Gospel: Luke
2:22-35
When the
days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, the
parents of Jesus took him 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:
“Lord,
now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes
have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a
light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of 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.”
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Reflection:
Parents
play a very vital role in the formation of values of their child, where the
parents go so does their child.
For
example, if the parents seldom brings to church for Holy Mass their children there’s
a big chance that when they grow-up they will also rarely go to church for Holy
Mass. If parents do not lead worthy lives there’s a big chance as well that
children would be also. In other words the fruit would almost be the same with
the tree.
In our
gospel, Mary and Joseph both devoted to their Jewish upbringing brought the
child Jesus to the temple in compliance with their Jewish law. They were
leading by example on how it is to be faithful to the laws of God; they were
forming the child Jesus to be like them.
It always
pays to be good and godly parents because it helps mold the mind of the child
to be good and to be godly as he/she matures. On the other hand we can just
imagine a child being brought-up by irresponsible parents and parents who do
not recognize the vital role of God in their life.
Though it
does not assure 100% that the fruit will
always be like the tree. Yet when we always model good and godly behavior to
our children we are already conditioning their minds to always do what is good
and godly.
Therefore
this modelling of good behavior will surely help them make important decisions
in their own life as well. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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