mosaic Law, a woman was ritually “unclean” for 40 days after childbirth, when she was to present herself to the priests and offer sacrifice—her “purification.” Contact with anyone who had brushed against mystery—birth or death—excluded a person from Jewish worship. This feast emphasizes Jesus’ first appearance in the Temple more than Mary’s purification.

The observance spread throughout the Western Church in the fifth and sixth centuries. Because the Church in the West celebrated Jesus’ birth on December 25, the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days after Christmas.

At the beginning of the eighth century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession; at the end of the same century the blessing and distribution of candles which continues to this day became part of the celebration, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemas.

In Luke’s account, Jesus was welcomed in the temple by two elderly people, Simeon and the widow Anna. They embody Israel in their patient expectation; they acknowledge the infant Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. Early references to the Roman feast dub it the feast of Saint Simeon, the old man who burst into a song of joy which the Church still sings at day’s end.

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Reflections for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Introduction:    This feast commemorates how Jesus, as a baby, was presented to God in the Temple in Jerusalem. This presentation finds its complete and perfect fulfillment in the mystery of the passion, death and Resurrection of the Lord. The  Feast of the Presentation of the Lord   is a combined feast ,  commemorating the Jewish practice of the  purification of the mother  after childbirth and the  presentation of the child  to God in the Temple and his buying back ( redemption ) from God. It is also known as the  Feast of the Purification of Mary , and the Feast  of Candlemas.  It is also called the  Feast of Encounter  ( Hypapánte  in Greek) because the New Testament, represented by the baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna. Joseph offered two pigeons in the Temple as sacrifice for the purification of Mary after her childbirth and for the presentation and redemption ceremonies performed for baby Jesus.

Homily starter anecdote: “Four chaplains Sunday:  Julia Duin in the Washington Times Sunday, February 1, 2009 told this story. Just after midnight on Feb. 3, 1943, an act of extraordinary unselfishness by a group of men became a legend of martyrdom and sacrifice. When the Army ship Dorchester was torpedoed by the Germans just south of Greenland that night, its passengers and crew had 25 minutes to get off the boat. As 902 people went for the life jackets, it quickly was discovered there weren’t near enough. Of the 13 lifeboats, only two functioned. In the ship’s final minutes, Methodist senior chaplain George Lansing Fox, Rabbi Alexander Goode, Dutch Reformed minister Clark V. Poling and John P. Washington, a Roman Catholic priest, were helping passengers leave the vessel. Then four men appeared all of them without life jackets. The chaplains quickly gave up their own vests and went down with the ship, perishing in the freezing water. Survivors saw them, locked arm in arm, praying and singing the Navy hymn, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” just before the ship dove beneath the waves. It was a night as dramatic as the sinking of the Titanic but without a blockbuster movie to record the drama. “The Four Immortal Chaplains,” as they are now known, have been honored many times, including on a stamp issued in their honor by the U.S. Postal Service. Hence the first Sunday in February is known as “Four Chaplains Sunday” in some Christian denominations.  They presented and offered themselves completely for the wellbeing of others as Jesus was presented to God his Heavenly Father in the Temple of Jerusalem for the salvation of the world. ( http://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Scripture lessons summarized:   In the   first reading,  taken from Malachi, the prophet speaks of the Lord suddenly coming to Jerusalem to purify the lax, lazy and indifferent priests of His Temple as silver is purified by fire. Simeon saw the Infant Jesus as the fulfillment of this passage. He saw Jesus as the Lord Who has come to the Temple,  "destined to be the downfall and rise of many in Israel."    In the second reading,  St. Paul   proclaims Jesus as our Eternal High Priest of     the New Covenant (Heb 2:17), Who offered himself on the altar of Calvary, the only pure priestly sacrifice that could please God.    He replaces the former priesthood.  The Gospel  describes how Joseph, as the head of the Holy Family of Nazareth, presented Mary and the baby Jesus in the Temple of God for the mother’s purification and the Child’s “redemption.” It also describes the Holy Family’s encounter with the old prophet Simeon and the holy old widow Anna. In his prophecy, Simeon extols the divine blessings which the Messiah is bringing to Israel and to all men and predicts that Mary will play a crucial and sacrificial role in her Son's redemptive work by sharing in her Son's sufferings.

The first reading explained : Malachi prophesies in the first reading that the Lord is going to appear suddenly in the Temple of Jerusalem  to purify its priests and the people . The prophecy warns that nobody can endure the day of the messenger's coming because he will be like a refining fire, purifying the sons of Levi.  Led by the Spirit,  Simeon saw the Infant Jesus as the fulfillment of this passage .  Simeon, even if unknown to himself, foresaw Christ and His priests of the New Covenant who were ordained during the Last Supper. He saw Jesus as the Lord Who would come to the Temple,  "destined to be the downfall and rise of many in Israel."  In today's reading, Malachi prophesies that God will purify the lax, lazy and indifferent priests of His Temple as silver is purified by fire.  At the time of Malachi (around 460-450 BC), the priests were offering blemished (blind, lame) sacrifices and giving bad example (1:6-2:4).  The people were negligent in their support of the Temple (3:6-12). Israelite wives were being rejected by husbands who wished to marry foreign women (2:14-16). Social injustice was rampant (3:5), and the people doubted God’s love (1:2-5). Hence, Malachi reminds them that the Day of the Lord, a Day of Judgment, reward and retribution is coming. He describes the Divine intervention as a two-stage process. First God’s messenger will appear to prepare the way by purifying the clergy and refining the cult (v. 3). This purification will take place until they present offerings to the Lord in a spirit of justice and righteousness. Then, the Lord of Hosts will suddenly appear in the Temple (v. 1), to bring judgment and justice against unfaithful sinners (v. 5). The Psalm announces to Jerusalem that Jerusalem is about to receive a great visitor. The Psalmist identifies him as “The LORD of hosts … the king of glory.”

The second reading explained:  The second reading proclaims Jesus as our Eternal High Priest of the New Covenant (Heb 2:17), Who offered Himself on the altar of Calvary, the only pure priestly sacrifice that could please God. The  Didache  or the first catechism of the early Church (14:1-3), saw Malachi’s prophecy of a pure sacrifice and offering made from east to west as a prophecy of the sacrifice of the Eucharist.  Hence Malachi prophesies that the Lord will enter His Temple, there will be a renewed priesthood, and there will be a pure sacrifice offered worldwide and pleasing to God -- the Eucharist. Jesus became like us in all things except sin in order that He might offer to the Father perfect praise and glory.  Besides, since Jesus fully shared our experience, He is now a merciful and faithful High Priest on our behalf,  "able to help those who are being tested."   Jesus replaces the former priesthood. In keeping with the theme of today’s feast, namely, the presentation of the first fruits, this excerpt from Hebrews emphasizes Jesus’ dual role, as  first-fruits ,  par excellence , and as the  faithful High priest  Who presents the perfect gift of Himself to God for the expiation of human sin. By virtue of His Incarnation, Jesus became human in every way (vv. 17-18) except as regards sin. As representative of His brothers and sisters before God and as their Mediator, Christ perfected His service as both sacrifice and priest. By so doing, Christ was able to “rob the devil” of power (v. 14). As the first-fruits from the dead, as the conqueror of sin and death, Christ, in His person and through His mission, has set the course and cleared the way we are to follow; the decision to do so must be a daily and deliberate one.  It takes faith to see God's power at work in the death of Jesus.  Simeon hinted at this when he told Mary that she herself would be pierced with a sword.  Even knowing that her Son was the Savior of the world, it would be difficult for Mary to see him accomplish that salvation by being crucified.

Exegesis of today’s Gospel:  The birth of Christ was revealed by three kinds of witnesses in three different ways -- first, by the shepherds, after the angel's announcement; second, by the Magi, who were guided by a star; third, by Simeon and Anna, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Today’s Gospel describes the Presentation of the Baby Jesus in the Temple. It was intended to ritually redeem Jesus who was the first born in the family and where Mary herself will have to be ritually purified. Mary and Joseph was a typical pious Jewish couple, who went to the Temple in obedience to do all that was required and expected of them by the Law.The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus is a combined feast , commemorating the Jewish practice of the purification of the mother after childbirth and the presentation of the child in the Temple. It is known as the Hypapánte   feast or Feast of the Purification of Mary (by the offering two pigeons in the Temple), the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (by prayers and a sacrifice offered in the Temple to redeem or buy the firstborn male child back from the Lord), the Feast of Candlemas (because of its ancient rite of blessing of the candles to be used in the church for the next year — a practice dating from the middle of the fifth century) and the Feast of Encounter (because the New Testament, represented by the Baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna). Originally, there was no connection between today’s festival and the blessing of candles.    In the ancient East, this celebration occurred on February 14, forty days after Epiphany.   On February 15, pagans celebrated the festival of Lupercalia , a great “light” festival.    Perhaps this is an instance of the Church's “baptizing” a pagan custom.    At the principal Mass, the celebrant blesses candles, and people take part in a candlelight procession.    This should remind us that Jesus is our High Priest and the Light of the World.

Purification and redemption ceremonies : The Gospel describes how Joseph, as the head of the Holy Family of Nazareth, presented Mary and the baby Jesus in the Temple of God for the mother’s purification and the child’s “redemption.” According to Leviticus 12:2-8, a woman who bore a child was unclean  for forty days following the birth of a son or eighty days following the birth of a daughter.   Although Mary, the most holy of women, ever-Virgin, was exempt from these precepts of the Law, because of her miraculous conception, she chose to submit herself to the Law just like any other Jewish mother. Joseph and Mary showed their total submission to Law and obey the norms prescribed by the Old Testament.  The custom was practiced probably for the physical and emotional re-integration of the new mother into the community. There was a religious reason as well. Exodus 13:2, 12-13 prescribes that every first-born male belongs to God and must be set apart for the Lord, that is, dedicated to the service of God.  However, once divine worship was reserved to the tribe of Levi, first-born who did not belong to that tribe were not dedicated to God's service, and to show that they continued to be God's special property, a rite of redemption was performed. The Law also commanded that the Israelites should offer in sacrifice some lesser victim -- for example, a lamb or, if they were poor, a pair of doves or two pigeons.  The Book of Numbers 18: 15 taught that since every Jewish firstborn male child belonged to Yahweh, the parents had to “buy back” (redeem), the child by offering a lamb or turtledoves as a sacrifice in the Temple. The price of redemption for a human baby is five shekels of silver (Num 18:15-16). Jesus never needed to be "bought back," as he belonged wholly to the Lord, but Joseph kept these laws as an act of obedience to God. 

