The Fifth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
(I John 2:3-11; Luke 2:22-35)
None of the four gospels deny Jesus’ Jewishness, but Luke appreciates
this heritage most. In today’s gospel
Luke shows Mary and Joseph carrying out Jewish customs for a newborn. Commentators believe that Luke combines the
practice of redeeming the firstborn Son and the purification of the mother. Parents are to offer five shekels for the
redemption of the first born. The
sacrifice for the purification rite was a lamb and a pigeon or, for the very
poor, two pigeons. Luke indicates that
only two pigeons were -paid, perhaps for Mary’s purification. That he says nothing of the five shekels
probably means that his parents never bought Jesus back but gave him to the
Lord forever.
Very significantly, Luke says that Simeon has seen “the
Christ,” that is, the Jewish Messiah. With
prophetic perception, the holy elder finds in Jesus the fulfilment of God’s
promise to Israel. According to an
ancient prophecy, a king of David’s his lineage would assume his throne and rule
forever. Other prophecies associate this
Messiah with the one who will lead the world in holiness.
Even popes have said that all Christians are Semites; that
is, they have the same roots as Jews.
Like all faithful Jews we give praise and thanks to the one God. We also pursue justice by keeping God’s law brought
to completion by Jesus.
