Homilies for December 2023

For the First Sunday, Second Sunday, Third Sunday, and Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the Nativity of the Lord (the Vigil and the Day), and the Feast of the Holy Family

First Sunday of Advent – December 3, 2023

Readings: Is 63:16B–17, 19B; 64:2–7 • Ps 80:2–3, 15–16, 18–19 • 1 Cor 1:3–9 • Mk 13:33–37      bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120323.cfm

“Be watchful! Be alert!”

In Christ’s exhortation today, it can be quite tempting to place ourselves in the shoes of the person traveling abroad. After all, this current life is a journey to our heavenly home. We speak of our current state as a pilgrimage. And this is certainly true; however, in the context of our Gospel today, we are not the ones on a journey, but instead it is Christ who is on the journey, while we are the ones remaining in the home.

With this in mind, in what home are we remaining? The one traveling is a lord, and there appear to be many servants with many different roles in the home. This is not a small house, but a large manor with many rooms. This house represents the Church, the kingdom of God upon earth. The Lord upon his Ascension left his Church well ordered, with us, his servants, having set roles to maintain this house until his return.

This is the state in which we find ourselves in the present moment, on the watch for the Lord’s coming. It is currently late in the night as we keep our vigil, some two thousand years since Christ’s ascension. The natural world reflects this reality as we journey toward the winter solstice with ever retreating days and deepening nights. But our expectation for this natural darkening to reverse and light to increase once more serves as an icon of our hope for the true return of the Light of the World.

For this is what we are on the lookout for. We are to be like the one we heard in Isaiah, waiting for that great deed of the Lord which “no ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen.” The great expectant hope is that Christ will return and return soon, and finally put to death the final enemy, death itself; that he will finally reconcile all humanity to God and each other; that no longer will we labor under the bondage of sin but walk upright in the freedom of the glory of the children of God. But his deed which is impossible for humanity, a deed which has never been seen or heard, will only be given to “those who wait for him.”

In order to wait for the Lord and his great deeds, we must at a minimum remain within the house and be at home to greet him. Whenever we commit grave sins we leave the home of the Church, we desert our post in the watch tower. For as we heard in Isaiah, our sins make us “like [withered] leaves, and our guilt carries us away like the wind.” In our sins, the winds of life (particularly the turbulence of the Advent season) blow us away just as the final autumnal gusts disperse the remaining leaves. We must strive that much more during this season to recommit ourselves to God and remain vigilant against that which might led us into sin.

Assuming that we do remain in the house during this season, it is not enough to be simply found within the walls. We must be found awake and doing “[our] own work.” Each of us has a proper role in the body of Christ. Do we know what that is? During this time there are many distractions and temptations. The amount of consumption and focus on materialistic goods leads to a drowsiness of spirit. Sure, we seek to do so for love, and yet how many sins against charity do we commit in our pursuit of the acquisition of things? We long to express our affection, and yet how numbed to God and prayer will we have become come Christmas?

Our spiritual drowsiness comes because we are laboring at tasks which are not asked of us. We are called to be expectantly waiting, not bustling about. As we hear elsewhere in Luke, the master when he returns will “gird himself, have [the vigilant servants] recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.” How lovely would Advent be, if instead of such frenetic haste, we expectantly waited for our Lord’s arrival, an arrival upon which he will serve us, not we him. We need not have the house perfectly sorted or provisioned properly, nor halls decked accordingly. Instead, we are to be like children on the watch, awaiting with ardent love for the return of our Lord.