The encounter with Simeon and Anna :   By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the old, pious and Spirit-filled Simeon and Anna had been waiting in the Temple for the revelation of God’s salvation. The Greek Church celebrates the Hypapánte or Feast of the Encounter commemorating the encounter of the New Testament represented by Jesus with the Old Testament represented by Simeon and Anna. Simeon, who is described as a righteous and devout man, obedient to God's will, addresses himself to our Lord as a vassal or loyal servant who, having kept watch all his life in expectation of the coming of his Lord, sees that this moment has "now" come, the moment that explains his whole life.  When he takes the Child in his arms, he learns, not through any reasoning process but through a special grace from God, that this Child is the promised Messiah, the Consolation of Israel, the Light of the nations.  Simeon recognizes Jesus as the Lord’s anointed one, and in his prayer of blessing he prophesies that Jesus is meant to be the glory of Israel and the light of revelation to the Gentiles. Pope Francis: “Simeon took him in his arms and thanked God that he had finally “seen” salvation. Anna, despite her advanced age, found new vigor and began to speak to everyone about the Baby. It is a beautiful image: two young parents and two elderly people, brought together by Jesus. He is the one who brings together and unites generations! He is the inexhaustible font of that love which overcomes every occasion of self-absorption, solitude, and sadness. In your journey as a family, you share so many beautiful moments: meals, rest, housework, leisure, prayer, trips and pilgrimages, and times of mutual support… Nevertheless, if there is no love then there is no joy, and authentic love comes to us from Jesus. He offers us his word, which illuminates our path; he gives us the Bread of life which sustains us on our journey.”

Simeon’s prophecy: Simeon's canticle (verses 29-32) is also a prophecy.  It consists of two stanzas: the first (verses 29-30) is his act of thanksgiving to God, filled with profound joy for having seen the Messiah.  The second (verses 31-32) is more obviously prophetic and extols the divine blessings which the Messiah is bringing to Israel and to all men.  The canticle highlights the fact that Christ brings redemption to all men without exception -- something foretold in many Old Testament prophecies (cf. Genesis 22:18; Isaiah 2:6; 42:6; 60:3; Psalm 28:2). While Simeon blessed Mary, he warned her that her child would be “ a sign of contradiction, ” and that she would be “ pierced with a sword.” Simeon was prophesying both the universal salvation that would be proclaimed by Jesus and the necessity of suffering in the mission of the Messiah. Jesus came to bring salvation to all men, yet He would be a sign of contradiction because some people would obstinately reject Him -- and for this reason He would be their ruin.  But for those who would accept Him with faith, Jesus would be their salvation, freeing them from sin in this life and raising them up to eternal life. The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph marveled, but not because they did not know who Christ was. They were in awe at the way God was revealing Him. 

The paradox of blessedness:  Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God.  That blessedness also would become a sword which would pierce her heart as her Son died upon the cross. The words Simeon addressed to Mary announced that she would be intimately linked with her Son's redemptive work.  The sword indicated that Mary would have a share in her Son's sufferings. Her suffering would be an unspeakable pain which would pierce her soul.  Our Lord suffered on the cross for our sins, and it is those sins which forged the sword of Mary's pain.  Mary received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow.  But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises.  Jesus promised his disciples, "no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22).  The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take way.  Do you know the joy of a life fully surrendered to God with faith and trust? According to Dr. Scot Hann, the feast we celebrate shows a curious turn of events. The Redeemer is redeemed. She who is all-pure presents herself to be purified. Such is the humility of our God. Such is the humility of the Blessed Virgin. They submit to the law even though they are not bound by it.

Anna’s encounter with the Lord and her testifying to the Messiah:  Anna was an eighty-four-year-old widow who spent her days in the Temple in fasting and prayer, waiting for the promised Messiah. She was rewarded with the joy of seeing her Redeemer as a Baby. In her excitement, she praised God and introduced the Infant to others around her as the expected Messiah. Supernatural hope grows with prayer and age!  Anna was pre-eminently a woman of great hope and expectation that God would fulfill all his promises. She is a model of godliness for all believers as we advance in age.  Advancing age and the disappointments of life can easily make us cynical and hopeless if we do not have our hope placed rightly. Anna's hope in God and His promises grew with age. She never ceased to worship God in faith and to pray with hope.  Her hope and faith in God's promises fueled her indomitable zeal and fervor in prayer and the service of God's people. We grow in hope by placing our trust in the promises of Jesus Christ and relying not on our own strength, but on the grace and help of the Holy Spirit. After completing the presentation and redemption of baby Jesus and the ritual purification of Mary and the meeting with Simeon and Anna, Joseph and Mary understood more fully their responsibility before God to protect the child as they return to Nazareth

Life messages : 1)  Every Holy Mass in which we participate is our presentation . Although we were officially presented to God on the day of our Baptism, we present ourselves and our dear ones on the altar before God our Father through our Savior Jesus Christ at every Holy Mass. Hence, we need to live our daily lives with the awareness both that we are dedicated people consecrated to God and that we are obliged to lead holy lives.

2) We need the assistance of the Holy Spirit to recognize the presence of Jesus in ourselves and in others: All those who, like Simeon and Anna, persevere in piety and in the service of God, no matter how insignificant their lives seem in men's eyes, become instruments the Holy Spirit uses to make Christ known to others. In His plan of redemption, God makes use of these simple souls to do much good for all mankind. In other words, The Holy Spirit employs ordinary men and women with simple faith as His instruments to bear witness to Christ, His ideals and teachings, just as He used Simeon and Anna.  The Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Lord to us when we are receptive and eager to receive Him.  Let us be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit within us to recognize the indwelling presence of the Lord with us and in others.  (Fr. Antony Kadavil)

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Saint of the day

Luke 2:22-35 New English Translation

Jesus’ presentation at the temple.

22  Now [ a ] when the time came for their [ b ] purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary [ c ] brought Jesus [ d ] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23  (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “ Every firstborn male [ e ] will be set apart to the Lord ” [ f ] ), 24  and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves [ g ] or two young pigeons . [ h ]

The Prophecy of Simeon

25  Now [ i ] there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon who was righteous [ j ] and devout, looking for the restoration [ k ] of Israel, and the Holy Spirit [ l ] was upon him. 26  It [ m ] had been revealed [ n ] to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die [ o ] before [ p ] he had seen the Lord’s Christ. [ q ] 27  So [ r ] Simeon, [ s ] directed by the Spirit, [ t ] came into the temple courts, [ u ] and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, [ v ] 28  Simeon [ w ] took him in his arms and blessed God, saying, [ x ]

29  “Now, according to your word, [ y ] Sovereign Lord, [ z ] permit [ aa ] your servant [ ab ] to depart [ ac ] in peace. 30  For my eyes have seen your salvation [ ad ] 31  that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: [ ae ] 32  a light, [ af ] for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory [ ag ] to your people Israel.”

33  So [ ah ] the child’s [ ai ] father [ aj ] and mother were amazed [ ak ] at what was said about him. 34  Then [ al ] Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: [ am ] This child [ an ] is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising [ ao ] of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. [ ap ] 35  Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts [ aq ] of many hearts will be revealed [ ar ] —and a sword [ as ] will pierce your own soul as well!” [ at ]

• Luke 2:22 tn Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
• Luke 2:22 tc The translation follows most mss , including early and significant ones ( א A B L). Some copyists, aware that the purification law applied to women only, produced mss (76 it pt vg [though the Latin word eius could be either masculine or feminine]) that read “her purification.” But the extant evidence for an unambiguous “her” is shut up to one late minuscule (codex 76) and a couple of patristic citations of dubious worth (Pseudo-Athanasius whose date is unknown, and the Catenae in euangelia Lucae et Joannis , edited by J. A. Cramer. The Catenae is a work of collected patristic sayings whose exact source is unknown [thus, it could come from a period covering hundreds of years]). A few other witnesses (D lat) read “his purification.” The KJV has “her purification,” following Beza’s Greek text (essentially a revision of Erasmus’). Erasmus did not have it in any of his five editions. Most likely Beza put in the feminine form αὐτῆς ( autēs ) because, recognizing that the eius found in several Latin mss could be read either as a masculine or a feminine, he made the contextually more satisfying choice of the feminine. Perhaps it crept into one or two late Greek witnesses via this interpretive Latin back-translation. So the evidence for the feminine singular is virtually nonexistent, while the masculine singular αὐτοῦ ( autou , “his”) was a clear scribal blunder. There can be no doubt that “ their purification” is the authentic reading. tn Or “when the days of their purification were completed.” In addition to the textual problem concerning the plural pronoun (which apparently includes Joseph in the process) there is also a question whether the term translated “purification” ( καθαρισμός , katharismos ) refers to the time period prescribed by the Mosaic law or to the offering itself which marked the end of the time period (cf. NLT, “it was time for the purification offering”). sn Exegetically the plural pronoun “their” creates a problem. It was Mary’s purification that was required by law, forty days after the birth ( Lev 12:2-4 ). However, it is possible that Joseph shared in a need to be purified by having to help with the birth or that they also dedicated the child as a first born ( Exod 13:2 ), which would also require a sacrifice that Joseph would bring. Luke’s point is that the parents followed the law. They were pious.
• Luke 2:22 tn Grk “they”; the referents (Joseph and Mary) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:22 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:23 tn Grk “every male that opens the womb” (an idiom for the firstborn male).
• Luke 2:23 sn An allusion to Exod 13:2 , 12 , 15 .
• Luke 2:24 sn The offering of a pair of doves or two young pigeons , instead of a lamb, speaks of the humble roots of Jesus’ family—they apparently could not afford the expense of a lamb.
• Luke 2:24 sn A quotation from Lev 12:8 ; 5:11 (LXX).
• Luke 2:25 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. The Greek word ἰδού ( idou ) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
• Luke 2:25 tn Grk “This man was righteous.” The Greek text begins a new sentence here, but this was changed to a relative clause in the translation to avoid redundancy.
• Luke 2:25 tn Or “deliverance,” “consolation.” sn The restoration of Israel refers to Simeon’s hope that the Messiah would come and deliver the nation ( Isa 40:1 ; 49:13 ; 51:3 ; 57:18 ; 61:2 ; 2 Bar . 44:7).
• Luke 2:25 sn Once again, by mentioning the Holy Spirit , Luke stresses the prophetic enablement of a speaker. The Spirit has fallen on both men (Zechariah, 1:67 ) and women (Elizabeth, 1:41 ) in Luke 1-2 as they share the will of the Lord.
• Luke 2:26 tn Grk “And it.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
• Luke 2:26 tn The use of the passive suggests a revelation by God, and in the OT the corresponding Hebrew term represented here by κεχρηματισμένον ( kechrēmatismenon ) indicated some form of direct revelation from God ( Jer 25:30 ; 33:2 ; Job 40:8 ).
• Luke 2:26 tn Grk “would not see death” (an idiom for dying).
• Luke 2:26 tn On the grammar of this temporal clause, see BDF §§383.3; 395.
• Luke 2:26 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn The revelation to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord ’ s Christ is yet another example of a promise fulfilled in Luke 1-2 . Also, see the note on Christ in 2:11 .
• Luke 2:27 tn Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action.
• Luke 2:27 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Simeon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:27 tn Grk “So in the Spirit” or “So by the Spirit,” but since it refers to the Spirit’s direction the expanded translation “directed by the Spirit” is used here.
• Luke 2:27 tn Grk “the temple.” sn The temple courts is a reference to the larger temple area, not the holy place. Simeon was either in the court of the Gentiles or the court of women, since Mary was present.
• Luke 2:27 tn Grk “to do for him according to the custom of the law.” See Luke 2:22-24 .
• Luke 2:28 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Simeon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:28 tn Grk “and said.” The finite verb in Greek has been replaced with a participle in English to improve the smoothness of the translation.
• Luke 2:29 sn The phrase according to your word again emphasizes that God will perform his promise.
• Luke 2:29 tn The Greek word translated here by “Sovereign Lord” is δεσπότης ( despotēs ).
• Luke 2:29 sn This short prophetic declaration is sometimes called the Nunc dimittis , which comes from the opening phrase of the saying in Latin, “now dismiss,” a fairly literal translation of the Greek verb ἀπολύεις ( apolueis , “now release”) in this verse.
• Luke 2:29 tn Here the Greek word δοῦλος ( doulos , “slave”) has been translated “servant” since it acts almost as an honorific term for one specially chosen and appointed to carry out the Lord’s tasks. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times ( Isa 43:10 ), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses ( Josh 14:7 ), David ( Ps 89:3 ; cf. 2 Sam 7:5 , 8 ) and Elijah ( 2 Kgs 10:10 ); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
• Luke 2:29 tn Grk “now release your servant.”
• Luke 2:30 sn To see Jesus, the Messiah, is to see God’s salvation .
• Luke 2:31 sn Is the phrase all peoples a reference to Israel alone, or to both Israel and the Gentiles? The following verse makes it clear that all peoples includes Gentiles, another key Lukan emphasis ( Luke 24:47 ; Acts 10:34-43 ).
• Luke 2:32 tn The syntax of this verse is disputed. Most read “light” and “glory” in parallelism, so Jesus is a light for revelation to the Gentiles and is glory to the people for Israel. Others see “light” ( 1:78-79 ) as a summary, while “revelation” and “glory” are parallel, so Jesus is light for all, but is revelation for the Gentiles and glory for Israel. Both readings make good sense and either could be correct, but Luke 1:78-79 and Acts 26:22-23 slightly favor this second option.
• Luke 2:32 sn In other words, Jesus is a special cause for praise and honor (“ glory ”) for the nation.
• Luke 2:33 tn Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action.
• Luke 2:33 tn Grk “his”; the referent (the child) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:33 tc Most mss ([A] Θ [ Ψ ] ƒ 13 33 M it) read “Joseph,” but in favor of the reading ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ( ho patēr autou , “his father”) is both external ( א B D L W 1 700 1241 sa) and internal evidence. Internally, the fact that Mary is not named at this point and that “Joseph” is an obviously motivated reading, intended to prevent confusion over the virgin conception of Christ, argues strongly for ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ as the authentic reading here. See also the tc note on “parents” in 2:43 .
• Luke 2:33 tn The term refers to the amazement at what was happening as in other places in Luke 1-2 ( 1:63 ; 2:18 ). The participle is plural, while the finite verb used in the periphrastic construction is singular, perhaps to show a unity in the parents’ response (BDF §135.1.d: Luke 8:19 ).
• Luke 2:34 tn Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
• Luke 2:34 tn Grk “behold.”
• Luke 2:34 tn Grk “this one”; the referent (the child) is supplied in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:34 sn The phrase the falling and rising of many emphasizes that Jesus will bring division in the nation, as some will be judged ( falling ) and others blessed ( rising ) because of how they respond to him. The language is like Isa 8:14-15 and conceptually like Isa 28:13-16 . Here is the first hint that Jesus’ coming will be accompanied with some difficulties.
• Luke 2:34 tn Grk “and for a sign of contradiction.”
• Luke 2:35 tn Or “reasonings” (in a hostile sense). See G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:97.
• Luke 2:35 sn The remark the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed shows that how people respond to Jesus indicates where their hearts really are before God.
• Luke 2:35 sn A sword refers to a very large, broad two-edged sword. The language is figurative, picturing great pain. Though it refers in part to the cross, it really includes the pain all of Jesus’ ministry will cause, including the next event in Luke 2:41-52 and extending to the opposition he faced throughout his ministry.
• Luke 2:35 sn This remark looks to be parenthetical and addressed to Mary alone, not the nation. Many modern English translations transpose this to make it the final clause in Simeon’s utterance as above to make this clear.

