You are the light of Christ!

Feast of the Presentation

Luke 2, 22-40

Today we take a break from ordinary time and we return to the Christmas season. The feast of the Presentation, 40 days after Jesus’ birth Mary and Joseph brought him to the temple to present Jesus to God his father. Today is the final “epiphany,” the final showing of Christ to the world. At Christmas we had the epiphany to the Shepherds, on the feast of the Magi we had the epiphany to the gentiles, on the feast of the baptism we had the epiphany to the world. Today, the feast of the presentation we have the epiphany when Christ is revealed to the nations.

Simeon and Anna were present in the temple and when Simeon saw Jesus he took him in his arms and he said the prayer called the Nunc Dimitis, “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace.” It is the prayer that the Church says every night in our night prayer. Simeon’s life was full because he saw Jesus. He could now die happy because he has seen Jesus.

I wish that there was a little baby here that I could take in my arms. I would say the same thing. “Lord, you may let your servant go in peace, your word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen the salvation, a light to reveal to you to the nations, the glory of the people of Israel.” I would do it not just to reenact the presentation. I would do not just to remind ourselves of the presentation of Jesus in the temple. I would do it because in every child it is a reminder of the blessing of God. Jesus was a light to the nations, we are called to be a light to the nations.

At baptism we are given a candle. Our parents or godparents take the small candle and then they light it from the large candle. The priest says:

Receive the light of Christ. Parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly, so that your children, enlightened by Christ, may walk always as children of the light and, persevering in the faith, may run to meet the Lord when he comes with all the Saints in the heavenly court.

Yes, we receive the light of Christ, we walk in Christ’s light but we are also given the light, we are called to be the light in the world. We take the light and then we go forth to be the light. That means that we are able to take Christ’s light and bring it to others, to be Christ’s light to others.

Where is that you are sent to be the light of Christ? Who are you called to be the light of Christ to this day?

If you think of the baptism ceremony for children those of you who are parents and godparents know the answer. The ceremony beautifully shows parents and godparents recieving the light of Christ so that they can give the light of Christ to their children. The very first part of the baptismal ritual begins with the parents accepting the responsibility of educating their children in the faith, then the godparents promise to help the godparents.

Marriage, is another place you are called to share the light of Chirst. For those of you who share the sacrament of marriage you bring the light of Christ to each other in your love and fidelity and the great thing about the sacrament of marriage is in your love and fidelity you are the light of Christ. First to your spouse, then to your children if you have any and finally to the world.

That is just the beginning though. As Catholic Christians we have the responsibility to be a light in the darkness to all, but most especially to the poor and needy. Pope Francis stresses again and again the importance of welcoming immigrants. It is a great blessing for those of you who are immigrants in this Church because I know that you the ones who do this ministry most often. My experience has showed me that many immigrants upon arriving in this country stay with family members. They are welcomed into your homes, giving a place to stay, help to find a job until they get on their feet. And then once they are on their feet, what do they do? They welcome more immigrants, they welcome more family.

The situation of the homeless is not unique to Los Angeles and California but we are certainly aware of the problem. I bet that many of us have seen homeless people in less than 24 hours, in our parks, on the steps of our church, in our own neighborhoods. We are called to be the light of Christ to them. How? I would challenge you to try to ask one homeless person their name. Begin by seeing them as Bob or Mary, Bruce or Debra we can begin to change the situation in the world.

Today we celebrate that Christ is the light of the world. We also celebrate that we are the light of the world. Each of us in our way as we live our baptism we share the light of Christ to the world.