This Advent season, may we each find time to stop and scan the horizon, looking for the Lord. May we strive to sit in the stillness of the night, lovingly awaiting the arrival of our Lord, that when he does arrive, our souls might leap with joy to open their gates and welcome him within. Amen.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – December 8, 2023

Readings: Gn 3:9–15, 20 • Ps 98:1, 2–3ab, 3cd–4 • Eph 1:3–6, 11–12 • Lk 1:26–38    bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120823.cfm

Why is there the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception? This can have two meanings. First, why was Mary conceived immaculately? By immaculately conceived we mean that she “by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin” (CCC §491, quoting Pius IX). God prepared her so that she would be worthy of becoming the mother of God. He created her spotless, so that within her spotless womb, she would bear the spotless Lamb. He preserved her from all sin, so that the only Begotten Son of God, who existed from all eternity, would upon his incarnation have a mother of pure heart, able to love and raise him without any duplicity, but with the most pure and perfect love a human is capable of.

Our original question can also mean, why do we celebrate his event? Sure, this is a great gift for Mary, but why do we celebrate that gift? Because she, like a radiant light which shines forth in the darkness of this current age, manifests what humanity without the effects of original or personal sin and sanctified by the Holy Spirit both ought to have been and will be. Christ is True God and True Man. Mary is simply humanity in its perfection. Who Mary is gives concrete expression to who we hope to be. But not just what we hope to be, but also how we can hope to traverse life today. For Mary, though she never felt the effects of personal sin, since she herself never sinned, did feel the effects of others’ sins. Her heart is a heart pierced by seven swords. She witnessed the torments of her son. Through all this she did not sin but was not spared the suffering of sin. This then gives us hope, that even in trial we are not abandoned by God, and further that we as humans are able through the grace of the Holy Spirit to persevere in holiness through such moments.

The great sanctity of our Blessed Mother does not remove her from the cares of the world. She entered deeply into them. It is precisely because of this that the Church raises up her sinlessness to us today, that her holiness might be a beacon of hope in the darkness of trial, inflaming our faith in what God can do since he has already done so for the Virgin. May we also entrust ourselves to her care and example. Mary, the Immaculate Conception, pray for us.

Second Sunday of Advent – December 10, 2023

Readings: Is 40:1–5, 9–11 • Ps 85:9–10, 11–12, 13–14 • 2 Pt 3:8–14 • Mk 1:1–8      bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121023.cfm

Our Gospel presents us with the familiar scene of John the Baptist in the desert along the banks of the Jordan. There he is baptizing those seeking to repent of their sins. Mark identifies this action of John as fulling the prophecy from Isaiah that one would prepare the way (that is, a road) of the Lord. Turning back to the original prophecy, why was there a need for the way to be prepared? What was wrong with the existing road? For whom was the way made? Where was it going?

To start, we find that purpose of this highway is to connect the people of God with the Lord. The people have been in service and have had to serve a tour double that of a normal one for their crimes. But what kind of service have they served? In Hebrew, the word used for service indicates it is military service, and so the people on account of their infidelity had been pressed into the military and sent off into a foreign land, Babylon in exile. Their spiritual battle in that place was to give witness to God’s glory in these foreign lands since they did not do so while in Jerusalem.

There they fulfilled their duty twice over. So too in the midst of our earthly pilgrimage, as members of the Church militant, our spiritual service and trials can seem great and unending. The length of our service seems prolonged and caused by the delay in God’s return; however, as St. Peter says in our second reading, this delay is according to God’s designs. But why does he delay in giving us consolations in this life? He gives us time to repent, to finish our tour of duty well. Often our spiritual progression stalls because there is still some sin which we will not let go of, some forgiveness we will not offer.

The longer we cling to sin, the longer our service is prolonged. But why does this prolong our tour of duty? Because sin is the rejection of God and his glory. It creates obstacles between us and God. How can we finish a tour of duty if we are constantly not fulfilling our orders or deserting our post?

But this way is not just made for us; most accurately, it is made for another, God. In the prophecy we heard that the Lord was coming in his glory with a herald proclaiming victory before him. The Lord appears as a general returning glorious from battle, coming to his beleaguered army to refresh their spirits with the good news (that is the gospel) of victory. But will we welcome the victorious king’s arrival? Do we desire his approach?