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

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The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Christmas and candlemas.

The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus (also known as the Feast of the Purification of Mary or Candlemas) is celebrated on February 2.  In the Old Rite, this day marked the official end of the Christmas Season.  While many Churches and people take down Christmas decorations around the Epiphany, some choose to wait until February 2.  This prolongs the Christmas spirit several more weeks!

The Number Forty

When the Presentation marks the end of Christmas, this holy season lasts exactly 40 days – December 25 until February 2.  This parallels the 40 days of Lent!

The number 40 is a significant one in the Bible.  The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years before entering the Promised Land; Jesus prayed in the desert for 40 days and nights, and after the Resurrection, Jesus was with his disciples for 40 days.

A Biblical Feast

The Presentation is the Fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, and it is rooted in Scripture.  Luke 2:22 tells us:

“When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord….”

Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after he was born and according to the Law of Moses, they presented him to the Lord.   Also, following Jewish custom, while they were at the Temple, Mary was purified – as all new mothers were.  This is why the Presentation is sometimes called the Feast of the Purification of Mary.  The Holy Family followed the Law and the Jewish customs faithfully and humbly.

Why Candlemas?

The Presentation is also called Candlemas, because of the tradition of blessing candles on this day and carrying them in a procession.  But what do light and the Presentation have in common?  They are connected in the Prophecy of Simeon.

While Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were at the Temple, they met Simeon, a holy man who had been told that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.  When he saw Jesus, Luke 2: 29-32 tells us he said,

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in sight of all the peoples, a LIGHT for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

Simeon prophesied that Jesus would be a light to the nations, and this was the significance in the name Candlemas.  The Presentation celebrates the coming of the Light of the World; a light in the darkness.

“A Sword Will Pierce Your Heart”

Simeon’s prophecy continues in Luke 2:34-35 as he speaks to Mary:

“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 swill pierce) so that the thoughts of many hears may be revealed.”

This beautiful, but sad prophesy refers to the Crucifixion and the pain Mary would experience from seeing her son suffer.  While the Presentation is one of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, the Prophesy of Simeon is one of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

February 2 is fairly early in the New Year and is a wonderful reminder that God is with us.  He is the Light that has come to dispel our darkness.  Moreover, we belong to Him and are His beloved children.  He came to save us, He loves us, and He always walks with us.

“Light of the World, you step down into darkness, open my eyes let me see.” Hillsong

Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

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Reflection for the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple - 2nd February 2021

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Liturgical time is a strange thing – we have gone from the infant in his mother’s arms to the adult Jesus bursting upon the world with signs and wonders in Galilee in the space of a few weeks, and now once more he is the babe in arms as he is presented in the Temple 40 days after his birth.

Perhaps this is a bit like the action replays you get when watching sports on TV – go back, watch that superb goal in slow motion, savour again and again the moment of victory. For us now at this Feast of the Presentation it’s an opportunity to go back after the glory and excitement of Epiphanytide and look again in more detail at what went before. Here in the temple, at the beginning of Jesus’ earthly life, there are pointers to his earthly ministry of teaching and healing but also there are hints of what is to come beyond this. Any number of action replays cannot plumb the depths of the victory won for us by Jesus, God incarnate, but I share a few thoughts from pondering this feast.

It was a moment of joy for his parents, presenting their first-born son to God, and a moment of joy for Simeon who welcomed him in words recorded in the Gospel according to Luke Chapter 2:

“My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

But after these glorious words:

Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "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."

I’ve heard it said that this feast of Candlemas is when we leave behind the joy of Christmas and turn towards Good Friday and Easter. Simeon speaks of an important dynamic of Jesus’ life and of our own lives as Christians – that the joy of salvation comes through embracing and transcending conflict and suffering.

In the Epiphanytide readings we have heard of Jesus’ healing ministry but also the questioning thoughts of those who encountered him. Where is all this coming from? Who does he think he is? We like to think that true love would be so obvious that we could not miss it, yet this open, inclusive love that welcomes the broken, the maimed and the outcasts can be very threatening to our tidy lives. Jesus is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” but light so often reveals things that we’d rather keep hidden. In the words of our Epiphanytide Lauds hymn:

Alive as early morning light Christ comes as daybreak to the world A shaft of shining clarity Revealing God’s pure holiness.

That pure holiness shines into our hearts to reveal both our glory and our sin. Yet it also reveals God’s infinite love for each one of us.

Our hymn continues:

May we with faith receive the Word, With love make answer to his love, Within the light of life now walk As children of the living God.

This Christmas season we have been pondering the way of peace. Simeon’s words touch on the paradox that this way of peace is also a way of conflict. In the words of St. Benedict, we are not to make a false peace but rather have the courage to confront the brokenness of life. At the beginning of Advent we stood with the prophet Anna, one who had been unafraid to embrace all that life brought to her. She still praised God in the midst of the suffering and humiliation of her people, and in the face of the tragedy of her own life. We now see God blessing her in her faithfulness and opening her eyes to the glory of the child who would be the redemption of Jerusalem.

The salvation that Anna and Simeon, and all of us, long for will be no easy answer to the mess and pain but it will be a source of great joy. May we have the courage to walk this journey to the cross, and thence to resurrection and new life in abundance.

As our hymn concludes:

With joy we worship Christ our Lord; May we embrace the life he brings, Reflect the glory of his face, Behold it for eternity.

Mother Anne - 2nd February 2021

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The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

February 2, 2020 By Carrie Willard 1 Comment

Today is the day that many Christians remember and honor the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, or the event in scripture when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple. This event would have been to complete the purification of Mary and to offer the child to God in their obedience to the laws of Moses.

When I reflect on this event, I think about Mother Mary, scraping up enough money to buy two turtle doves, the sacrifice required to bring with them.

Was she still sore from childbirth? Did she feel like a mother yet? Was the baby sleeping at all? Did she have help?

When my husband and I traveled home for my father-in-law’s funeral when our firstborn was just six weeks old (about the same age as Jesus was during his presentation in the temple), I did not know how to fold up our stroller. I relied on TSA agents at the airport to help me figure everything out. And yet, everywhere we went, strangers complimented me on our baby. I didn’t know what to wear, but I knew I was completely in love with my baby. Time took on a warped quality, where I knew exactly how many weeks and days old my baby was, but I couldn’t have told you the day of the week or the season of the year. Friends and family fed us, but I was solely responsible for feeding this new life. How did Mary feel as she ascended the steps to the temple?

My friend Jenny Schroedel, an Orthodox Christian, wrote a beautiful reflection about her first six weeks with her baby as she followed the Orthodox tradition of “nesting in” with her baby. She describes the holiness of the 40-day-period following a baby’s birth. There are echoes of this in other aspects of Christian life: the 40 days of Lent and the 40 days and nights of rain of the Great Flood. Most pregnancies last about 40 weeks, and so 40 days does not seem like too long of a time to let a mother’s body recover. I wonder if Mary felt the same time-warped feeling that many of us do as she adjusted to life as a mother.

