Feast of the Presentation of the Lord – Malachi 3:1-4; Ps 23:7-10; Luke 2:22-40

I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears?

Could such a description mean . . . . a child? An infant brought by poor parents to the Temple to be offered to the Lord? Will the child sit as if he were to refine and purify silver, and purify the sons of Levi, and refine like silver and gold . . .?

Our imagination and the reality of a child. And yet that is what happened. It is impossible to enter the Kingdom unless a person becomes like a child. Unless they give up their ideas about power, the kingdom, about how God should act and what is appropriate. If they don’t accept God as He is, instead of correcting and teaching Him.

Then he will the Lord will come to His temple. We are that temple. He will come as a child. Surprising, demolishing all imaginings and expectations. And He will melt and purify our hearts, teaching us about who He is.

O gates, lift high your heads, grow higher, ancient doors. Let him enter the King of Glory!

Two thousand years ago, He not only entered the temple of stone – He also entered the temple of the hearts of Simeon and Anna. They were prepared – they recognised Him a child and believed.

Saints Simeon and Anna, pray for us.