If we have acted like a soldier without discipline, with contempt for the general’s orders, and disregard for duties assigned to us, then the Lord’s arrival is surely a dreadful thing. If we have been a faithful soldier in the midst of our trials, then our Lord’s arrival will be one of rejoicing. In both cases the Lord’s arrival will be like fire, as we heard from St. Peter, cleansing us of our impurities, making a highway straight to our souls. All our sins, all these obstacles we have erected, will be dissolved in the fire of his love.

The question then is, what will remain of us when our sin is removed? Should we spend a life dedicated to raising obstacles between us and God, what treasure will be stored up in our souls? Will it not have been spent on barriers, leaving us spiritually bankrupt? But if we spend a life repenting and so tearing down the obstacles between us and God, so that his highway of love might run clear and straight to our souls, then we can store up treasures of charity and good works. For all that will remain after the fire of divine love comes upon us is charity itself.

The Church in her ministers continues this plan of preparation. She aids us in directing us as to how we should prepare the way of the Lord to our souls. We know that the Lord is on his way, he is coming in glory. May we use this Advent season to set in order the camp of our souls and set aright the paths to it. May we fight against those vices and sins that cling to us, and instead strive to grow in love and virtue. For the Lord is coming indeed; may we be found at the watchtower, ready to joyfully greet him when he arrives. Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent – December 17, 2023

Readings: Is 61:1–2A, 10–11 • Lk 1:46–48, 49–50, 53–54 • 1 Thes 5:16–24 • Jn 1:6–8, 19–28    bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121723.cfm

This third Sunday in Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday, which is Latin meaning Rejoice! And truly our Mass this day is one of rejoicing. From our entrance antiphon where we sing “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near,” to our opening Collect, we hear of celebrations and rejoicing, and so to this theme continued throughout our readings and psalm.

But there is a natural question which we should ask ourselves: Why are we rejoicing? Sure, we are already at the seventeenth of December, we have made it through some of our Christmas parties. We are only eight days away from Christmas itself. The hurry of December is quickly coming to a close. There is reason to rejoice for some, and anguish, I suppose, for others.

Turning back to our readings, though, what is the occasion for rejoicing there? From the prophet we heard a prophecy concerning John the Baptist; we heard of a messenger of the Lord proclaiming a message of glad tidings, healing to broken hearts, liberty to captives, and a year favored or blessed by the Lord. That all sounds great. Who does not want liberty? Or who does not want a heart healed, particularly when this time of year can bring forth such vivid memories of times past?

At the heart of this proclamation is a message of salvation, and so when we look into our hearts, do we desire or see a need for salvation? These last two weeks have provided the recurring theme of being on the lookout for the Lord’s arrival. When he arrives, he will bring salvation, and so what does that look like? From what do we need to be saved? From what is the Lord coming to save us?

It is quite easy to call Christ our savior; but the thing is, he came to save us from particular things, not just anything. He came to free us from sin and death. This is why he will be born shortly; he needed a body so that he might be able to die for our sins. And we will readily profess this truth. We have repeated it since childhood. And yet, are we not disappointed at times with this supposed salvation from sin and death? Do we not still struggle with sin; do not people still die? As to the point on death, we can quote St. Paul and say, “If then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” (Rm 6:5) Christ in his salvation did not promise that we would not physically die, but only that bodily death would not be the final end of our lives, that having shared in a death like Christ’s we shall share in the bodily resurrection when he returns at the end of time.

But even so, we still sin, we still experience sin, what salvation has been achieved here? The first point to note is that sin is like a disease. And so on the one hand it takes time to heal. Cancer does not go away after one session of radiation, and even after radiation treatment is concluded, there is a period of rehab. If this is what healing looks like for the body, why should the soul be any different? To experience the promised salvation from sin we must persevere in reception of the medicine of the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist, and we must do the rehab of developing a spiritual life and charitable works.