What makes the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple even more notable in Christian life, to me, is what the Holy Family found once they arrived. Simeon, a “righteous and devout” man, according to the Gospel of Luke, had been waiting for the salvation of Israel. Christians remember his words in the canticle “Nunc Dimittis,” which means “Now You Dismiss:”

Simeon knew, when he saw the infant Jesus, that what he had hoped for, prayed for, waited for, had come. Mother Mary may have been wondering if the shepherds and the wise men were all part of a postpartum haze, but here they were, re-entering public life as a family, and a prophet is waiting for them to affirm everything they had been told. I imagine Simeon, who waited for a sign from God, and found it in an infant.

In the Episcopal Church, we often repeat Simeon’s words during Evening Prayer and Compline, liturgies that can be said at the end of any day. It reminds us of the many who waited their entire lives for the good news of Jesus, a “light to enlighten the nations.” For those of us who are waiting, for those of us who feel like we are in a timeless haze, and for those of us who need to be reminded of the enormous good news of Jesus, this event helps us mark time in the life of Jesus and in the life of the Church for which we can be grateful.

[Image Credit: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons ]

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February 2, 2020 at 4:26 pm

Lovely and thoughtful reflection. Thank you for blessing me with a new perspective on a familiar story!

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By: Guest blogger on February 7th, 2023

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Fourth Joyful Mystery— The Presentation in the Temple

Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary  |  To Jesus Through Mary  |  how to pray the rosary

Forty days after His miraculous birth, Jesus was brought to the Temple by Mary and Joseph to be formally consecrated to the Lord.     

As I think about this event in the life of Christ, my heart and mind are drawn to Mary. What was she thinking and feeling when she walked into the Temple—a mere forty days postpartum? Was she exhausted? In pain, her body still healing from giving birth?  

Was she still reeling from the miraculous events in Bethlehem? Pondering the visits by the shepherd and the choirs of angels that announced her Son’s birth?    

I imagine Mary and Joseph walking into the Temple, proud yet exhausted. Excited for this moment in their Son’s life, but also, maybe ready to be home.    

I imagine that Mary and Joseph, like most new parents, were settling into their new normal. A routine that revolved around nursing and diapers and sleeping when Jesus slept. Perhaps, in the quiet of their home, the miraculous was fading into the ordinary, the gentle rhythm of life with a newborn taking hold of the household.    

And then, suddenly, during a ritual with prescribed actions and words, something unexpected happened. The predictable and ordinary were overtaken by the extraordinary.    

Someone intrudes on their family moment.    

Simeon’s pronouncements, his recognition of the Messiah, must have hit Mary like a thunderbolt. His words a reminder that this Child belonged to more than just her- He was destined for the rise and fall of many so that the hearts of many would be revealed.    

The Gospels mention only a few moments of Jesus’ childhood, but in each of them, we see Mary sharing her Son with others at what usually would have been intimate family moments. She welcomed the shepherds at His birth. She opened her arms and allowed Simeon and Anna to hold her Baby. And later, she will realize He has left her side on a family pilgrimage. She finds Him teaching in the Temple, only to be reminded that He has work to do.    

Time and again, I am grateful that the Mother of Christ opens her arms to me, as she did in each of those moments, making space for me close to her Son. She does not get frustrated at sharing Him; she welcomes any and all into her family.    

Click here to learn how to pray the Rosary. 

Colleen Pressprich is a wife and mom with a passion for helping other families grow their domestic church. Author of Marian Consecration for Young Children and The Women Doctors of the Church . You can read more of her writing at ElevatorToHeaven.com.

Meeting Jesus in the House of the Lord

Invited guests in His house can find deep meaning and be blessed “in ways nothing else can.”

By Allen D. Haynie (BA ’82, JD ’85) in the Spring 2024 issue

Some time ago, one of my daughters sent me a video of my barely 2-year-old granddaughter singing a song as she pretended to read from a book. Sometimes children can have their tongues loosened and “speak . . . great and marvelous things” (3 Ne. 26:14). With a solid assist from the composer of the song “ I Love to See the Temple ,” 1 my granddaughter sang and taught about covenants, obedience, the holiness of temples, the sealing authority, and eternal families. That is a rather complete description of the hoped-for results of a temple-covenant-focused life, which is what all of us should desire because it is a life filled with both clarity and joy.

President Russell M. Nelson has described the importance of temples and all that happens in them with these words:

The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. Every- thing taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ. . . .

. . . Everything we believe and every promise God has made to His covenant people come together in the temple. 2

Come to Know Jesus in His House

Our Father in Heaven has always wanted and planned for a sacred space where He could instruct and make covenants with His children. Certainly we can seek and receive God’s guidance and help from virtually any location, but there is something unique about those spaces that God has both declared to be His own and sanctified by His presence.

The Garden of Eden was such a space—a space selected, planted, and beautified by God 3 and a place of both instruction and covenants for Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve spoke face-to-face with the Father and the Son in the garden, were taught about the Father’s plan for His children, and were sealed together as husband and wife for eternity. 4 Prior to being required to leave the garden to face the challenges of mortality and the constant attacks of the adversary, each was given a coat of skins—or, as we would call it today, a garment. 5 The significance of the giving of a garment by God to His covenant children and the receiving and wearing of that garment by His covenant children should not be considered ordinary. It is a most sacred exchange.

Certainly we can seek and receive God’s guidance and help from virtually any location, but there is something unique about spaces He has declared to be his own.

Subsequent scriptural accounts of the early history of the earth describe other locations—most frequently the tops of mountains—where the Lord personally interacted with His prophets. 6 In the case of Enoch, the Lord commanded him to

get ye upon the mount Simeon.

And it came to pass that [Enoch] turned and went up on the mount; and as [he] stood upon the mount, [he] beheld the heavens open, and [he] was clothed upon with glory;

And [he] saw the Lord . . . , and he talked with [him] . . . face to face. (Moses 7:2–4)

Later, after the children of Israel had begun their journey into the wilderness, the Lord commanded Moses to build a tabernacle . The promise to Moses was that if they built the tabernacle, the Lord would “meet with [Moses] and . . . commune with [him] from above the mercy seat” (Ex. 25:22). Once again sacred clothing was prepared for those who would function as priests, including garments to be worn beneath other symbolic clothing. 7 Such clothing was “put upon” (Ex. 29:5) the priests in connection with washing and anointing. After the tabernacle had been built following the Lord’s detailed instructions, “a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Ex. 40:34). In that fashion the Lord accepted the tabernacle, and it became His sacred space.

After the children of Israel inherited the promised land, the Lord approved the construction of a temple at “mount Moriah” (2 Chr. 3:1) by King Solomon (see 1 Chr. 28:6). Upon its completion “the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord . . . into the most holy place” (2 Chr. 5:7). As the people then praised the Lord, “the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord,” and “the glory of the Lord . . . filled the house of God” (2 Chr. 5:13, 14). Once again the Lord personally accepted His sacred space, His house.

In our day the Lord appeared as a resurrected and glorified being in the Kirtland Temple after its dedication and declared, “For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house” (D&C 110:7).

Since “God is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Mormon 9:9), I am confident that the Lord also accepts all His temples today. Gratefully, even though we are imperfect, we are invited as His guests into His house. He extends this invitation to us again and again, and if we accept it, it will—as promised by President Nelson—bless our lives “in ways nothing else can.” 8 We should want to enter His house often because Jesus is anxious to meet with us there.

For those of you who have not yet entered the house of the Lord to make covenants and to receive your endowment, I invite you to pray and ask God if your time is now. 9 If you are 18 years old, out of high school, a member for at least one year, and “desire to receive and honor sacred temple covenants throughout [your life],” 10 you can prepare to receive your endowment. There is no need to wait for a mission call or a sealing. “But first [you] must be worthy. [You] should not be rushed. [You] cannot cut corners of preparation and risk the breaking of covenants [you] were not prepared to make.” 11

Thankfully, the blessings available to us through Christ’s Atonement make it possible for all of us to be prepared to enter the house of the Lord. There will be opposition to any such plan because “temples are the very center of the spiritual strength of the Church. We should expect that the adversary will try to interfere with us . . . as we seek to participate in this sacred and inspired work” 12 and come to know Jesus in a more intimate and sacred way in His house. I have learned over the years, however, that just attending the temple is not enough. Something needs to happen to us because of our spending time in the house of the Lord. We need to leave His house different than when we entered, but that result is not always easy to achieve.

Fully Benefit from the Temple Experience

Several years ago I read a book entitled The Temple: Where Heaven Meets Earth , 13 written by the late Truman G. Madsen, who spent much of his life studying about the ordinances and covenants of the temple. In that book Brother Madsen identified three things that he felt at one time prevented him from fully benefiting from the temple experience. I feel impressed to share them with you today, especially to help those who go to the temple out of a sense of duty but who wonder if they are missing out on something.

Please know that the Lord loves you for your faithfulness in coming to His house, even if you have not yet had the experience for which you have hoped, fasted, and prayed. You are in many ways like Adam when the angel asked him: “Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me” (Moses 5:6). Because of Adam’s continued obedience, the Lord instructed the angel to teach Adam why he was commanded to offer sacrifice (see Moses 5:7). I believe that the Lord will treat you in a similar fashion, including sending angels if necessary to teach you. The Lord was serious when He promised “that all people who shall enter upon the threshold of the Lord’s house may feel [His] power, and . . . acknowledge that . . . it is [His] house” (D&C 109:13).

1. Study the Scriptures About the Temple

Now, back to the counsel given by Brother Madsen in his book. The first challenge he identified as preventing him from fully recognizing and receiving the unique blessings of the house of the Lord—or, as the great patriarch Jacob described it, “the gate of heaven” (Gen. 28:17)—was that he had never made the effort to “carefully read the scriptures about the temple.” 14

I too have learned that the best source of insight and understanding about the temple comes from a careful, temple-focused study of the scriptures. 15 For example, let me share just one scripture that might help you gain a greater appreciation for the significance of the anointing that occurs in the temple: “And [Moses] poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him” (Lev. 8:12). For those who are seeking to understand and connect with temple ordinances in a more meaningful way, spend more time reading the scriptures that talk about the temple and temple ordinances. If you do, you will be amazed what the Lord will reveal to you. After all, He is a God who has promised to reveal “all things pertaining to [His] kingdom” to His covenant children (D&C 76:7).

2. Sacrifice Your Sins on the Altars of the Temple

The second problem that Brother Madsen identified was that he was “afflicted with various kinds of unworthiness and not too anxious to change all that.” 16 The Lord has declared the following: “I give unto you . . . a commandment that you . . . sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean” (D&C 88:74). President Henry B. Eyring has taught that “if you or I should go to the temple insufficiently pure, we would not be able to see, by the power of the Holy Ghost, the spiritual teaching about the Savior that we can receive in the temple.” 17 So repentance is essential to temple revelation and temple revelation is essential to the change that we all should experience from meeting Jesus in the temple.

Weekly participation in the ordinance of the sacrament can also help us become and remain clean. I believe that approaching the sacrament with greater reverence is essential if we desire to become more worthy of temple revelation. The two covenant moments, that of the sacrament and the temple, are inextricably connected. Both point us toward the Savior and His atoning sacrifice.

