HOMILY OF THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Mal 3:1-4, Heb 14-18, Luke 2:32.
THEME: KNOWING THE SECRETS BEHIND OUR LIVES.
Today, we celebrate the presentation of Jesus in the temple. Likewise, all the religious men and women all over the world renew their consecration to the Lord.
It is necessary that we know the secret of our life or that the secrets are revealed to those who are responsible to us. Today’s gospel demonstrates some truths about Jesus which were exposed to Mary and Joseph. It was on the basis of these truths they could comfortably tend to him despite the upheavals they faced in the long run, otherwise they would have become obstacles to his mission on earth.
The Lord kept Simeon from dying by providence until the latter released these truths. And he said, “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.”
These revelations were the precepts upon which Mary and Joseph groomed Jesus. The consciousness of these secrets rendered any unbecoming circumstances around inconsequential because Simeon had given them a clue already.
On the flip side, when life is lived without a definite guide, if we don’t know the purpose of existence or are clueless, the tendency to derail is high. Hence, parents and care givers ought to study their children/ward to decipher how best to raise them. It is expected of them to dedicate their offspring to God the maker, who knows the purpose he made each and every one of us. Had Mary and Joseph not brought Jesus to the temple, they wouldn’t have met Simeon whom God had positioned for years to await their child. Parents are enjoined to constantly seek God’s face on behalf of their children.
The secrets of life is imbeded in doing the will of God. As we adhere to God’s will, he reveals the path he has chosen for us.
Moreover, taking a cursory look into the justification for Simeon’s longevity of life, the realisation that God kept him for the purpose of Jesus’s birth was glaring. We should always ask ourselves why God keeps preserving our lives. This preservation is meant for a reason. Such rationale oftentimes may be so casual that we may not take cognisance of them. We pray our eyes open to understand how privileged we are to see the light of each new day.
We pray for love and unity in our families and that we reverence the things of God.
May the Lord make known to us the secret things about our life so we may walk according to his divine purpose. Amen.
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