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What can learn from today’s gospel?  Let us open our hearts and minds to see….

• The Holy Family was obedient on to God, they followed God’s call to consecrate Jesus who is the first born.  Mary underwent the prescribed purification ritual and then together with Joseph offered up the sacrifice.  We too can consecrate ourselves to Jesus and bring our daily/weekly sacrifice i.e. deeds of love, service etc. up to Him during the Eucharistic celebration. 
• If we lead Holy and righteous lives, like Simeon and Anna, we too may look upon the face of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
• We too can learn from Simeon and Anna, blessing, praising and worshipping God with all our heart and might.
• Mary our Mother knows our every need, our every desire, our every deed, how easily we tire.  Through her powerful intercession, the Holy Spirit will strengthen, guide and show us the way to the Truth, the Light and the Way, our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Blessed is our Mother indeed!

Let us pray….

On this day, Lord, Your mother, Mary and foster father, Joseph, presented You at the temple.  We celebrate Your presentation by lighting candles – reminding us that You are the light of the world.  I pray today that I never live a day without feeling the fire of Your love burning within my heart. Amen.

GOSPEL Luke 2:22–40

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “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 will pierce— so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty–four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.