Simple Thoughts on the Rosary: Joyful Mysteries: The Presentation
I.—Blessed art Thou in the holy Temple of Thy glory.—Dan. iii.
And after the days of the purification of Mary, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried Jesus to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord; and to offer a sacrifice according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons. And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him. And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came by the Spirit into the Temple. And when His parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he also took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said: Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word, in peace: because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.
And His father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His Mother: Behold this Child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who departed not from the Temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. Now she at the same hour coming in, confessed to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel (Luke 2).
See the Jewish mothers making their way up the Temple steps, their babes in their arms. Hear the bleating of the lambs, the cooing of the doves. See the blessed Mother and her divine Child: St. Joseph by her side; in his hand the wicker cage with the doves, and five shekels (about fifteen shillings of our money) for the redemption of the Child. Look at the face of Mary at the moment she offers her Son to God.
See Mary and Joseph and the prophetess Anna gathered round holy Simeon who holds in his arms the Christ of the Lord.
II.—Bless the Lord all ye servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.—Ps. cxxxiii.
Let me learn a lesson from each one in this blessed group.
(1) The Divine Child.
The greatest of all, the Creator and Lord of all, is small, weak, silent, dependent. Scripture ridicules the impotent gods of the heathen: to what a state of helplessness has love reduced the true God here! Is there anything in that little face to reveal to us the treasures of His Heart—Its vast design for the glory of His Father and the salvation of men; Its steadfastness of purpose that neither suffering nor ingratitude will overcome; Its generosity that only Calvary and the perpetual immolation of the Eucharist will satisfy? It is the need of giving Himself unreservedly to those whom He loves that brings Him to the Temple to-day: “Sacrifice and oblation Thou wouldst not, then said I, Behold I come” (Ps. 39). He offers Himself to a life of hardship and persecution, to a death of agony and shame. And makes His offering with the eagerness of love that counts no cost: “He hath rejoiced as a giant to run His way” (Ps. 18). Sacrifice is the necessity of love, its instinct, its language, its food, its very life. O little Babe, do I recognise by this mark my love of Thee?
(2) The Blessed Mother.
Mary gave a gift to God such as had never before been offered to Him, greater than which no man can give. And God gave her in return the assurance of a lifelong sorrow. His reward seems strange to us. Yet were not trial and pain gifts worthy of God, could He have chosen such a moment for sending them to His well-beloved daughter! If His Heart went out to the widow who cast her two mites into the treasury, because she had “cast in all she had, even her whole living,” how would He prize the generosity of Mary, who in offering her Son gave what was more to her than life. Those who know Him understand His ways. Mary was not disturbed. The sudden change in her life touched neither her peace nor her trust, but the perfection of her submission did not deaden her pain. The sword made its way down to the depths of her soul, to remain there till it was drawn forth on Easter Day by the same hand that had plunged it therein; drawn forth to make way for the floods of joy that filled it to overflowing. How God loves to outdo in generosity! Who has ever regretted in the end having given Him a gift that cost!
See Mary in her sorrow, not downcast, not self-concentrated; ready as before to enter into and soothe the trifling troubles of others. God could not trust me in my youth with the knowledge of the heaviest cross that would befall me. I should be soured, if not crushed. But Mary He could trust. She left the Temple knowing what was in store for her and her Divine Son. And Joseph found her no different in her home life, unless it were that she seemed sweeter than ever, tenderer even than before with those in sorrow, because of the fellow-feeling that came to her from the pressure of her own cross.
See her taking the road home; her Child pressed close to her heart. She is to tend and rear Him as a lamb for sacrifice; to watch Him grow up in His loveliness; and in the fulness of His beauty to give Him up to torture and to death. And this for me. O Mother of God, blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
To measure love we reckon up Its sacrificed:
Who, then, shall gauge the charity That offered—Christ!
That gave Him to a hunted life, A death of shame, To win, alas! from many a heart Love but in name.
(3) The Foster-Father.
St. Joseph heard the words of Simeon. How tenderly he must have sympathised with Mary. How do I behave towards those on whom a sudden sorrow has fallen?
(4) Simeon.
Simeon’s desires won for him the promise that he should not die till he had seen the Christ of the Lord. An eager heart such as his is very pleasing to God. The longing to see our Lord, to know Him intimately, to love Him dearly, is met by the answer: “Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty” (Isaias 33).
“O Daniel, I am come to thee because thou art a man of desires,” said Gabriel. And again: “Fear not, O man of desires, take courage and be strong” (Dan. 10).
Simeon waited patiently day after day, perhaps for many years. There was nothing to show he was nearing the realisation of his hopes. No Angel came on the morning of the Presentation to announce the happiness that was at hand. What if that day he had failed to be where duty called him! What if on the morrow he had lain dying, and, complaining to God of the non-fulfilment of the promise for which he had lived, had heard the answer: “The hour of the morning sacrifice yesterday was My hour; My Christ awaited you in the Temple, but you were not watching.”
I too have desires of higher things for myself and for others. I too hope and pray through long years, relying on the promise: “Ask and you shall receive” (Matth. 7). “Know ye that no one hath hoped in the Lord and hath been confounded” (Ecclus. 2). But I must do my part, not only by desires and by prayer, but by faithful service like the old man Simeon.
