Daughter of our Lady Mother of Perpetual Help

06/03/2025

06/03/2025

27/02/2025

*COMPH FEBRUARY NOVENA*

*REFLECTION DAY SIX*

*A Child Set for the Fall and Rising of Many*

When Simeon received the child Jesus in his arms, he praised God, blessed his parents and prophesied saying _“This child is destined to cause the fall and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against”_ (Luke 2:34). Why and how would he cause the fall and rising of many?
Every parent wants to hear something great and beautiful about their children. But here is Mary and Joseph, hearing that their only child is destined to cause the fall and rising of many. This is a strong thing to hear. Yes, it is a thing of pride to know that the child being Presented would cause many to rise; but, to say he would cause the fall of many, that is quite unbearable. Notwithstanding, this prophesy of Simeon is heavily loaded with hope. While it sounds scary and confusing to the ordinary minds, to Mary and Joseph, it is another revelation, which affirms that their child is unique and that he is on a special mission. Though the prophecy sounds disturbing to the ordinary ears, it was never a cause of worry for Mary, for the angel Gabriel had already told her at the Annunciation, “He will be great and will be called Son of the Most high... he will rule over the house of Jacob forever” (Luke: 1:32-33). The prophecy of Simeon therefore, is a testimony that Jesus was going to be a just and upright leader, one who would rule as Isaiah had earlier prophesied: “He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist” (Isaiah 11:3-5). This means that he was not going to give room for prejudices, sentiments and biases while carrying out his redemptive mission. His message was going to be pure and undiluted and his listeners would either accept or reject it. Consequently, he would meet with strong oppositions and be spoken against. Opposing him, speaking against him, acting/living contrary to what he preaches or condemning the value he stands for is what is meant by ‘falling.’ Because he came for the redemption of man, whatever stands on his way to fulfilling that mission, he would cause to fall and be crushed, beginning with Satan and his agents.

Jesus would later declare in the course of his public ministry, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (Matthew 10:34-35). Still in another place he says, “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). The ‘sword’ he talks about here is the sword of his word, which separates the redeemed from the damned, the saved from the condemned, good from evil. And the ‘fire' he talks about is the fire of purification, the fire of Holy Spirit, by which human beings are refined for God. These two are inseparable, the word of Christ carries with it the fire of the Holy Spirit. Hence, Christ says that his words are spirit and life (John 6:63). So, those who accept his words are refined and then rise for glory and justification, while those who reject his words stumble and fall flat.

Because of who he is and what he stands for, there would certainly be a clear and great division amongst the people on earth into those who accept and believe in him and those who do not. They would be distinguished by falling and rising. Based on the prophecy of Simeon, those who accept and believe in him are those he is destined to cause to rise and those who do not accept and believe in him, he is destined to cause to fall. John 1:12 says that, “To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Giving them the right to become children of God is what is otherwise understood as being caused to rise. John 3:18 says, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” In our context, the term ‘condemned’ means ‘fall’, while ‘not condemned’ means ‘rising’ – “This child is destined to cause the fall and rising of many in Israel...” (Luke 2:34). In other words, we can paraphrase John 3:18 this way: Whoever believes in him rises, but whoever does not believe remains fallen because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son - “This child is destined to cause the fall and rising of many in Israel...” (Luke 2:34). To buttress this point, St. Paul says, “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24). The same Christ who is a ‘stumbling block’ to some is also the power and wisdom of God to others - “This child is destined to cause the fall and rising of many in Israel...” (Luke 2:34).

This means that while the message of Christ is preached, it would necessarily cause the fall and rising of many. Therefore, the simple principle is this: accept his message and be raised by his power or reject his message and remain fallen and crushed by the same power. Disloyalty to God’s command was what made Adam and Eve fall, while acceptance of his word and obedience to his will was what raised Mary, the lowly handmaid up. So, it is the audience of Jesus that would choose whether they want to rise or fall; it all depends on their attitude towards his message. But most Certainly, Christ will not compromise; he remains the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 6:64-68). As such, he is set for the fall and rising of many. Also, for the believers, there shall always be incidents of falling and rising in their lives because of his name; anything evil shall fall while all good shall rise. That is the power of his word, which in some instances raised the dead, calmed the storm, cured diseases, expelled demons; and in another instance killed a fruitless tree (Mark 11:12-25). Receive his word today and rise or reject it and remain fallen. The choice is yours.