On the other hand, like a disease, if we do not treat it or withhold treatment, that often only leads to the disease’s greater festering and in turn causes worse damage to the body. God does not force our salvation upon us. He wants us to freely open ourselves to his healing, and this is often why we stall in growing in God and overcoming sin; there is often some place within us that we will not welcome God into. Frequently this is some past harm which we will not or cannot forgive. So long as we withhold offering forgiveness, we put off receiving the saving treatment of God.

The second point is that we often do not know how to determine if we are growing in grace and away from sin. We do not know what it looks like to live a life filled with God’s grace. Now yes, joy is a sign of having received God’s salvation. That is why it has such a prominent place in our liturgy today. But we can at times reduce joy to the emotion of joy and think that there is something wrong if we are not feeling joyful all the time. This can become quite distorted, where we suppress all “negative” emotions, which can cause us to not allow God to heal those harms which prevent us from experiencing the emotion of joy.

Joy is not just an emotion, but is also an internal spiritual disposition. Our second reading gives us another word to help understand this dynamic: peace. The redeemed Christian should experience peace in this life, even during the midst of the storms of life. And so we can ask ourselves, are we at peace? When we look at our lives, are we at peace? In the midst of the many activities of this advent season, have we been at peace? And if not, why not? Our God is a God of peace, he gives peace, as we grow in relationship with him, we will grow in peace. That is one of the key indicators of how we have progressed in our relationship with God.

This Gaudete Sunday let us rejoice in the Lord, in his goodness to us, and on account of his imminent arrival both upon this altar and at his Nativity. In our joy let us take stock of the reasons for our joy and the peace which we have received. May we each come to this Christmas ever more joyfully to celebrate the birth of our Lord. Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 24, 2023

Readings: 2 Sm 7:1–5, 8b–12, 14a, 16 • Ps 89:2–3, 4–5, 27, 29 • Rom 16:25–27 • Lk 1:26–38    bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122423.cfm

The hour is nigh; the long-expected approach of our master will soon be at hand. As is naturally the case, we are hustling and scurrying about to set our homes in order and complete our final arrangements. We are much like King David in our first reading. We are aware of our blessings from God, and we seek to express our love to him and one another. We do so by buying and preparing things. And there is a true good in this, just as there was a true good in King David desiring to build the temple to the Lord on account of his blessings.

But what does the Lord say to David? You are not to build the temple. He does not say that he is wrong to desire to do so, but that the Lord will make known when it is the proper time. Instead the Lord reminds David once more of the blessings he has bestowed upon David, and that he will bless David even further with an eternal inheritance. This is another way of God saying, I will serve you, David, your descendants, and the whole people of Israel. Likewise for us, God is coming to serve us, to aid us. How good are we at accepting help? Do we allow people to help us, particularly when we want to be the ones offering help?

Furthermore, there is a reason why God does not accept David’s offer to build the temple: David is a man of blood. He has been a warrior for much of his life, and he has made serious mistakes in his life. The Lord desires one with less “baggage” to build the temple. We must note, though, that God does not reject David as a person, because he knows the goodness in him and the desire of David’s heart to seek the Lord. So God affirms his goodness while also serving David so as to call David beyond himself. So too with us, the Lord affirms our good desire to serve one another, while also reminding us that we have sinned and he wants to minister to us so that he might heal us of our sins, if we would let him.

In a similar way, the Lord comes to Mary and announces the great work that he will do with and through her. He will do the impossible, she will become a mother while remaining a virgin. Not only that, but this child will fulfill the promise made to David; he will be the long-expected Messiah. The Lord comes to serve Mary and his people, and how does Mary react? Her heart was greatly troubled. Would we not response in the same way if we heard such a message? If we heard God say that he was not only going to be so humble as to minister to us, but that in doing so he would do something so extraordinary and wondrous, how would we respond?

