Friday, February 3, 2017

Behold Your Child

Behold Your Child

And when the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord- observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord(LK 2:22+)
         Ever faithful to the Mosaic Law, Mary and Joseph bring their Precious Jesus to the temple, to be presented into the service of God, to be set apart, dedicated, freely given to do His bidding –thus, establishing the feet of The Only Son, onto the path to Calvary.  
         As soon as they enter, Simeon, a saintly old man seized by the Holy Spirit, joyfully snatches the Fated Child from Mary’s arms, and prophesies: “… 'You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected- and a sword will pierce your own soul too- so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare'.” (Luke 2:34)   St. Luke takes us, from the joyful beginning of the Good News, and thrusts us into the darkness of the Crucifixion, where the murderous thoughts of humanity are laid bare -through the Blood of Mary's Lamb.
         By custom, a Jew’s heritage is verified via the mother -as a child’s father could be uncertain.  And so Jesus, whose Father was hidden, hanging on that Cross…“Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her …said to his mother, 'Woman, this is your son. Then to the disciple he said, 'This is your mother'.” (John 19:26-7)  As his last wish, Jesus, wanting his Beloved Disciple to know his true identity, consecrates him to his Mother.  Pronouncing John ‘son of the Mother of God’ confirms him as Brother to the Savior of the world -son of the Father.  And Mary, with her soul pierced by the Sword of the Cross, was ever consecrated to mother His Beloved.
         Now, we all are His Beloved.  And Mary eternally retains her mantle as ‘Mother of His Beloved’.  So we too, can be sure of our heritage, for in looking upon his Beloved John, Jesus saw our needy faces, and pronounced His Mother as our own.
As we read then, Luke’s Presentation of Our Lord, let us pause …close our eyes …and see our Mother …with her heavenly mantle …lifting us up and saying…  “Holy Father, behold Your Child, whom I consecrate to do your bidding, to follow wherever the footsteps of my Son will lead –fill this son, this daughter, with the fullness of your Spirit, to be His Light unto the world.”
          Father, in the Name of your Son, Jesus our Lord and Brother, hear this perpetual prayer of His…of Our Mother. 

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