Secondary Level
February 2 - Presentation of the Lord - Luke 2:22-40
Many
years before the coming of Christ there lived a very pious and saintly man
called Simeon. He was one of
the most intelligent Jewish scholars of his day. Simeon found himself
praying for the day that the Saviour would come and deliver all Israel
(and the world) from sin. Simeon
waited for many years, and finally one evening as he knelt in prayer, he
heard the voice of God saying to him that he would not die until he had
seen the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Simeon was filled with great joy and fervently prayed each day that
the Messiah would come into the world.
Holy Tradition tells us that Simeon was over 150 years old when the
Promise of God was fulfilled. The
Bible tells us that finally on February 2nd, 40 days after the
birth of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary brought the Christ child to the
Temple for Presentation. It
was common Jewish practice to bring the first-born male child to the
Temple and offer him to the service of the Lord.
It was here that Simeon waited patiently that day as he had done
for so many years. The Virgin Mary presented the Christ child to Simeon,
who took the infant child in his trembling hands and recited the following
beautiful prayer which is recited in the Orthodox Church every evening
during the Vesper services:
Lord
now let Your Servant go in peace according to your promise, because my
eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared in the presence of
all people, a light to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.
This
Jewish tradition of presenting children at the Temple is still practiced
in the Orthodox Church. In
fact, you too were presented by your parents to the Church on the 40th
day after your birth. We call
this presentation “being Churched.”
Here’s a question for you:
Who is the woman standing behind Simeon in the icon of the
Presentation? Read the
scripture passage for this Feast (Luke 2:22-40) to find out!
excerpted from Fr. George Poulos, "Lives of the Saints and Major Feast Days"