Lk 2,22-40

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: Mary with Joseph and their child Jesus come to Jerusalem to the temple to consecrate their child to God. In the temple are Simeon and the prophetess Anna. Simeon takes Jesus in his arms and says: my eyes have seen your salvation.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: that I would like to seek and find God in myself, my relatives and my everyday life

1. Consecration.

Mary and Joseph keep the provisions of the law, according to which the mother was obliged to consecrate the firstborn son to God in the temple and to make the sacrifice (based on: ks. Stanisław Ormanty TChr, Żywe jest bowiem słowo, Boże, skuteczne … Komentarze biblijne do czytań na rok „b” część I, p. 142-155) due: a lamb or a pair of turtledoves, if the parents were poor. It was a symbolic gesture of dedication to God, what is the most precious and beautiful for parents, it is a gesture of fidelity to God. Mary fulfills this duty, and together with Joseph they complete what is prescribed by the law in force. The parents of Jesus seem to be aware that God has a special plan for their child that they may find difficult to accept and understand.

a) Consider how you listen to the needs and desires of your child, loved ones and your own, through which God can speak. How do you give your child and others freedom to implement their plans? How do you help your loved ones to discern life decisions, i.e. to seek and find greater good? And finally, how do you discern your path to complete your life in God?

b) The word to consecrate means to sacrifice, to give a gift. We can give our prayers, we can also give someone help, a smile, a good word, our time in our everyday lives…

What and to whom have you given today?

2. Patience

Simeon had a keen desire to await the promised Messiah. The holy spirit revealed to him that he would not die until he saw the Son of God. Simeon waited patiently for many years and lived to see his promise. He recognized Jesus in the Child brought by Mary and Joseph. He is a model of patience for us.

I think that we may have often lack patience in our daily life. We would like to have something quickly, to quickly tell someone something, to quickly see the fruits of prayer. We have the right to want it, but we also have to learn patience and flexibility that not everything has to be now and, in the way, we want it.

What is your patience with yourself, others, God?

3. For my eyes have seen your salvation

These words were spoken by Simeon after he recognized the Messiah in the little Child brought by Mary and Joseph.

God lives in every person, because everyone is created by him. So, God is also in you. He knew you before you were conceived. Look at yourself this way and think about how it changes the way you think about yourself?

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such, as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)