*Let us ponder:*

_How often do I compromise just because of what I stand to benefit? Do I stand for the truth even in the face of persecutions and rejection? Does the fear of losing certain friendships push me to shift grounds unnecessarily? Do I condemn wrongs and stand against evil even when my closest ally is concerned. Do I allow myself to be used to perpetrate selfish/evil agenda?_
_Remember, the Son of Mary is set for the fall and rising of many!_
_Will you fall or rise?_

*Prayer*

*_Let every power that stands against God’s will in my life be defeated and fall. May I become resolute in my desire to make Mother of Perpetual Help known in the right way and manner and may I never again be ruled by sentiments, selfish ambition and prejudice in the house of God. Amen!_*

*O Mary, Help me!*

*Rev. Fr. Pius D. Oyeniyi, _C.Ss.R_*

27/02/2025

*COMPH FEBRUARY NOVENA*

*REFLECTION DAY FIVE*

DAY FIVE

*Simeon and Anna: Models for All*

Aside the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph), Simeon and Anna were other dominant figures at the scene of Presentation. Only these five are mentioned as present with specific significance at the ceremony. If there were other persons present as the scripture suggests, they were not of much importance to the ceremony like the people whose names and active participation are clearly mentioned: “...and she spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). The presence of the old Simeon and the old Anna was very timely, necessary and highly significant for testimony. That is why it was divinely orchestrated. These two were evidently connected with the past, so they are often referred to as the devout remnant of those who stayed faithful to the ancient promises of God. Their total concern was the future; which was why they longed for the fulfilment of God’s promises concerning the redemption of Jerusalem. Though they were aged, something yet to happen dominated their lives and they were alive with full expectation and hope, waiting for the one promised to be the consolation of Israel and the light for the Gentiles. The scripture implies that Simeon and Anna were so regular in the Temple, believing that the Messiah would one day appear there and so they would be able to meet him as indicated in the biblical text: “Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come, says the Lord Almighty” (Malachi 3:1). Hence their boundless joy when they met Christ as he was brought into the Temple. This meeting between the Holy Family, particularly Christ, and the two old people, Simeon and Anna, was clearly a meeting between promise and fulfilment. Simeon and Anna represented ‘the promise’, while Jesus represented ‘the fulfilment’. As such, the two old people became great models to be emulated. Let us now reflect on them individually as they maintained a high level of spirituality and as such became our models.

*Simeon:*

Although the scriptures are not explicit on his full identity except that he was righteous and devout, some think he was a priest, probably because he received the child from his parents, praised God and blessed the child’s parents. In the bible (Luke 2:25-35), the man Simeon is characterized by the following attributes: (a) a righteous and devout man, i.e. virtuous, cautious and careful in his relationship towards God and with his fellow man (b) a man waiting for the consolation of Israel, i.e. looking forward to the coming of the Messiah (c) the Holy Spirit rested on him (d) a man moved by the Holy Spirit who gave him revelation about the Christ (e) a man who received an unusual promise of not seeing death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ (f) a man who was privileged to hold in his arms Christ the Lord and proclaimed him to be the long-awaited Messiah (g) a man who revealed Christ’s mission and the obstacles he would meet (h) a man who revealed Mary’s participation in Christ’s work of redemption – “a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35). Today, the great Simeon’s song of praise ( Nunc Dimittis – Luke 2:29-32) is included in the Church’s night prayer.