In her response to the invitation, she speaks plainly and directly: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” In this answer she conceives of the Holy Spirit, the Son of God becomes incarnate in her womb, and God dwells in the midst of his people. The great mystery of salvation which St. Paul spoke of is set in motion. The humble ministry of God in flesh has begun. The recreation of creation begins with a young woman who accepted God’s invitation to minister to her and in turn, through her, the whole world.

As with Mary, the Lord of the universe is about to arrive and knock upon the doors of our hearts. We have had weeks to prepare for this moment. When he arrives, will we allow him to wait upon us at table? Will we allow the divine bridegroom to minister to us, his bride? May Mary’s words be ready on our lips: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Amen.

The Nativity of Our Lord (Vigil) – December 24, 2023

Readings: Is 62:1–5 • Ps 89:4–5, 16–17, 27, 29 • Acts 13:16–17, 22–25 • Mt 1:1–25    bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122523-Vigil.cfm

What a dramatic opening to the Gospel of Matthew, and a dramatic setting of Christ’s birth. And yes, we did hear the same Gospel. And yes, I am talking about the genealogy. But what makes a list of names so dramatic? The genealogy here acts like a narrator at the beginning of a play. It sets the stage, and both introduces the main character who will be the center of the performance and places the drama within a specific historical setting. Particularly this drama is set as the culmination of a history which finds its climax within this show, which will unfold starting in our first act and culminating in the Paschal Mystery of the Triduum.

Let us look once more at our three genealogical cycles as they build to this night. In the first cycle of fourteen we begin with Abraham, to whom God promised land, descendants, and that he would be a blessing to the nations. This cycle ended with King David, in whom we find the fulfillment on a natural level of two of these three promises: land and descendants; for it is with the reign of King David that the people are made secure in the land. At this stage God has yet to fulfill the final promise that all nations will be blessed through Abraham. David desired to build the temple, which would provide for an avenue to realize that last promise, but God stopped him.

The second cycle of fourteen then begins with David and ends with the last king, Jechoniah, who was sent into exile. David’s son, Solomon, built the temple, paving the way for the fulfillment of the final promise, and yet everything went wrong. The people of Israel betrayed the Lord’s covenant and worshiped other gods. And so they were sent into exile and lost their other two promises. We close with the failure of the people and the fear that God has forsaken them. Their one shot has been lost and they are in ruin. Close curtains, fade to black.

Into this anguish, this resounding failure, comes the third cycle in the fourteen. The people of Israel know not how they will be restored. They know not who the rightful king is. The prophets come to them and speak words of comfort, and hope; the Lord will marvelously restore them. He will raise up the one, true, and eternal king. He will restore them to their original purity as Isaiah proclaimed. But how? And so we move through the lineage of the third cycle, and we come to a terminus, to a singular man, “Jesus who is called the Christ,” or the anointed one, as David his forefather was anointed king.

Here at last, the promised one, son of David and Abraham. He, who will restore the people and fulfill the promises, has arrived! The long–expected one! The one whom prophets and patriarchs longed to see! The fulfillment of God’s plan of reconciliation of all creation has at least entered its culmination. And the narrator’s voice falls silent as the lights dim.

Then gently, the curtains pull back and the soft glow of light shines forth upon the stage. With expectant eyes and hearts we now enter into the first act of this crescendo of God’s salvation. And what do we find? Lowly and humble parents. A confusion over paternity. Who is this child? From whence did he come? An angel appears to Joseph and says that this child is divine. This night a child is born unto us. A child lowly and meek. A son conceived of God and not of man. God did not despise our humanity, but instead embraced it. He saw our infirmity and so himself took upon himself our flesh so as to make us whole from within.

Tonight the king is born who takes on all of humanity and in doing so makes us into his royal diadem and crown as we heard in Isaiah. Not only is God among us, but God also raises us up at his birth. This infant will restore us to our youthful purity. An impossible task for us, but one made actual by Christ. No longer must we fear being cast off or rejected, for God has united our very being to his very self. Jesus in his birth has sealed an eternal and unbreakable covenant, a union between himself and all humanity. This infant will bless all nations, and in doing so bring all lands and people beneath him. He who is the son of Abraham, in his humanity, unites all humanity, perfectly fulfilling God’s promises to Abraham.

