1st February 2026 –
In our Lord’s life we find a mixture of joy and sacrifice – so in today’s celebration we encounter that same mixture – joy at entering the Temple, the Temple that represented the presence of God among his Chosen people; and sacrifice, because Jesus is brought by his holy Mother to be offered as the first-born male; for among the people of Israel the first-born belongs to the Lord.
In the Temple, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Christ is recognised by Simeon and Anna. There in the Temple – the place of divine presence for the Chosen People – the Word made flesh is known for what he really is – the Saviour of all. His life is the Light to guide all people and indeed, all creation. His life is paid for by the sacrifice of two turtle doves – the humble offering of the poor. In a little while the humble gifts of bread and wine will become by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Body and Blood of that same Christ who was offered in the Temple. Jesus offered his life – out of love – to the Father and for humanity. This offering was realised in his passion and by his death on the cross. That loving sacrifice is made present to us in our time at every altar where Mass is celebrated. Through the Mass we share in that offering.
In this temple – this church, we come in faith to meet Christ at Communion, the offering of Himself to us. And by the power of the Spirit we become that which we are offered. We put on Christ, and with Him as our head we are the Body of Christ on earth. As that Body we share in the Lord’s mission – as Light to the Gentiles – we bring Christ’s Light and Life to the world. The Light that we bring to others, is Christ’s light of love and service, particularly those in need. It means being people who challenge the anti-life and immoral values in society. It means being a people who hope and who trust in the Lord and who fearlessly seek his kingdom by promoting and defending justice and truth, in our own personal lives, and in our societies. Our faith does not rest on a set of opinions, it rests on the faith of the Apostles, and after them the martyrs and saints throughout the centuries who give witness to us by their lives.
As things stand these days we may feel hopelessly overwhelmed by the forces that are encouraging so many to abandon the faith and virtues that once united us and gave our society a certain strength. Now many have faith in opinions which they choose to call their personal truth – surely this is like building on shifting sands. Never the less, we would be right to consider ourselves inadequate to carry out this work. Alone we can do nothing – but with the gift of the Holy Spirit working in the Body of Christ we can, together, be the Light of Christ in the world. It is therefore important to let the Spirit guide us to do something, no matter how small it may seem. For though we may think our efforts are no more than a drop in the ocean – the ocean is made of many drops. Let us then shine as a sign of hope in a world so prone to wander in a darkness of its own making.