If we listen to the Spirit as we partake of the sacrament, it will whisper to our spirits what it is that we need to change to benefit more fully from our time in the temple. When that happens, we have two choices. We can seek to cover our sins as Adam and Eve sought to cover their nakedness with fig leaves (see Gen. 3:7), or we can do as the father of King Lamoni did and “give away” (Alma 22:18) all those sins the Spirit has called to our attention. Being willing to sacrifice our sins—to effectively place them on the altars of the temple—can result in our having the same experience in the house of the Lord that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had in the Kirtland Temple when the Lord declared, “Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me; therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice” (D&C 110:5).

3. Seek the Spirit to Understand What the Lord Is Trying to Teach You Through Symbols

The third obstacle Brother Madsen identified was that he “had a built-in hostility to ritual and to symbolism.” 18 It is okay to admit that when we first experienced the ordinances of the temple, the ritual and symbolic aspects of the ordinances were a little confusing and may have made us feel a little uncomfortable. But that initial reaction doesn’t mean we should abandon our efforts to understand what it is the Lord is trying to teach us or, more importantly, bestow upon us. As President Nelson has taught, “If you don’t yet love to attend the temple, go more often— not less.” 19 And, I would add, along with increasing your frequency, go to the temple seeking Jesus.

The Lord has declared that

this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. (D&C 84:19–20)

The beautiful symbolic aspects of temple ordinances can help us understand and feel the literal power of godliness inherent in those ordinances. They are not of recent vintage but rather were “ordained and prepared [by the Lord] before the foundation of the world” (D&C 128:5). 20 As one apostle has taught, “God teaches with symbols; it is his favorite method of teaching.” 21

If we invite the Spirit into our hearts and minds, I testify that we will discover that the ritual and symbolic aspects of the temple ordinances are in fact very familiar to us, and we will recognize that the power of godliness that flows into our lives as we honor them ensures our ability to return and dwell in the presence of our Father in Heaven. As President Nelson has counseled, “The temple endowment was given by revelation. Thus, it is best understood by revelation, vigorously sought with a pure heart.” 22

4. Seek Jesus While Participating in Temple Ordinances

I would like to add my own fourth mistake that too many of us make when we come to worship in the temple. We too often ignore the reality that all the symbolism in the temple points us toward Jesus Christ, His Atonement, and His role in “bring[ing] to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

Many of the challenges people have with not feeling what they want to feel in the temple stem from their failure to seek Jesus while participating in temple ordinances. He is why we come to the temple. He is who our Father in Heaven desires us to meet in the temple. He is at the center of every symbol, every ordinance, every covenant, and every hoped-for blessing in the temple. Seeking Jesus in the temple enables us to understand why we are in the temple and why we should return.

In his epistle to the Hebrews, Paul declared the following with reference to gaining access to the most holy part of the ancient temple:

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. (Heb. 10:19–20) 23

Seeking Jesus in the temple enables us to understand why we are in the temple and why we should return.

John provided further clarity to this scripture when he quoted Jesus as stating that “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). When we stand at the veil of the temple, He who is our advocate with the Father symbolically stands between us and the Father, 24 saying:

Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;

Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life. (D&C 45:4–5)

Faithfully Honor and Wear the Temple Garment

Anciently, sacred clothing was worn to help God’s covenant children to “remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes” (Num. 15:39). It is no different today. What an amazing, sacred moment it is to be given a garment while in the house of the Lord, with all its symbolic meaning—the most important of which is a remembrance of the Savior’s sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross and His glorious Resurrection. “The temple garment is a physical reminder of sacred promises [we] have made with [our] Heavenly Father, and it reminds [us] of the blessings [we] can receive if [we] honor [our] commitments.” 25 The garment also helps us to honor the sacramental covenant to “always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given [us]; that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us]” (D&C 20:77).

In the temple you can receive power to withstand and overcome the spiritual attacks of the adversary through the making and keeping of covenants.

President Nelson recently taught something very profound about the temple garment that he gave me permission to share with you:

Your garment is symbolic of the veil [of the temple]; the veil is symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ. So when you put on your garment, you may feel that you are truly putting upon yourself the very sacred symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ—His life, His ministry, and His mission, which was to atone for every daughter and son of God. 26

We find Jesus in the temple, in every aspect of it, and we find Him in the symbolism of the garment. In wearing the garment, we declare to God that we rejoice in having Jesus’s name placed upon us in His holy house (see D&C 109:26), and we remember Him always. 27

That is why “the garment should not be removed for activities that can reasonably be done while wearing the garment. It should not be modified to accommodate different styles of clothing.” 28 That is why “the fundamental principle ought to be to wear the garment and not to find occasions to remove it.” 29 That is why “it is a sacred privilege to wear the temple garment. Doing so is an outward expression of an inner commitment to follow the Savior Jesus Christ.” 30 That is why “when members are faithful to their covenants and wear the garment properly throughout their lives, it also serves as a protection.” 31

In the apocryphal book of 2 Enoch, 32 the following account is found:

And the Lord, with his own mouth, called to me, “Be brave, Enoch! Don’t be frightened! Stand up, and stand in front of my face forever.” And Michael, the Lord’s greatest archangel, lifted me up and brought me in front of the face of the Lord. . . .

The Lord said to Michael, “Take Enoch, and extract (him) from the earthly clothing. And anoint him with the delightful oil, and put (him) into the clothes of glory.” And Michael extracted me from my clothes. He anointed me with the delightful oil. . . . And I gazed at all of myself, and I had become like one of the glorious ones. 33

That is the hope I have for all of you. In the temple you can become “like one of the glorious ones.” In the temple you can receive power to withstand and overcome the spiritual attacks of the adversary through the making and keeping of covenants. In the temple, you—like Adam and Eve, Enoch, and the priests in the ancient temples—can receive a garment, not just any garment but rather the garment of the holy priesthood. And in the temple you can meet Jesus.

President Nelson recently taught that “every time a temple is dedicated, more light comes into the world.” 34 I do not believe that President Nelson was talking about the lighting on the exterior of the temple. I think he was talking about us, God’s covenant children, because each time we come to the temple worthily, we receive and leave with more light, and “[h]e that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (D&C 50:24).

I witness that as we prepare and purify ourselves, Jesus will reveal Himself to us in His house in powerful and personal ways.

I witness that God is eager to enter into a covenant relationship with us in His temple, one that will, as President Nelson has testified, change “our relationship with Him forever” and bless “us with an extra measure of [His] love and mercy.” 35 I witness that as we prepare and purify ourselves, Jesus will reveal Himself to us in His house in powerful and personal ways. I witness that the consistent honoring and wearing of the temple garment will enable us to remember Jesus, to be “armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Ne. 14:14), and to obtain the spiritual protection needed to increase our hope of one day becoming joint heirs with Him in our Father’s kingdom (see Rom. 8:16–17). 36

I so testify as directed by the Holy Ghost and in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

This text is condensed from a devotional address delivered on Oct. 10, 2023, by Allen D. Haynie, a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Find the full text, audio, and video at speeches.byu.edu.

Feedback Send comments on this article to [email protected] .

• Janice Kapp Perry, “I Love to See the Temple,” Songbook , p. 95.
• Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” Liahona , November 2021; emphasis in original.
• See Genesis 2:8, 15–18.
• 4. See Genesis 2:21–24; Moses 3:20–25. Marriage as established in the beginning was an eternal covenant. The first man and the first woman were not married until death should part them, for at that time death had not come into the world. The ceremony on that occasion was performed by the Eternal Father himself whose work endures forever. [Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation , comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954–56), 2:71] See also Bruce R. McConkie, MD, s.v. “Eve,” 242. “Adam and Eve were married by God before there was any death in the world. They had an eternal marriage” (Gospel Principles [Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ, 2009], p. 219; see chapter 38, “Eternal Marriage”).
• See Genesis 3:21; Moses 4:27. The Targums (Aramaic paraphrases of the Old Testament) teach that these garments were “precious garments” or “glorious garments” or “garments of honor.” Rabbi Eleazer called them “coats of glory.” A rabbinic source asks: “And what were those garments?” The answer is, “The vestments of the High Priesthood, with which the Almighty clothed them because Adam was the world’s first-born.” [Evelyn T. Marshall, in Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 5 vols. (New York: Macmillan, 1992), s.v. “garments,” 2:534; available online at eom.byu.edu; citing Menahem M. Kasher, Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation: (Torah Shelemah), a Millennial Anthology , Genesis: vol. 1, trans. Harry Freedman (New York: American Biblical Encyclopedia Society, 1953), p. 137, also p. 138]
• “The brother of Jared . . . went forth unto the mount. . . . And . . . the Lord showed himself unto him” (Ether 3:1, 13). “And [Abraham] removed . . . unto a mountain . . . : and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 12:8). “Moses was caught up into an exceedingly high mountain, And he saw God face to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses” (Moses 1:1–2).
• “And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen” (Exodus 28:39). “The Hebrew of this verse may also be rendered: ‘And thou shalt weave a shirt-like undergarment of fine white cloth’” (Alonzo L. Gaskill, Sacred Symbols: Finding Meaning in Rites, Rituals, and Ordinances [Springville, Utah: Bonneville Books, 2011], p. 161). “And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh” (Leviticus 6:10; see also Exodus 28:42).
• Russell M. Nelson, “Focus on the Temple,” Liahona , November 2022.
• Joseph Fielding Smith asked: “When the Lord offers us these great blessings, are we justified in saying, ‘It is all right, we want them, but we want to put them off just as long as we can before we receive them, so that we can live as the world lives’?” . . . I believe that a young man or a young woman should seek after these blessings in the temple, and just as soon as they are old enough to understand the meaning of temple ordinances, they should have them. Moreover, they should not go to the temple until they do have a testimony of the truth and a knowledge of the gospel, no matter how old they may be. [ Doctrines of Salvation , 2:254–55; emphasis in original]
• “Deciding When to Receive the Endowment,” General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , August 2022 (Salt Lake City: Church of Jesus Christ, 2022), 27.2.2 (p. 230).
• Russell M. Nelson, “Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings,” Ensign , May 2001.
• Boyd K. Packer, “The Holy Temple,” Ensign , February 1995.
• See Truman G. Madsen, The Temple: Where Heaven Meets Earth (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2008).
• Madsen, The Temple , p. 12.
• President Russell M. Nelson has taught: Spiritual preparation is enhanced by study. I like to recommend that members going to the temple for the first time read short explanatory paragraphs in the Bible Dictionary, listed under seven topics: “Anoint,” “Atonement,” “Christ,” “Covenant,” “Fall of Adam,” “Sacrifices,” and “Temple.” Doing so will provide a firm foundation. One may also read in the Old Testament and the books of Moses and Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. Such a review of ancient scripture is even more enlightening after one is familiar with the temple endowment. Those books underscore the antiquity of temple work. [Nelson, “Personal Preparation”; emphasis in original] “Everything we learn in the holy places, the temples, is based on the scriptures” (Ezra Taft Benson, TETB , p. 245).
• Henry B. Eyring, “I Love to See the Temple,” Liahona , May 2021.
• Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation.”
• “These sacred temple rites are ancient. To me that antiquity is thrilling and another evidence of their authenticity” (Russell M. Nelson, “Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints,” Ensign , November 2018).
• Orson F. Whitney, “Latter-day Saint Ideals and Institutions,” Improvement Era , August 1927, 861.
• Russell M. Nelson, “Prepare for the Blessings of the Temple,” Ensign , October 2010.
• Specifically, I invite you to reflect upon those moments when you stand at the veil of the temple. I want you to know what the Apostle Paul taught about the veil of the temple. This is recorded in the book of Hebrews, chapter 10 starting at verse 19. [Russell M. Nelson, “Enter into Thy Closet,” seminar for new mission leaders, Missionary Training Center, Provo, Utah, June 26, 2022]
• Donald W. Parry and Jay A. Parry wrote: Entering the veil of the tabernacle or the temple veil that divided the holy of holies from the holy place is a ritual that also teaches us of Jesus’ atonement. The veil that separated humankind from God’s presence hung in the holy of holies. . . . This veil, explained Paul, symbolizes Jesus Christ’s flesh (Heb. 9:3; 10:19–20). The temple veil stood between humans and their entrance into the temple’s holiest place; in the same way, the Savior stands between the celestial kingdom and us. [ Symbols and Shadows: Unlocking a Deeper Understanding of the Atonement (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2009), p. 33]
• “What Is the Temple Garment?” Church of Jesus Christ, churchofjesuschrist.org/tools/what-is-the-temple-garment.
• Nelson, “Enter into Thy Closet.”
• President Emily Belle Freeman, the Young Women general president of the Church, recently taught in a general conference address that our decision to wear the temple garment “depends on what degree of relationship [we] want to experience with Jesus Christ” (“Walking in Covenant Relationship with Christ,” Liahona , November 2023).
• “Wearing and Caring for the Garment,” General Handbook (August 2022), 38.5.5 (p. 395).
• First Presidency letter, Oct. 10, 1988; quoted in Nelson, “Prepare for the Blessings of the Temple.”
• “The Endowment,” General Handbook (August 2022), 27.2 (p. 229).
• In section 91 of the D&C, the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that “there are many things contained [in the Apocrypha, or ancient sacred writings that are not canonized] that are true” and that those who are “enlightened by the Spirit shall obtain benefit therefrom” (D&C 91:1, 5).
• 2 Enoch 22:5–6, 8–10, in James H. Charlesworth, ed., The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Volume 1: Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1983), p. 137, p. 139.
• Russell M. Nelson, Church devotional broadcast, Nov. 13, 2022; quoted in Sydney Walker, “President Nelson: ‘We Will Build Temples. You Will Build People Prepared to Enter Them,’” Leaders and Ministry, Church News , Nov. 13, 2022, thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/13/23457052/president-nelson-nevada-devotional-temple-preparation-president-ballard. “Every time a temple is dedicated to the Lord the darkness pushes farther back, prison doors are opened, and light comes into the world” (Spencer W. Kimball, TSWK , p. 534).
• Russell M. Nelson, “The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona , October 2022.
• “And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him” (D&C 84:38).