Let us rejoice and be glad this night, for our God is truly with us. He has heard our cries and has come to us. He has come as an infant, not in blazing wrath, but humble and approachable. Come, let us adore him for he has made us a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that we may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once we were no people but now we are God’s people; once we had not received mercy but now we have received mercy. (1 Pe 2:9–10) Come in praise and thanksgiving for God’s goodness to us, that he has been faithful to us. Let our hearts and mouths give glory on high with the angelic hosts, for Emmanuel has arrived, for God is truly with us.

The Nativity of Our Lord (Day) – December 25, 2023

Readings: Is 52:7–10 • Ps 98:1, 2–3, 3–4, 5–6 • Heb 1:1–6 • Jn 1:1–18    bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122523-Day.cfm

What child is this? Who has been born unto us? Whose figure is laid here in the manger? Jesus Christ, you say. But then who is this person that has brought us to the church this day? He surely must be important, otherwise we would be elsewhere. But he is also not simply any important person, for we do not celebrate George Washington’s birthday with such fanfare. Today is a religious holiday, you say, and not civil, and so it is, because he is a religious figure. But he is also not simply any religious figure or prophet, for we do not celebrate the prophet Isaiah’s birthday with such exuberance. We are here to celebrate the birth of the Son of God from a woman named Mary into the house of David.

Ah, but then what does it mean to call this child the Son of God, since do we not say that we all are sons and daughters of God? Instead, when we say this child given to us is the Son of God, we mean something different. Our sonship or daughterhood is patterned upon this Son. But even in Scripture the title Son of God has a few meanings. It could mean someone who was obedient to God and worshiped him (as in the book of Genesis) or was metaphorically adopted by God (as with the good kings of Israel). And it is true that Jesus was obedient to his heavenly Father, and is the King, but he is not adopted, nor did he become son by his actions. Jesus is called the Son of God as an infant, before he could do good so as to merit the title. No, who this child is makes him the Son of God.

Ah, but there is another set of beings whom Scripture also calls the sons of God, the angels. These are called sons because of who they are, not what they do or by adoption, but because they have a certain affinity to God and so the term son is analogously applied to them. But no, this child, this infant in the manger, is not a son like the angels as we heard in our reading from Hebrews. This Jesus is greater than the angels; he participates in divinity itself. For there is one even greater here today than even the angels.

The answer of who was laid into the manger, who was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is given to us in our stupendous Gospel of John. This Son of God is the Divine Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. The ever-existing Word of God who eternally dwelt with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. God, in his entire infinite perfection, took on our humanity. This is who is born unto us today.

The Son of God came to us and took upon our flesh, not simply the appearance of our humanity, but our actual humanity. He came to dwell and be with us. Jesus came to make God the Father known, for God the Father is unknowable except through the Son who makes him known. We can often think that we can directly know God, but so often instead we project who we want God to be upon our notion of God. Like all persons, God reveals himself to us, so that we may come to know God as he is, and God the Father does this through his Son. The Son first did so through the act of creation, which reveals the very existence of God, and his goodness and love since he did not have to create the universe. The Son then definitively did so in becoming human. This child today, like a brilliant light shining in the darkness of our ignorance, radiantly manifests God’s glory and presence among us. This child makes God knowable to all of creation. Christ’s humanity is the unique and singular place of revelation and encounter with God. It is only through Christ that we come to know the truth of God and it is only through him that we come to know who God is. There is no other source, for this is the way which God the Father has chosen to make himself knowable and known to the world.

