- 詳細內容
- 作者 站長
- 分類: English Gospel
- 點擊數: 6



"He wants to see the Messiah”
*** 1st Reading ***
Malachi 3:1-4
Behold I send my angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face. And presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the testament, whom you desire, shall come to his temple. Behold he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts. And who shall be able to think of the day of his coming? and who shall stand to see him? for he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller's herb: And he shall sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall refine them as gold, and as silver, and they shall offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice. And the sacrifice of Juda and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as in the days of old, and in the ancient years.
Ps 24:7,8,9,10 Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
***2nd Reading ***
Hebrews 2:14-18
Therefore because the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner hath been partaker of the same: that, through death, he might destroy him who had the empire of death, that is to say, the devil: And might deliver them, who through the fear of death were all their lifetime subject to servitude. For no where doth he take hold of the angels: but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold. Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful priest before God, that he might be a propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that, wherein he himself hath suffered and been tempted, he is able to succour them also that are tempted.
**** Gospel ****
Luke 2:22-40
When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the baby up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice, as ordered in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
There lived in Jerusalem, at this time, a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel; and he had been assured, by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So, he was led into the temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law.
Simeon took the child in his arms, and blessed God, saying, "Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation, which you display for all the people to see. Here is the light you will reveal to the nations, and
the glory of your people Israel."
His father and mother wondered at what was said about the child. Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Know this: your son is a sign; a sign established for the falling and rising of many in Israel, a sign of contradiction; and a sword will pierce your own soul, so that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed." There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father's home, she had been seven years with her husband; and since then, she had been continually about the temple, serving God, as a widow, night and day, in fasting and prayer. She was now eighty-four. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, and spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.
When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There, the child grew in stature and strength, and was filled with wisdom: the grace of God was upon him.
Gospel Reflection:
"He wants to see the Messiah”
Like many people, I have a bucket list. A bucket list is a list of things you want to do or accomplish before you die. For many of us, the list includes travel or special purchases or career accomplishments. One of the great things about having a bucket list is that it gives you permission to spend time, money, and energy to achieve them.
In today's Gospel, Simeon has a bucket list, but his bucket list has only one item on it: he wants to see the Messiah. Even more, the Holy Spirit has promised that he will be able to complete his list. Simeon has been preparing to check off his bucket list for his whole life. He has lived a life of prayer and faithfulness to God's laws. That way of living disposed him to seeing the Lord. We should all have Simeon's single-mindedness. His goals were not wealth and fame and power. Instead, he focused every aspect of his life on the Lord and the Lord fulfilled his promise. Simeon met Jesus and his life was complete.