Saturday February 2nd, 2019 Presentation of Our Lord Luke 2:22-40
"?for my eyes have seen your salvation?" (verse 30)
One of my favourite stories in the Bible is Luke 4:14-21. In the synagogue, Jesus reads from the Isaiah scroll: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) I understand this to be Jesus’ mission or purpose statement. As Jesus began to teach, it is like saying, “This is God’s work; this is what God is all about, this is what I AM all about”
As an infant, even before Jesus of Nazareth can speak, he brings this good news to Simeon and Anna. Jesus hadn’t yet fed 5,000, nor healed any. The infant Jesus had not yet spoken a word of release, yet this same Jesus is the Word of God. Simply by showing up, Anna and Simeon are blessed by Jesus because this same Jesus is God’s salvation in the flesh.
Two millennia have passed since Jesus was presented at the temple, and yet this same Word of God continues to be in our midst today.
Thank you, O God, for Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh. Open my eyes to see your salvation in my midst. Amen. — ANS
Contributed by Salvation in the Flesh
One of my favourite stories in the Bible is Luke 4:14-21. In the synagogue, Jesus reads from the Isaiah scroll: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19) I understand this to be Jesus' mission or purpose statement. As Jesus began to teach, it is like saying, "This is God's work; this is what God is all about, this is what I AM all about"
As an infant, even before Jesus of Nazareth can speak, he brings this good news to Simeon and Anna. Jesus hadn't yet fed 5,000, nor healed any. The infant Jesus had not yet spoken a word of release, yet this same Jesus is the Word of God. Simply by showing up, Anna and Simeon are blessed by Jesus because this same Jesus is God's salvation in the flesh.
Two millennia have passed since Jesus was presented at the temple, and yet this same Word of God continues to be in our midst today.