*Anna:*

Anna’s name means gracious, and this reflected all over her. Unlike in Simeon’s case, the scripture is clearer on Anna’s lineage and identity (Luke 2:36-38). There are so many spectacular things we can say about her. She was a prophetess, an elderly woman of 84 years at the time of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. Women religious leaders were very rare at that time, but here, we are talking about a prophetess. That shows she was a very special person with great devotion, one who lived as though face to face with God and endlessly enjoyed his grace. Anna spent almost her entire life in the Temple, praying and fasting for herself and the redemption of her people. Though she became a widow pretty early, 7 years into her marriage, she was never weighed down. She quickly put her sorrows behind her and clung to the God of her salvation. She took the loss of her husband as a sign that God wanted her life totally committed to him. So she was never discouraged, never distracted, never disturbed, never frightened, never lost hope, never forsook her faith, and never ceased to worship night and day. She endured till the end and was rewarded with the privilege of seeing the long-awaited Messiah and Sharing the good news with others .

*Let us ponder:*

_Can you be numbered among the women and men of integrity in the Confraternity of Our Mother of Perpetual Help? Are your intentions and mission in the Confraternity pure and godly? Can Our Lady find the qualities of Simeon and Anna in you? Like Anna, do you believe God is still good even in the face of adversity and sorrow? Like Simeon, do you allow the Holy Spirit to prompt and guide your actions? Do you trust and wait on the Lord’s promises like Anna and Simeon? What is your hope built on, Christ and his redemption or the empty earthly achievements?_

*Prayer*

*_Oh Mary, teach me to model my life after the devout Simeon and the prophetess Anna, whom you met in the Temple at the occasion of your Son’s Presentation. May I find my joy in honouring you, my fulfilment only in the promises of your Son, and shun the passing things of this world. Amen!_*

*Rev. Fr. Pius D. Oyeniyi, _C.Ss.R_*

27/02/2025

Let’s unite in prayer for our Holy Father Francis!

As soon as you receive this message, please take a moment to pray:

One Our Father

One Hail Mary

One Glory Be

Then, pass this message on to others so we can create a powerful chain of prayer. May God bless and protect our Holy Father.... Amen!

21/02/2025

21/02/2025

21/02/2025

*COMPH FEBRUARY NOVENA*

*REFLECTION DAY FOUR*

*The Presentation of Jesus: A Great Privilege and Honour to Mary*

Have you ever thought of how privileged Mary was to carry Jesus to the Temple for the rite of Presentation? She was indeed privileged. It was a woman who had truly given birth to a child that was required to appear in the Temple together with her child at a stipulated period for the ritual of purification. So the Presentation in the Temple was a strong proof that Jesus the Son of God was indeed Mary’s legitimate child. Hence, the baby presented in the Temple was truly Son of God and Son of Mary. What a great privilege! When Mary went to the Temple for the ritual, she presented Jesus as her very own, her gift, her possession, her inheritance, her flesh and blood, her pride and glory. What a unique privilege; which could be enjoyed only by Mary, because it was specially designed for her as she was made for it! Indeed, _the Almighty did great things for her (Luke 1:49)._ One can only imagine the joy with which she entered the Temple on the day of Presentation.

Though in all humility and gratitude, she walked majestically like a Queen into the Temple with her baby and King of the Universe in her arms. She held him so tenderly and lovingly to her chest as she walked into the Temple to show to the world its long awaited salvation and introduce him to his Father’s house. What a privilege to be the chosen woman to bring forth the one the Temple had long been waiting for! What a bundle of treasure she brought into the Temple just at the appropriate time! Just as John the Baptist was privileged to baptize the author of baptism, Mary was privileged to present the author of the ritual of Presentation. The great difference here however, was that Mary presented what came out of her womb, her own child (God made man), while John baptised the one _who must increase while he must decrease (John 3:30)_ – _the straps of whose sandals he was unworthy to untie (John 1:27)._ While Mary was a mother to the one she was privileged to present, John was a messenger to the one he was privileged to baptize (John 3:28). Mary was truly _blessed among all women (Luke 1:42)._