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The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple

The law of God, given by Moses to the Jews, to insinuate both to us and to them, that by the sin of Adam man is conceived and born in sin, and obnoxious to his wrath, ordained that a woman, after childbirth, should continue for a certain time in a state which that law calls unclean; during which she was not to appear in public, nor presume to touch any thing consecrated to God. This term was of forty days upon the birth of a son, and the time was double for a daughter: on the expiration of which, the mother was to bring to the door of the tabernacle, or temple, a lamb of a year old. and a young pigeon or turtle-dove. The lamb was for a holocaust, or burnt-offering, in acknowledgment of the sovereignty of God, and in thanksgiving for her own happy delivery; the pigeon or turtle-dove was for a sin-offering. These being sacrificed to Almighty God by the priest, the woman was cleansed of the legal impurity, and reinstated in her former privileges.

A young pigeon, or turtle-dove, by way of a sin-offering, was required of all, whether rich or poor: but whereas the charge of a lamb might be too burdensome on persons of narrow circumstances, in that case, nothing more was required, then two pigeons, or two turtle-doves, one for a burnt, the other for a sin-offering.

Our Saviour having been conceived by the Holy Ghost, and his blessed Mother remaining always a spotless virgin, it is most evident from the terms of the law, that she was, in reality, under no obligation to it, nor within the intent of it. She was, however, within the letter of the law, in the eye of the world, who were as yet strangers to her miraculous conception. And her humility making her perfectly resigned, and even desirous to conceal her privilege and dignity, she submitted with great punctuality and exactness to every humbling circumstance which the law required. Pride indeed proclaims its own advantages, and seeks honors not its due; but the humble find their delight in obscurity and abasement, they shun all distinction and esteem which they clearly see their own nothingness and baseness to be most unworthy of: they give all glory to God alone, to whom it is due. Devotion also and zeal to honor God by every observance prescribed by his law, prompted Mary to perform this act of religion, though evidently exempt from the precept. Being poor herself; she made the offering appointed for the poor: accordingly is this part of the law mentioned by St. Luke, as best agreeing with the meanness of her worldly condition. But her offering, however mean in itself, was made with a perfect heart, which is what God chiefly regards in all that is offered to him. The King of Glory would appear everywhere in the robes of poverty, to point out to us the advantages of a suffering and lowly state, and to repress our pride, by which, though really poor and mean in the eyes of God, we covet to appear rich, and, though sinners, would be deemed innocents and saints.

A second great mystery is honored this day, regarding more immediately the person of our Redeemer, viz. his presentation in the temple. Besides the law which obliged the mother to purify herself, there was another which ordered that the first-born son should be offered to God: and in these two laws were included several others, as, that the child, after its presentation, should be ransomed with a certain sum of money, and peculiar sacrifices offered on the occasion.

Mary complies exactly with all these ordinances. She obeys not only in the essential points of the law, as in presenting herself to be purified, and in her offering her first-born, but has strict regard to all the circumstances. She remains forty days at home, she denies herself all this time the liberty of. entering the temple, she partakes not of things sacred, though the living temple of the God of Israel; and on the day of her purification, she walks several miles to Jerusalem, with the world's Redeemer in her arms. She waits for the priest at the gate of the temple, makes her offerings of thanksgiving and expiation, presents her divine Son by the hands of the priest to his eternal Father, with the most profound humility, adoration, and thanksgiving. She then redeems him with five shekels, as the law appoints, and receives him back again as a depositum in her special care, till the Father shall again demand him for the full accomplishment of man's redemption. It is clear that Christ was not comprehended in the law; "The king's son, to whom the inheritance of the crown belongs, is exempt from servitude:- much more Christ, who was the Redeemer both of our souls and bodies, was not subject to any law by which he was to be himself redeemed," as St. Hilary observes. But he would set an example of humility, obedience, and devotion: and would renew, in a solemn and public manner, and in the temple, the oblation of himself to his Father for the accomplishment of his will, and the redemption of man, which he had made privately in the first moment of his Incarnation. With what sentiments did the divine Infant offer himself to his Father at the same time! the greatest homage of his honour and glory the Father could receive, and a sacrifice of satisfaction adequate to the injuries done to the Godhead by our sins, and sufficient to ransom our souls from everlasting death! With what cheerfulness and charity did he offer himself to all his torments! to be whipped, crowned with thorns, and ignominiously put to death for us!

Let every Christian learn hence to offer himself to God with this divine victim, through which he may be accepted by the Father; let him devote himself with all his senses and faculties to his service. If sloth, or any other vice, has made us neglectful of this essential duty, we must bewail past omissions, and make a solemn and serious consecration of ourselves this day to the divine majesty with the greater fervor, crying out with St. Austin, in compunction of heart: "Too late have I known thee, too late have I begun to love thee, O beauty more ancient than the world!" But our sacrifice, if we desire it may be accepted, must not be lame and imperfect. It would be an insult to offer to God, in union with his Christ, a divided heart, or a heart infected with wilful sin. It must therefore first be cleansed by tears of sincere compunction: its affections must be crucified to the world by perfect mortification. Our offering must be sincere and fervent, without reserve, allowing no quarter to any of our vicious passions and inclinations, and no division in any of our affections. It must also be universal; to suffer and to do all for the divine honor. If we give our hearts to Christ in this manner, we shall receive him with his graces and benedictions. He would be presented in the temple by the hands of his mother: let us accordingly make the offering of our souls through Mary and beg his graces through the same channel.

The ceremony of this day was closed by a third mystery, the. meeting in the temple of the holy persons, Simeon and Anne, with Jesus and his parents, from which this festival was anciently called by the Greeks Hypante, the meeting. Holy Simeon, on that occasion, received into his arms the object of all his desires and sighs, and praised God in raptures of devotion for being blessed with the happiness of beholding the so much longed-for Messias. He foretold to Mary her martyrdom of sorrow; and that Jesus brought redemption to those who would accept of it on the terms it was offered them; but a heavy judgment on all infidels who should obstinately reject it, and on Christians also whose lives were a contradiction to his holy maxims and example. Mary, hearing this terrible prediction, did not answer one word, felt no agitation of mind from the present, no dread for the future; but courageously and sweetly committed all to God's holy will. Anne also, the prophetess, who, in her widowhood, served God with great fervor, had the happiness to acknowledge and adore in this great mystery the world's Redeemer. Amidst the crowd of priests and people, the Saviour of the world is known only by Simeon and Anne. Even when he disputed with the doctors, and when he wrought the most stupendous miracles, the learned, the wise, and the princes did not know him. Yet here, while a weak, speechless child, carried in the arms of his poor mother, he is acknowledged and adored by Simeon and Anne. He could not hide himself from those who sought him with fervor, humility, and ardent love. Unless we seek him in these dispositions, he will not manifest himself, nor communicate his graces to us. Simeon, having beheld his Saviour in the flesh, desired no longer to see the light of this world, nor any creatures on earth If we truly love God, our distance from him must be a continual pain: and we must sigh after that desired moment which will free us from the danger of ever losing him by sin, and will put us in possession of Him who is the joy of the blessed, and the infinite treasure of heaven. Let us never cease to pray that he purify our hearts from all earthly dross, and draw them to himself: that he heal, satiate, and inflame our souls, as he only came upon earth to kindle in all hearts the fire of his love.

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Lessons from the presentation of jesus in the temple

• by Admin Team
• June 29, 2022 March 29, 2024

The story of Jesus’ presentation in the temple is a classic one. It’s one of the few stories from the gospels that all four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) tell, and it’s a key part of the narrative of Jesus’ life.

According to the gospel of Luke, Jesus was taken to the temple at the age of 12 to be presented to God. The temple is a place where Jews celebrated their faith, but it also served as a symbol of their oppression under Roman rule. In this lesson, we will explore what it means that Jesus was presented in this particular place at this particular time.

Right here on Churchgist, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on the presentation of jesus in the temple reflection,the presentation in the temple summary, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.

The story of Jesus in the temple is one of the most well-known stories from the New Testament. It’s taught in Sunday school, it’s been depicted in art, and it’s one of the most popular parables told.

We are going to look at this story from an entirely new perspective: as an opportunity to learn something about ourselves.

We’ve all heard the story before—how when Jesus was twelve years old, he was taken to Jerusalem for his bar mitzvah celebration. But what did that mean? What did it look like? And why was Jesus’ family so worried about how he would perform?

