Longing, Desire and Fulfillment

Looking ahead to this coming week...

February 2 is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which means it is 40 days since Christmas. I am not going to go into the history of this feast or the teachings around it. This feast is one of my most favorite liturgical celebrations of the year. Not counting Christmas and Easter and the Presentation my other favorite feasts are Epiphany, All Saints, St. Michael, St. Francis, and well any Canadian Saint but especially Br. Andre, Kateri, and both Marguerite Bourgeoys and Marguerite d'Youville. However this post is not about my favorite things.J

I love this feast because it speaks of the promises fulfilled in the birth of Christ.  It speaks to me of light, hope, trust and the value of life. It speaks of the beauty of encountering Christ and how that changes us. We also are introduced to two people who fascinate me, Simeon and Anna, two wise elders with deep trust and a deep prayer life (they remind me of my awesome Grandparents). I love these two characters and would love to have a great conversation with them some day! J

The story of Simeon & Anna and the Presentation in the Temple can be found in Luke 2.22-40. It connects so beautiful to the Christmas story and also the prophecies of the O Antiphons from the last days of Advent. It was during those days of this past Advent that I wrote the following. Our longing for the Christ Child was fulfilled at Christmas and today’s feast is a reminder that truly Emmanuel -God is With Us! May we let our light shine!

Longing, Desire and Fulfillment 

Come O Come Emmanuel,

We long for you,

We desire you,

I long for you,

I desire you.

I am a an old man,

Grey is my hair,

Slow is my way,

Still each day I am here at the temple.

Come O Come God Most High,

We long for your wisdom,

We desire your wisdom,

I long for it,

I desire your wisdom to nourish me.

I come here and pray,

I come here and ponder,

I come here faithful,

For I know you keep your promises.

Come O Come Lord of Might,

We long for your law,

We desire your law,

I long for it,

I desire it to guide my ways.

How will I know you?

Will it be your eyes?

Will it be your voice?

Will it be your power?

Come O Come Root of Jesse,

We long for your love,

We desire your love,

I long for it,

I desire for it to bloom in my heart.

I will know you,

I know I will,

My heart will connect with yours,

For you are hope and promise.

Come O Come Key of David,

We long for your kingdom,

We desire your kingdom,

I long for it,

I desire to enter your fullness.

Each day I see and hear dear Anna,

Her deep prayers, her trust in you,

Her words of wisdom,

Her awareness of the promise.

Come O Come Rising Dawn,

We long for your light,

We desire your light,

I long for it,

I desire for it to fill me.

Together her and I, seek you,

And yet seem to know you,

We wait, we hope,

We long for and we desire you.

Come O Come King of Nations

We long for your peace,

We desire your peace,

I long for it,

I desire for it to rest in my heart.

This couple I see, their child,

Their child, I know,

It is he! it is he!

Messiah, Emmanuel.

You have come Emmanuel,

You have come,

And now Anna and I may go in peace,

Go in your peace… Emmanuel.

O God,

Source and origin of all light,

who on this day showed

to the just Simeon and Anna

the Light for revelation to the Gentiles,

pour into our hearts, we pray,

the brilliance of perpetual light,

so that we who are brightened

in your holy temple

may happily reach the light of your glory.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

- adapted from Blessing of Candles for today.

I encourage you to celebrate on February 2 in some small way.

Light some candles (having candles blessed is a part of this Feast), enjoy a treat that reminds you of Christmas, turn on the Christmas lights, sing ‘The Light of Christ’ or ‘This Little Light of Mine’, read the scriptures for today (Malachi 3.1-4, Psalm 24, Hebrews 2.10-11,13-18, and the gospel mentioned above) or spend some time with an image of the Nativity or of this feast.

Please also say a special prayer for those who live Consecrated Life (Religious Sisters, Nuns, Brothers and Priests) as February 2 is World Day for Consecrated Life.

Celebrate for truly the Light of Christ has come into the World!