Apart from what the angel Gabriel had told her at the annunciation about the child, the Presentation in the Temple was another opportunity for her to discover more about her Blessed Child and the mystery of redemption: _“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35)_. It was also an opportunity to know more about her own participation in his mission: _“A sword will pierce your own soul too"_ (Luke 2:35). So the ceremony of Presentation was also a moment of revelation. After the presentation ceremony, Mary went home with the privilege of having the God of the universe under her maternal authority and care. But in all of these, she never took anything for granted. She remained the humble handmaid of the Lord, continuously singing the Magnificat: _“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour...” (Luke 1:46-55)._

*Let us ponder:*

_Are you aware it is a privilege to be called a Christian? Do you know it is a great blessing that you are a Catholic? Hope you know it is a privilege to be counted among Mary’s children? Do you know it is a special honour that you are a member of the Confraternity of Our Mother of Perpetual Help? Hope you are not among those who use their privilege of belonging to the Confraternity to defraud, mislead, discourage others and work for their own selfish interests? Are you aware that as a Confraternity member, you have the privilege to collaborate and share in the mission entrusted to the Redemptorists – the mission of bringing plentiful redemption to souls? Congratulations! Do you celebrate or abuse the privilege of having under your roof the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, full of mysteries and wonders? Do you appreciate and maximize these privileges or do you take them for granted? What is your real purpose in the Confraternity? Examine your conscience today, O child of Mary._

*Prayer*

Sweet Mother Mary, thank you for the singular privilege and honour of knowing you as my perpetual help and for the wonderful encounters I have had with you in your holy Icon. Bless me with more divine privileges and favours as I honour you with my whole heart, collaborating with the Redemptorists to spread your devotion. Amen!

*Rev. Fr. Pius D. Oyeniyi, _C.Ss.R_*

20/02/2025

*COMPH FEBRUARY NOVENA*

*REFLECTION DAY THREE*

*Was the Presentation of Christ in the Temple Necessary?*

Anyone who truly knows Jesus’ full profile and pedigree and also understands the history and purpose of the ritual of presentation among the ancient Jews can not but ask if the presentation of Jesus was really necessary.
He who was presented at the Jerusalem Temple was not a child who suddenly found himself in his mother’s arms and did not know how he became a child. Rather, he chose to be a child for the salvation of human race. The prophet Isaiah refers to him as _Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14),_ translated as _“God with us”_ in Matthew 1:23. The same Isaiah says, _“He will be called Wonderful Counsellor,_ Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever” (Isaiah 9:6-7). About him, the angel Gabriel said to Mary, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end... He will be holy and shall be called Son of God" (Luke 1:32-33, 35). In reference to him, the angel said to Joseph, “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). About him, the angel said to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks, “Today a Saviour has been born for you in David’s town; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). In John 1:1-3, he is identified as the Word of God that was in the beginning with God and was himself God; one who made all things and nothing was made without him. As the Word of God, he became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). The Nicene Creed says of him, “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father...” Hence, while he was still an infant, the Magi came to worship and pay him homage (Matthew 2:1-12). John the Baptist calls him the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:21). In the Letter to the Hebrews, he is identified as “Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), the Great High Priest who faced all of the same testings we do, yet did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). He specifically says about himself, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13); and finally, he fittingly refers to himself as the Temple (John 2:13-22).
It is the same Jesus who bears all of these qualities and more and maintains the greatest profile in heaven and on earth that was subjected to the Jewish ritual of child presentation. As we know, the essence of child presentation in the Jewish religious rite was basically for the consecration of the infant to the Lord and the purification of the mother. So, was the presentation of Jesus necessary? Did he, who was fully God, he who was the author of all religious laws, he who received all worship, he who consecrated all things to himself and for his glory, he to whom all children were dedicated, he who ordered all things and was never ordered by anything, he who was the righteousness of the righteous, the holiness of the pious, the perfection of the perfect, he who was the real Temple for the true worshipers of God, necessarily have to be subjected to all the legal requirements of the time?