We’ll explore these questions and more as we dive into this important passage from Scripture.

lessons from the presentation of jesus in the temple

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The  Presentation of Jesus at the Temple  (or  in the temple ) is an early episode in the life of Jesus Christ, describing his presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem, that is celebrated by many churches 40 days after Christmas on Candlemas, formally the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus. The episode is described in chapter 2 of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament. [1]  Within the account, “Luke’s narration of the Presentation in the Temple combines the purification rite with the Jewish ceremony of the redemption of the firstborn (Luke 2:23–24).” [2]

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Presentation of Jesus at the temple is celebrated as one of the twelve Great Feasts, and is sometimes called  Hypapante  (Ὑπαπαντή, “meeting” in Greek).

The Orthodox Churches which use the Julian Calendar celebrate it on 15 February, and the Armenian Church on 14 February.

In Western Christianity, the  Feast of the Presentation of the Lord  is also known by its earlier name as the  Feast of the Purification of the Virgin  or the  Meeting of the Lord . [3]  In some liturgical calendars, Vespers (or Compline) on the Feast of the Presentation marks the end of the Epiphany season, also (since the 2018 lectionary) in the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD). [4]  In the Church of England, the mother church of the Anglican Communion, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple is a Principal Feast celebrated either on 2 February or on the Sunday between 28 January and 3 February. In the Roman Catholic Church, especially since the time of Pope Gelasius I (492-496) who in the fifth century contributed to its expansion, the Feast of the Presentation is celebrated on 2 February.

In the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, and the Lutheran Church, the episode was also reflected in the once-prevalent custom of churching of women forty days after the birth of a child. The Feast of the Presesentation of the Lord is in the Roman Rite also attached to the World Day of Consecrated Life. [5]

Scripture[edit]

Meeting of the Lord , Russian Orthodox icon, 15th century

The event is described in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22–40). According to the gospel, Mary and Joseph took the Infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days (inclusive) after His birth to complete Mary’s ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn son, in obedience to the Torah (Leviticus 12, Exodus 13:12–15, etc.). Luke explicitly says that Joseph and Mary take the option provided for poor people (those who could not afford a lamb; Leviticus 12:8), sacrificing “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Leviticus 12:1–4 indicates that this event should take place forty days after birth for a male child, hence the Presentation is celebrated forty days after Christmas.

Upon bringing Jesus into the temple, they encountered Simeon. The Gospel records that Simeon had been promised that “he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26). Simeon then uttered the prayer that would become known as the  Nunc Dimittis , or Canticle of Simeon, which prophesied the redemption of the world by Jesus:

“Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel”. (Luke 2:29–32).

Simeon then prophesied to Mary: “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke 2:34–35).

The elderly prophetess Anna was also in the Temple, and offered prayers and praise to God for Jesus, and spoke to everyone there of His importance to redemption in Jerusalem (Luke 2:36–38).

In art[edit]

The event forms a usual component of extensive cycles of the  Life of Christ  and also of the  Life of the Virgin . Often either the Presentation of Jesus or the visually similar  Circumcision of Jesus  was shown, but by the late Middle Ages the two were sometimes combined. Early images concentrated on the moment of meeting with Simeon, typically shown at the entrance to the Temple, and this is continued in Byzantine art and Eastern Orthodox icons to the present day. [ citation needed ]

In the West, beginning in the 8th or 9th century, a different depiction at an altar emerged, where Simeon eventually by the Late Middle Ages came to be shown wearing the elaborate vestments attributed to the Jewish High Priest, and conducting a liturgical ceremony surrounded by the family and Anna. In the West, Simeon is more often already holding the infant, or the moment of handover is shown; in Eastern images the Virgin is more likely still to hold Jesus. [6]

Gallery[edit]

• Presentation of Jesus at the Temple , 12th century cloisonné enamel icon from Georgia
• Presentation of Christ in the Temple, from the Sherbrooke Missal
• James Tissot,  The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple  ( La présentation de Jésus au Temple ), Brooklyn Museum
• Stained glass window at St. Michael’s Cathedral (Toronto) depicts Infant Jesus at the Temple
• Painting from the Menologion of Basil II (c. 1000 AD)
• Presentation of Christ in the Temple , South German, likely altarpiece wing, late 15th century. (Private collection)

In music[edit]

Many motets and anthems have been composed to celebrate this feast and are performed as part of the liturgy, among them an anthem by 16th century German composer Johannes Eccard (1553–1611),  Maria wallt zum Heiligtum , often translated in English as “When Mary to the Temple went”.

The Lutheran church of the Baroque observed the feast as  Mariae Reinigung  (Purification of Mary). Johann Sebastian Bach composed several cantatas to be performed in the church service of the day, related to Simeon’s canticle  Nunc dimittis  as part of the prescribed readings.

• Erfreute Zeit im neuen Bunde , BWV 83, 1724
• Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin , BWV 125, 1725 (on Luther’s hymn after  Nunc dimittis )
• Ich habe genug , BWV 82, 1727

Liturgical celebration[edit]

Main article: Candlemas

Name of the celebration[edit]

In addition to being known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, other traditional names include Candlemas, the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin, [7]  and the Meeting of the Lord. [8]

The date of Candlemas is established by the date set for the Nativity of Jesus, for it comes forty days afterwards. Under Mosaic law as found in the Torah, a mother who had given birth to a boy was considered unclean for seven days; moreover she was to remain for three and thirty days “in the blood of her purification.” Candlemas therefore corresponds to the day on which Mary, according to Jewish law, should have attended a ceremony of ritual purification (Leviticus 12:2–8). The Gospel of Luke 2:22–39 relates that Mary was purified according to the religious law, followed by Jesus’ presentation in the Jerusalem temple, and this explains the formal names given to the festival, as well as its falling 40 days after the Nativity.

In the Roman Catholic Church, it is known as the  Presentation of the Lord  in the liturgical books first issued by Paul VI, [9]  and as the  Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary  in earlier editions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church and Greek Catholic Churches (Eastern Catholic Churches which use the Byzantine rite), it is known as the  Feast of the Presentation of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ in the Temple  or as  The Meeting of Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ .

In the churches of the Anglican Communion, it is known by various names, including  The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in The Temple (Candlemas)  (Episcopal Church), [7]   The Presentation of Christ in the Temple, and The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary  (Anglican Church of Canada), [10]   The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas)  (Church of England), [11]  and  The Presentation of Christ in the Temple  (Anglican Church of Australia).

It is known as the Presentation of Our Lord in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod observes 2 February as The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Our Lord. [12]  In some Protestant churches, the feast is known as the Naming of Jesus (though historically he would have been named on the eighth day after the Nativity, when he was circumcised).

Candlemas  is a northern European name for the feast because of the procession with lighted candles at the mass on this day, reflecting Simeon’s proclamation of “a light for revelation to the Gentiles”, which, in turn, echoes Isaiah 49:6 in the second of the “servant of the Lord” oracles. [11]

Practices[edit]

Traditionally, Candlemas had been the last feast day in the Christian year that was dated by reference to Christmas. It is another “epiphany” type feast as Jesus is revealed as the messiah by the canticle of Simeon and the prophetess Anna. [13]  It also fits into this theme, as the earliest manifestation of Jesus inside the house of his heavenly Father. [11]  Subsequent moveable feasts are calculated with reference to Easter.

Western Christianity[edit]

Candlemas occurs 40 days after Christmas.

Traditionally, the Western term “Candlemas” (or Candle Mass) referred to the practice whereby a priest on 2 February blessed beeswax candles for use throughout the year, some of which were distributed to the faithful for use in the home. In Poland the feast is called  Święto Matki Bożej Gromnicznej  (Feast of Our Lady of Thunder candles). This name refers to the candles that are blessed on this day, called gromnice, since these candles are lit during (thunder) storms and placed in windows to ward off storms.

Presentation of Jesus, showing (L to R) Mary, Simeon (holding Jesus), and Joseph with doves as a Temple sacrifice, stained glass window c. 1896, Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania)

This feast has been referred to as the Feast of Presentation of the Lord within the Roman Catholic Church since the liturgical revisions of the Second Vatican Council, with references to candles and the purification of Mary de-emphasised in favor of the Prophecy of Simeon the Righteous. Pope John Paul II connected the feast day with the renewal of religious vows. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple is the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. [14]

In the Liturgy of the Hours, the Marian antiphon  Alma Redemptoris Mater  is used from Advent through 2 February, after which  Ave Regina Caelorum  is used through Good Friday. [15]

Eastern Christianity[edit]

In the Byzantine tradition practiced by the Eastern Orthodox, the Meeting of the Lord is unique among the Great Feasts in that it combines elements of both a Great Feast of the Lord and a Great Feast of the Theotokos (Mother of God). It has a forefeast of one day, and an afterfeast of seven days. However, if the feast falls during Cheesefare Week or Great Lent, the afterfeast is either shortened or eliminated altogether.

The holiday is celebrated with an all-night vigil on the eve of the feast, and a celebration of the Divine Liturgy the next morning, at which beeswax candles are blessed. This blessing traditionally takes place after the Little Hours and before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy (though in some places it is done after). The priest reads four prayers, and then a fifth one during which all present bow their heads before God. He then censes the candles and blesses them with holy water. The candles are then distributed to the people and the Liturgy begins.

It is because of the biblical events recounted in the second chapter of Luke that the Churching of Women came to be practiced in both Eastern and Western Christianity. The usage has mostly died out in the West, except among Western Rite Orthodoxy, very occasionally still among Anglicans, and Traditionalist Catholics, but the ritual is still practiced in the Orthodox Church. In addition, babies, both boys and girls are taken to the Church on the fortieth day after their birth in remembrance of the Theotokos and Joseph taking the infant Jesus to the Temple. [8]

Some Christians observe the practice of leaving Christmas decorations up until Candlemas.

Meeting of the Lord , Orthodox icon from Belarus (1731)

In the Eastern and Western liturgical calendars the Presentation of the Lord falls on 2 February, forty days (inclusive) after Christmas. In the Church of England it may be celebrated on this day, or on the Sunday between 28 January and 3 February. This feast never falls in Lent; the earliest that Ash Wednesday can fall is 4 February, for the case of Easter on 22 March in a non-leap year. However, in the Tridentine rite, it can fall in the pre-Lenten season if Easter is early enough, and “Alleluia” has to be omitted from this feast’s liturgy when that happens.

In Swedish and Finnish Lutheran Churches, Candlemas is (since 1774) always celebrated on a Sunday, at earliest on 2 February and at latest on 8 February, except if this Sunday happens to be the last Sunday before Lent, i.e. Shrove Sunday or Quinquagesima (Swedish:  Fastlagssöndagen , Finnish:  Laskiaissunnuntai ), in which case Candlemas is celebrated one week earlier. [16][17]

In the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Feast, called “The Coming of the Son of God into the Temple” [3]  ( Tiarn’ndaraj , from  Tyarn- , “the Lord”, and  -undarach  “going forward”), is celebrated on 14 February. The Armenians do not celebrate the Nativity on 25 December, but on 6 January, and thus their date of the feast is 40 days after that: 14 February. The night before the feast, Armenians traditionally light candles during an evening church service, carrying the flame out into the darkness (symbolically bringing light into the void) and either take it home to light lamps or light a bonfire in the church courtyard.

