The Presentation of the Lord
Feast day: February 2
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Mary and Joseph present the Child Jesus to God in the Temple (02/02)
What is this feast?
The feast of the Presentation of the Lord celebrates the day Mary and Saint Joseph brought the Child Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. According to the Law of Moses, every firstborn son had to be consecrated to the Lord, and the mother brought an offering at the end of her time of purification after the birth (cf. Lk 2:22-24). The Holy Family was poor, so they could only offer a pair of doves.
The story
In Jerusalem there lived an old man named Simeon, who was righteous and devout. The Holy Spirit had told him that he would not die before he had seen the Christ. That day, led by the Spirit, he went to the Temple, met the Holy Family, took the Child in his arms and praised God: “for my eyes have seen your salvation” (Lk 2:30).
He also told Mary that the Child would be a sign that people would oppose, and that a sword would pierce her own soul (cf. Lk 2:35). These words foretold the sufferings the Mother would endure beside her Son.
At that moment, the prophetess Anna, an old woman of eighty-four who lived a life of prayer in the Temple, also came forward, gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to everyone (cf. Lk 2:36-38). She is not drawn on the card, so that the main faces stay clear.
Why does the Church celebrate this feast?
The Church celebrates because Jesus is the light for all nations, as Simeon said. That is why, at the beginning of Mass today, candles are blessed and carried in procession. On this day the Church also prays in a special way for people in consecrated life, such as religious brothers and sisters, who have given their whole lives to God, as the Child was presented in the Temple.
A lesson for you
- Like Simeon, pray patiently and trust that God always keeps his promises.
- Offer God a small gift every day: a good deed, a prayer, giving way to someone else.
- Pray for the priests, brothers and sisters in your parish.
Identifying marks
- A white-haired, bearded old man holding the Child in his arms: the Holy Spirit had promised Simeon that he would see the Christ, and now he holds the Savior; tradition usually paints him as an old man; whoever waits patiently for God will not be disappointed (cf. Lk 2:25-28).
- Mary reaching out both hands toward her Son: according to the Law of Moses, a firstborn son had to be consecrated to the Lord, so Mary and Saint Joseph present their Son to God (cf. Lk 2:22-23).
- A pair of white doves in a cage held by Saint Joseph: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” (Lk 2:24) were another offering: the mother’s offering at the end of her time of purification after the birth, under the Law of Moses, the one set for poor families (cf. Lk 2:22-24; Lv 12:8); the Holy Family was poor but gave with all their heart.
- Lit candles in the background: Jesus is the light for all nations; that is why on this day the Church blesses candles and carries them in procession.
The text on this page is the card in the Catholic Information app, word for word.
Compiled by i-Catholic · About