This is who the child is that we have come to. This is why we have come to the church this day. This is the cause of our joy. God, who existed before all time, who is clothed in darkness and transcends all human understanding, whom we knew only in figures and shadows as in a cave, has let his brilliant light shine forth this day. He who has loved us from all eternity has come among us as an infant, illuminating our minds with God’s presence, so that we might in turn know him and ultimately love him. Today let us rejoice and be glad, for God has made himself known to us. Give thanks to the Lord for his loving vulnerability before his creation. Proclaim to the nations that no longer must they seek God in other places, for he has come to us. Rest and gaze in loving wonder upon God who is among us, for today the Son of God has been born unto us.

Feast of the Holy Family – December 31, 2023

Readings: Sir 3:2–6, 12–14 or Gn 15:1–6; 21:1–3 • Ps 128:1–2, 3, 4–5 or Ps 105:1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 8–9 • Col 3:12–21 or 3:12–17 or Heb 11:8, 11–12, 17–19 • Lk 2:22–40     bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/123123.cfm

Of all the events during Jesus’ life, isn’t it interesting that his presentation in the temple as an infant is preserved, while so many others are not? To make an analogy, if you were writing an autobiography, how many would include a story about your baptism? Sure, a passing reference, but what about a page or two? Even more, not only is Christ’s presentation in the temple preserved, but the Church thinks that it is more important than many other events of Christ’s life. We do not have a set day to remember when Christ raised the widow’s son, or expelled demons, both of which certainly seem like a bigger deal than him being brought to the temple. And yet, the Church raises this celebration above many others and links it to Christmas, where it acts as the bookend to Christmas.

So what makes today so important? To understand this we need to remember history and how we got to this moment. Christ’s presentation in the temple is set within the context of fulfilling the promises the covenants between God and Israel. Two thousand years previously Abraham was promised a multitude of descendants, land, and that the world would be blessed through him. This promise, though, was not fulfilled in his lifetime, for he would have a single son late in life.

Across these thousands of years, the people wrestled with the promises made to them by God. They waited in expectation as to how he would fulfill them. As with Abraham, they were called to have faith, that is trust in the Lord, that he would fulfill his promises. Just as the Lord acted “at the set time that [he] had stated,” in giving Abraham Isaac, so too would the Lord do again with his other promises. And so in faith they waited for the arrival of the Messiah.

At long last, he has arrived, he is born unto us, but in a manger, without notice and fanfare. His arrival is not yet known to the people. And so the Lord prepared his prophet Simeon for this day. The Lord had promised to him that he would not die before seeing the Messiah, the Christ, and so the Spirit then led him into the temple this day, filled with expectation: this is the set moment, this is the time prepared by the Lord across centuries.

As he lays his eyes upon this child, this infant of humble stock, he breaks out in praise, proclaiming publicly the good news, the gospel of the Messiah’s arrival. The Glory of God has arrived in the temple, the salvation of the people, and wisdom to all. What we knew as secret a few days earlier at Christmas is now made public, and how we ought to rejoice in this, just as when we have kept a secret of good tidings which we can now share aloud.

The prophetess Anna, in hearing the joy of Simeon, comes over, and she too rejoices in the fulfillment of God’s promises. She then goes throughout the temple bringing the good news to all, just as Mary Magdalene will do at the resurrection.

Further, in these two prophets, we find an elderly man and woman who come to bear witness to this event of the young Mary and Joseph bringing Christ. They stand in for the whole Old Testament and give witness to the arrival of the New Testament, that the Old Covenant of Israel is fulfilled in the New Covenant of Christ given to the Church and the world.

Let us each go forth as Anna did and proclaim the good news of Christ’s arrival in the world. Just as his birth some two thousand years ago is often overlooked and forgotten, so too is it today in the commemoration of his nativity itself. But today we celebrate the public proclamation of said birth, the royal announcement that our Lord has arrived. The Old proclaims the New, and the New is glorified in the Old. Go forth and proclaim the good news, for your eyes have seen the Lord’s salvation, bringing his light to all nations. Amen.