What did Simeon feel as he held in his arms and pressed to his heart “the Christ of the Lord”? When his eyes saw, dimly through their tears, “the Light of the Gentiles and the glory of Israel”? The same Christ I hold and embrace after Holy Communion. And if my eyes do not yet behold Him, I have the assurance: “Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed.” “Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty.” Shall not this faith and this hope enkindle something of Simeon’s love? If still my heart is cold, let me offer to Him who accepts desires as deeds, the love of the old man’s heart that day.
(5) ANNA.
Anna was a dweller in the Temple, known and revered by all who frequented it, so constant was her attendance, so reverent her worship, so fervent her speech when she spoke of the Expectation of Israel. Yet what was there to draw her to the Temple Courts? Had every day seen a Presentation of Christ, as our daily Mass, her assiduity would have been explicable, would have been called for. Is my attendance in church assiduous, is my worship reverent? Every morning Christ is there presented to the Father: is not my presence and my homage called for?
Anna had no promise. But God is better than His word, as we shall find out in heaven. He loves to take us by surprise. He loves to answer even the unspoken desires of the heart. He delights to fill our cup of joy to the brim. It is not likely that such a dweller in the Temple would be unknown to a kindred spirit like Simeon’s. Perhaps she knew of the promise to him and trusted to have a share in his joy, and therefore departed not from the Temple, by fasting and prayer serving day and night. She was near at the moment of the Presentation, as if she kept the old man in sight, to be at hand when his hour should come, ready to receive the overflowing of his grace should God vouchsafe it to her. How could God refuse to satisfy that longing for Himself which is such perfect homage, and of which, alas, He finds so little!
Anna spoke of the Child to all who looked for the redemption of Israel. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Because her heart was full of Him she could not but speak of Him. Do I want to know of what my heart is full? Of what do I love to speak of?
III.—Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace.—Luke ii.
The special fruit of the Viaticum is peace. Our Lord comes to soothe and strengthen His failing servant; to befriend him when all other friends fail; to pass with him through the dark valley of the shadow of death. He Himself is the promised salvation, dear pledge in the Host of the near presence, the unveiled Face, the familiar intercourse that is at hand. How should not Thy servants, O Lord Jesus, clasping Thee, held fast by Thee amid the perils of death, depart this life in peace!
IV.—And on the fortieth day they carried Him to the Temple to present Him to the Lord.—Luke ii.
(1) Look into Mary’s immaculate heart and see the joy with which she presents to God the one offering worthy of Him which that magnificent Temple had seen.
(2) See St. Joseph standing by; understanding the significance of that Presentation; uniting his sacrifice with the oblation of Jesus and Mary; studying and imitating their obedience, their generosity, their sinking of self.
(3) See holy Simeon coming in as was his wont; coming in quietly for an ordinary visit, little thinking that the desire of his life is to be satisfied this day.
(4) Watch Our Lady as full of joy she places her Divine Child in the arms of the old man, not suspecting the sword of sorrow he is to give her in return.
(5) Notice the different graces God has in store for two of His favourites—a joyful surprise for one, an unexpected trial for the other, and the trial is for his best-beloved.
(6) Note, too, how God’s promises are often conditional, dependent on fidelity. Simeon had received an answer from the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. But he had to watch, and to follow the leadings of grace, for he knew neither the day nor the hour when his Lord would come. “And he was led by the Spirit into the Temple.” Had he been unfaithful that morning, he would have missed his grace. Who knows what I may miss if through mere laziness I stay away from daily Mass! That conversion, that favour I have prayed for so long, may be in store for me in some week-day mass.
(7) Look at Simeon holding the Divine Child in that embrace which was his First and last Communion. Admire the fruits of that Communion as seen in his canticle:
Humility—“Thy servant.”
Hope and trust—“Dismiss in peace.”
Faith—“My eyes have seen Thy salvation.”
Love—“He took Him into his arms and blessed God.”
(8) “May my soul die the death of the just,” the death of holy Simeon, whose life was lived for the sight of Jesus.
(9) “And my last end,” my last Communion, “be like unto his.”
V.—He had received an answer from the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.—Luke ii.
(1) I will look for Thy Salvation, O Lord (Gen. 49). Who will grant that my request may come and that God may give me what I look for? (Job 6).
(2) Hear my prayer, O Lord, and my supplication, give ear to my tears (Ps. 38).
(3) The Lord is my portion... therefore will I wait for Him (Lament. 3).
(4) Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord (Ps. 26).
(5) Delight in the Lord, and He will give thee the requests of thy heart (Ps. 36).
(6) The Lord waiteth that He may have mercy on thee.... blessed are all they that wait for Him (Isaias 30).
Thou shalt know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be confounded that wait for Me (Isaias 49).
(7) I am sent to thee, thou man of desires (Dan. 10).
(8) With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and He was attentive to me (Ps. 39).
(9) Art thou not the Lord our God whom we have looked for? (Jerem. 14).
(10) The Lord is good to them that hope in Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is good to wait with silence for the salvation of God (Lament. 3).