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“A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel” (Lk 2:32)

The story of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Lk. 2:22-40) is a story of three parts. The first part (Lk. 2:22-35) is the encounter with Simeon. The second part (vv. 36-38) is the encounter with Anna and the third part (vv. 39-40) is the growth of the child in the home of Mary and Joseph in Nazareth. In the first part (Lk. 2:22-35), the evangelist emphasizes Jesus’ fulfilment of the Law or the Torah. Luke repeatedly mentions that the parents of Jesus were keen to do for him what the Law of Moses required (vv. 22.23.24.27). Moreover, Simeon whom they encounter is described as righteous and devout, terms which refer to devotion to the Law (See Ananias in Acts 22:12). Again, the name Simeon comes from the Hebrew Sh e ma which means to listen or to be obedient to the Law. Thus, the first characterization of Joseph and Mary are people who observe the Law of YHWH. Those who receive Jesus, are first and foremost people devoted to the Law. The second part (Lk. 2:36-38)
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"Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ" (St Jerome)

This third Sunday in Ordinary time has been declared Sunday of the Word of God. One question we could ask ourselves is: what is my relationship with the Word of God and what is the impact the Word has on my life? St. Jerome in his famous dictum says “ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ”. If you agree that this is true, then I want to suggest five things we could do in order that we grow in the knowledge of scripture, and thus in the knowledge of Christ. 1.        READ the scripture! Everything begins with our encounter with the Word of God. To do so, we must read it. But how do we learn to read our bible? Let me offer three quick suggestions. First, set a specific time to read your bible. Procrastination is one of the greatest enemies of bible reading. And certainly, early in the morning is better than late at night when you are worn out. Second, have a fixed place. Lying on your bed is hardly the ideal place for reading your bible, and we both know why. Third, read with
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Look, there is the Lamb of God (Jn. 1:29)

There are three terms that emerge in this Sunday’s readings. The first is the Lamb; the second is the dove, the third is the Son. Each of these is significant; each reveals something about Jesus. It is John the Baptist who points Jesus out to his disciples saying, “Look, there is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. The mention of the term lamb is loaded with meaning. It goes right back to Exodus 12:3 and to the instructions which Moses gave the people of Israel concerning the preparation of the Passover Lamb. That was the sacrificial meal which would seal the death of the firstborns of the Egyptians and pave way for the liberation of Israel from Egypt. In the later celebration of the Passover among the Jews, it fell to the High Priest to take the blood of the sacrificial animal into the sanctuary and perform expiation on behalf of the people. To point out Jesus as the lamb of God was to indicate that he was to sacrifice his life for his people. But he was not
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The Water, the Spirit and the Voice (cf. Mt. 3:16-17)

This Sunday, the church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord. In St. Matthew’s brief account of the baptism of the Lord, there are three terms used which practically summarize the events described. First, there is the WATER in which the Lord was baptized. Second, there is the SPIRIT which descended like a dove on Jesus. Third, there is the VOICE which declared Jesus as the beloved Son of God.  Each of these terms is theologically charged. In the Old Testament, Water was the first sign of deliverance. The most significant act of Salvation in Israel was the Exodus event. Moses led the people of Israel dry-shod through the waters of the Red Sea (Ex. 14). This act of going through the waters of the Red Sea became also a symbol of what Christians went through in baptism as they also were immersed in water (cf. 1 Cor. 10:1-4). That is why baptism remains for every Christian, the gateway to the life of Grace. As Christ says, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot ent
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…they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh (Mt. 2:11)

Epiphany celebrates the coming of the Magi who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the infant king born in Bethlehem. But is that the first time someone brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to Israel? By no means!  We could recall an episode in 1 Kgs. 10 in which a certain queen of Sheba having heard of the wise king Solomon also brought gifts to him. The passage recalls that she brought gold and a large quantity of spices. In fact, in Isa. 60:6, there is a veiled reference to this episode when it mentions that gold and frankincense will be brought to Jerusalem from Sheba. Again, in 1 Kgs. 10:25, myrrh is mentioned as one of the gifts brought to Solomon. So why gold, frankincense and myrrh? Gold is definitely a royal gift. Solomon was a King and a wealthy one too. Gold was an acknowledgement of his economic prowess and of his good fortune. Frankincense was also expressive of another reality. In 1 Kgs. 8, Solomon had just built a temple; one that had gaine
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Honour thy father and thy mother (Ex. 20:12)

The fourth commandment enjoins us to honour our parents and it even adds a promise; that we might live long in the land (Ex. 20:12). But the real problem is, what exactly is the content of this honour? What is a person supposed to do? My understanding is that there are three dimensions that constitute the idea of honour. The first content of honour has to do with the things one does to or for them. In Ex. 21:15 the Law reads: 15 "he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death”. The passage introduces a certain type of comportment that is expected of children with respect to their parents. This is expressed in varied ways. For instance in Lev. 19:32 it reads: "You shall rise up before the grayheaded, and honor the aged. This has to do with consideration of the elderly. It is this same idea which Sirach expands upon in Sir. 3:12-14. He mentions help, kindness and forbearance among the ways one should act towards parents. The second content of hono
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And His Name shall be called Emmanuel (Mt 1:23)

Have you ever thought of the origin of the name Emmanuel? Of course, we easily remember that it is the name the angel revealed to Joseph when Mary was found to be with child (Mt 1:23). Joseph was wondering whether to take Mary, his betrothed, as a wife, or to divorce her. When the angel revealed to him God’s plan in a dream, he, being a just man, accepted God’s will and took Mary as his wife. But there is another account in the Isa 7:14. In this account, Ahaz the king of Judah was faced with an attack by his northern neighbors. He considered making an alliance with the Assyrians when the prophet Isaiah brought him a message from the Lord. The alliance was not necessary. God promised deliverance from his northern neighbors. The sign for this divine intervention would be that a virgin would conceive and bear a son and name him Emmanuel. Unfortunately, Ahaz did not heed the advice of the prophet. There is however, a third “Emmanuel story”, in the bible which people speak less oft
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