History[edit]

The Feast of the Presentation is among the most ancient feasts of the Church. Celebration of the feast dates from the fourth century in Jerusalem. [7]  There are sermons on the Feast by the bishops Methodius of Patara († 312), [18]  Cyril of Jerusalem [19]  († 360), Gregory the Theologian († 389), Amphilochius of Iconium († 394), [20]  Gregory of Nyssa († 400), [21]  and John Chrysostom († 407). [22]

The earliest reference to specific liturgical rites surrounding the feast are by the intrepid Egeria, during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land (381–384). She reported that 14 February was a day solemnly kept in Jerusalem with a procession to Constantine I’s Basilica of the Resurrection, with a homily preached on Luke 2:22 (which makes the occasion perfectly clear), and a Divine Liturgy. This so-called  Itinerarium Peregrinatio  (“Pilgrimage Itinerary”) of Egeria does not, however, offer a specific name for the Feast. The date of 14 February indicates that in Jerusalem at that time, Christ’s birth was celebrated on 6 January, Epiphany. Egeria writes for her beloved fellow nuns at home:

XXVI. “The fortieth day after the Epiphany is undoubtedly celebrated here with the very highest honor, for on that day there is a procession, in which all take part, in the Anastasis, and all things are done in their order with the greatest joy, just as at Easter. All the priests, and after them the bishop, preach, always taking for their subject that part of the Gospel where Joseph and Mary brought the Lord into the Temple on the fortieth day, and Symeon and Anna the prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, saw him, treating of the words which they spake when they saw the Lord, and of that offering which his parents made. And when everything that is customary has been done in order, the sacrament is celebrated, and the dismissal takes place.”

An Armenian miniature illustrating the subject (Mugni Gospels, c. 1060)

About AD 450 in Jerusalem, people began the custom of holding lighted candles during the Divine Liturgy of this feast day. [8]  Originally, the feast was a minor celebration. But then in 541, a terrible plague broke out in Constantinople, killing thousands. The Emperor Justinian I, in consultation with the Patriarch of Constantinople, ordered a period of fasting and prayer throughout the entire Empire. And, on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, arranged great processions throughout the towns and villages and a solemn prayer service ( Litia ) to ask for deliverance from evils, and the plague ceased. In thanksgiving, in 542 the feast was elevated to a more solemn celebration and established throughout the Eastern Empire by the Emperor.

In Rome, the feast appears in the  Gelasian Sacramentary , a manuscript collection of the seventh and eighth centuries associated with Pope Gelasius I. There it carries for the first time the new title of the feast of Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Late in time though it may be, Candlemas is still the most ancient of all the festivals in honor of the Virgin Mary. [3]  The date of the feast in Rome was 2 February because the Roman date for Christ’s nativity had been 25 December since at least the early fourth century.

Though modern laymen picture Candlemas as an important feast throughout the Middle Ages in Europe, in fact it spread slowly in the West; it is not found in the  Lectionary  of Silos (650) nor in the  Calendar  (731–741) of Sainte-Geneviève of Paris.

The tenth-century Benedictional of St. Æthelwold, bishop of Winchester, has a formula used for blessing the candles. Candlemas did become important enough to find its way into the secular calendar. It was the traditional day to remove the cattle from the hay meadows, and from the field that was to be ploughed and sown that spring. References to it are common in later medieval and early Modern literature; Shakespeare’s  Twelfth Night  is recorded as having its first performance on Candlemas Day 1602. It remains one of the Scottish quarter days, at which debts are paid and law courts are in session.

Relation to other celebrations[edit]

The Feast of the Presentation depends on the date for Christmas: As per the passage from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22–40) describing the event in the life of Jesus, the celebration of the Presentation of the Lord follows 40 days after. The blessing of candles on this day recalls Simeon’s reference to the infant Jesus as the “light for revelation to the Gentiles” (Luke 2:32).

Modern Pagans believe that Candlemas is a Christianization [23][24][25]  of the Gaelic festival of Imbolc, which was celebrated in pre-Christian Europe (and especially the Celtic Nations) at about the same time of year. [26][27]  Imbolc is called “St. Brigid’s Day” or “Brigid” in Ireland. [28]  Both the goddess Brigid and the Christian Saint Brigid—who was the Abbess of Kildare—are associated with sacred flames, holy wells and springs, healing, and smithcraft. Brigid is a virgin, yet also the patron of midwives. However, a connection with Roman (rather than Celtic or Germanic) polytheism is more plausible, since the feast was celebrated before any serious attempt to expand Christianity into non-Roman countries.

Presentation of Christ in the Temple , Benozzo Gozzoli, 1460-1461 (Philadelphia Museum of Art)

In Irish homes, there were many rituals revolving around welcoming Brigid into the home. Some of Brigid’s rituals and legends later became attached to Saint Brigid, who was seen by Celtic Christians as the midwife of Christ and “Mary of the Gael”. In Ireland and Scotland she is the “foster mother of Jesus.” The exact date of the Imbolc festival may have varied from place to place based on local tradition and regional climate. Imbolc is celebrated by modern Pagans [ citation needed ]  on the eve of 2 February, at the astronomical midpoint, or on the full moon closest to the first spring thaw.

Frederick Holweck, writing in the  Catholic Encyclopædia  says definite in its rejection of this argument: “The feast was certainly not introduced by Pope Gelasius to suppress the excesses of the Lupercalia,” (referencing J.P. Migne,  Missale Gothicum , 691) [29]  The  1911 Encyclopædia Britannica  agrees: the association with Gelasius “has led some to suppose that it was ordained by Pope Gelasius I in 492 as a counter-attraction to the pagan Lupercalia; but for this there is no warrant.” [3]  Since the two festivals are both concerned with the ritual purification of women, not all historians are convinced that the connection is purely coincidental. Gelasius certainly did write a treatise against Lupercalia, and this still exists.

Pope Innocent XII believed Candlemas was created as an alternative to Roman Paganism, as stated in a sermon on the subject:

Why do we in this feast carry candles? Because the Gentiles dedicated the month of February to the infernal gods, and as at the beginning of it Pluto stole Proserpine, and her mother Ceres sought her in the night with lighted candles, so they, at the beginning of the month, walked about the city with lighted candles. Because the holy fathers could not extirpate the custom, they ordained that Christians should carry about candles in honor of the Blessed Virgin; and thus what was done before in the honor of Ceres is now done in honor of the Blessed Virgin. [30]

There is no contemporary evidence to support the popular notions that Gelasius abolished the Lupercalia, or that he, or any other prelate, replaced it with the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. [31]

In Armenia, celebrations at the Presentation have been influenced by pre-Christian customs, such as: the spreading of ashes by farmers in their fields each year to ensure a better harvest, keeping ashes on the roof of a house to keep evil spirits away, and the belief that newlywed women needed to jump over fire to purify themselves before getting pregnant. Young men will also leap over a bonfire.

The tradition of lighting a candle in each window is not the origin of the name “Candlemas”, which instead refers to a blessing of candles.

On the day following Candlemas, the feast of St. Blaise is celebrated. It is connected to the rite of Blessing of the Throats, which is, for to be available to reach more people, also often transferred after the Mass of the Presentation of the Lord or even bestowed on both feasts. By coincidence, the Blessing of the Throats is bestowed with crossed candles.

Candles on Candlemas Day, Sanok 2013

Traditions and superstitions[edit]

“Down with the rosemary, and so Down with the bays and mistletoe; Down with the holly, ivy, all, Wherewith ye dress’d the Christmas Hall”

— Robert Herrick (1591–1674), “Ceremony upon Candlemas Eve”

As the poem by Robert Herrick records, the eve of Candlemas was the day on which Christmas decorations of greenery were removed from people’s homes; for traces of berries, holly and so forth will bring death among the congregation before another year is out. [32]

In Scotland, until a change in the law in 1991 (see Scottish term days), and in much of northern England until the 18th century, Candlemas was one of the traditional quarter days when quarterly rents were due for payment, as well as the day or term for various other business transactions, including the hiring of servants.

Blessing of the Candles at Candlemas at Calvary Episcopal Church (Rochester, Minnesota)

In the United Kingdom, good weather at Candlemas is taken to indicate severe winter weather later: “ If Candlemas Day is clear and bright, / winter will have another bite. / If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain, / winter is gone and will not come again. “ [33]  It is also alleged to be the date that bears emerge from hibernation to inspect the weather as well as wolves, who if they choose to return to their lairs on this day is interpreted as meaning severe weather will continue for another forty days at least. [ citation needed ]  The same is true in Italy, where it is called  Candelora .

The Carmina Gadelica, a seminal collection of Scottish folklore, refers to a serpent coming out of the mound on  Latha Fheill Bride , as the Scots call Candlemas. This rhyme is still used in the West Highlands and Hebrides. Moch maduinn Bhride, Thig an nimhir as an toll; Cha bhoin mise ris an nimhir, Cha bhoin an nimhir rium .(Early on Bride’s morn, the serpent will come from the hollow I will not molest the serpent, nor will the serpent molest me) Thig an nathair as an toll, la donn Bride Ged robh tri traighean dh’ an t-sneachd air leachd an lair .(The serpent will come from the hollow on the brown day of Bridget Though there should be three feet of snow on the flat surface of the ground)

Candlemas Day in the Carpathian region

In the United States, Candlemas coincides with Groundhog Day, the earliest American reference to which can be found at the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center at Franklin and Marshall College. The reference implies that Groundhog Day may have come from a German-American Candlemas tradition:

Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.

— 4 February 1841—from Morgantown, Berks County (Pennsylvania) storekeeper James Morris’ diary, [1]

In France and Belgium, Candlemas (French:  La Chandeleur ) is celebrated with crêpes.

In Italy, traditionally, it (Italian:  La Candelora ) is considered the last cold day of winter.

In Tenerife (Spain), it is the day of the Virgin of Candelaria (Saint Patron of the Canary Islands).

In Southern and Central Mexico, and Guatemala City, Candlemas (Spanish:  Día de La Candelaria ) is celebrated with tamales. Tradition indicates that on 5 January, the night before Three Kings Day (the Epiphany), whoever gets one or more of the few plastic or metal dolls (originally coins) buried within the Rosca de Reyes must pay for the tamales and throw a party on Candlemas. [ citation needed ]  In certain regions of Mexico, this is the day in which the baby Jesus of each household is taken up from the nativity scene and dressed up in various colorful, whimsical outfits. [ citation needed ]

In Luxembourg,  Liichtmëss  sees children carrying lighted sticks visiting neighbors and singing a traditional song in exchange for sweets. [34]

Sailors are often reluctant to set sail on Candlemas Day, believing that any voyage begun then will end in disaster—given the frequency of severe storms in February, this is not entirely without sense. [ citation needed ]

According to over eight centuries of tradition, the swaddling clothes that baby Jesus wore during the presentation at the Temple are kept in Dubrovnik Cathedral, Croatia. [35]

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Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Library > videos.

Following is a collection of video presentations about the teachings and symbolism found in the temples of both the ancient and restored Church of Jesus Christ.

Solomon's Temple

Temple Symbolism