Homily

According to the law of Moses every woman, after giving birth, because of the blood involved, was ritually unclean for seven days, and then for thirty-three more days she was not allowed to touch any holy object or enter any holy place. We see in today’s gospel Mary and Joseph coming to the temple to complete the time of Mary’s purification which required offering a lamb for a whole burnt sacrifice and a dove to be burned or eaten by priests. Luke tells us though, that Mary and Joseph offered two doves or pigeons for sacrifice, as the law allowed if you were too poor to afford a lamb. They were too poor, these parents. Since their child was a first-born male, they also were to present Him to the Lord.

There they also ran into a man who has a revelation from the Holy Spirit that this child is the Messiah who would be responsible for the rise and fall of many, reminding us of Mary’s words to Elizabeth that the Lord casts down the mighty from their thrones and lifts up the lowly. And Simeon says something strange about Mary—that she will be pierced with a sword. Mary was amazed at Simeon’s words, now that he acts as a prophet. What does he mean about this sword? Some of the Fathers suggest that Mary may have had doubts or hesitated about accepting Jesus as Messiah. Having doubts or hesitation is not a sin but does make sense that in the face of such an awesome declaration even the holiest might have doubts. But the sword might also be a reference to the sorrows of a humble woman who is carrying such a huge vocation in her life trying to deal with and understand the profound mystery that has entered her life. Can you place yourself in her shoes? What could it have been like to undergo all the most extraordinary events of annunciation, virgin birth, and now this prophecy? What would it have been like for her—and Joseph as well?

Then Anna comes on the scene, a woman who constantly in the temple day and night, praying and fasting, a woman of great holiness and piety. She reminds me of my two grandmothers who were also constantly in church, when I was a boy, no doubt praying for my salvation, which would have required a great deal of church time. My one grandmother lived right next to the church, and my other grandmother, like me, only lived a few blocks away from church, so it was often that I would see her walking to or from church in the neighborhood. They were true witnesses to the importance and the power of a life in faith in Jesus Christ, and that had a large impact on me.

My father liked going to church. My mother went every Sunday and all the holy days, but my father liked to attend the other services on weekdays or Sunday afternoon when it was possible, and my mom usually would not. So my Dad would often ask me if I wanted to go with him, and I always said “yes.” When I was thinking about this yesterday, I realized he almost never asked my sister or brothers to go along with him; usually just me. And that was probably because he realized they were already too far gone to be saved. (Just kidding! All my siblings are faithful, practicing Catholics.) There is no doubt that the faith of my grandparents and parents had a great influence in my own faith.

My job as a priest is to serve the Holy Mysteries, teach, preach, pray for and with you all. My job is to help serve your life in faith. Much like Simeon I am also constantly in the temple, praying and vacuuming. I think of the impact the faith of my parents and grandparents had on my life. And then, because of recent events, I think of the impact that your faith has on my life. Jane Salter and Karee Burns both recently lost their husbands in sudden and unexpected ways. Their deaths were shocks. Yet, despite the feelings of pain, sorrow and loss, I see both of these women reacting in genuine and sincere faith, trusting in the Lord as did the widow of Anna in the temple.

My job is to try and serve their faith, but their faith in Jesus Christ also touches and supports my own faith. And that is a marvelous thing. That is a great blessing and a great truth about life in Christ—our faith supports others as their faith supports us. The Lord uses us to help dispense the gift of faith, by His grace, to one another. I am here to serve your faith, but all of you also return a sharing of faith to me by your words, your kindness, your prayers, and your presence here at this Divine Liturgy. We know there are many people who do not care, who can’t be bothered, who spend their days in every other kind of way than in prayer and worship. But I am grateful to you in regard to my own faith, that you are religious and not just spiritual. Here we are also, in this holy temple, like Simeon and Anna, praising the Messiah, Christ our God, in union with His most blessed mother.

So let us give our thanks to the Lord for the gift of faith—and let us ask His help that we may continue to share that faith with others.