For many obvious reasons, the Presentation was not necessary for him as God, but as man and for our sake he had to be subjected to it; just as he was subjected to the ritual of circumcision, as he presented himself for baptism in the hands of John; just as he (the Judge of all) surrendered himself to be judged, tortured and crucified by Pontius Pilate. Hence he declares, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them” (Matthew 5:17). The scriptures further clarify saying, “He was like us in all things but sin” (Hebrews 4:15); “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship” (Galatians 4:4-5); “So he had to be made like his brothers, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17). So Christ’s presentation was highly symbolic and goes beyond the mere fulfilment of the old law. By it, he specially presented our human nature in the flesh, which he had taken from Mary with all it’s frailty, and presented it to the Godhead for consecration.

What about Mary? She was the Virgin Immaculate, whose virginity was intact before, during and after conception. She was full of grace and highly favoured that her conception and delivery were like no other. No impurity gained access into her in any form or by any means. So who or what can make impure one who had been perfectly made immaculate by God? Hence at the Presentation, no purification as required by the law was necessary, for the birth of her son, Jesus Christ, could not have rendered her impure. But, in order not to give offense to anyone and for our sake too, she had to go through the ritual. What a perfect example of humility and selflessness.

*Let us ponder:*

How many times do we do things for the benefits of others? How many times do we think of other people’s pressing needs and desires over our own greed and selfish desires? Is it not for our own benefits and to the detriment of others that we perform most of our actions? That very thing you are about to do, the decision you are about to take, is it to satisfy your pride and nourish your ego or to take you closer to heaven.

_For all you have done, all you do and all you will continue to do for my salvation and earthly good, thank you Jesus; thank you Mother Mary!_

*Rev. Fr. Pius D. Oyeniyi, _C.Ss.R_*

19/02/2025

*COMPH FEBRUARY NOVENA*

*REFLECTION DAY TWO*

*The Ritual of Presentation Amongst the Jews*

As a true Jew, Jesus often visited the Jerusalem Temple. He went both as a child, taken by his parents and as a grown-up man in the company of his disciples. One of those instances he was taken there as a child was during the great event of his Presentation, which of course marked his first encounter with his Father’s house. Apart from the main ritual of offering of sacrifices, one other important ritual that took place in the Temple was the presentation of every male child that opened the womb. This was an important law that must be observed by every Jewish family.

By this singular ceremony of Presentation, at least two religious obligations required by law were fulfilled. Firstly, the mother of the infant being presented was purified and was reunited with the community for worship and other religious ceremonies: _“The Lord said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding’” (Leviticus 12:1-5)._ Secondly, the child being presented was dedicated/consecrated to the Lord: _“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal...’” (Exodus 13:1-2, 12, 15)._

Therefore, being a virtuous woman whose sole desire was to do the will of God in all circumstances and never to contravene an iota of his law, Mary, accompanied by her virtuous husband, Joseph, went to the Jerusalem Temple with their 40 day old baby to fulfil all that the law required for the purification of mother and the consecration of child. This is what in other words is called the Presentation of the Lord: _“When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord as it is written in the Law of the Lord: ‘Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord’” (Luke 2:1-2)._ The Bible recorded this sacred event and we are able to celebrate it annually because Mary chose to keep the law and observe the ancient Tradition required by Yahweh. One other interesting thing here was the fact that Joseph who was not required by the law to be part of the exercise was also present. The entire Holy family was present and no one was left behind. They all believed in the law and the Tradition and kept them.

As a true lover of Mary and member of the Confraternity of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, do you still believe in the Church? Do you keep her laws (including those pertaining to birth control, abortion, marriage and family life, child bearing, parenting and so on)? Do you still keep its Tradition or you think they are outdated? Do you still believe in all the Sacraments of the Church and their sacred rituals? Do you fulfil all the demands of your culture even at the expense of the Church’s Tradition and Faith? Like the Blessed Joseph, do you as husband often go some extra mile for your wife and children or do you stick only to the minimal? As an individual in the family, what conscious and consistent efforts are you making towards the spiritual growth and preservation of the Catholic faith in your family? Today, take some time to reflect deeply on both the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed, particularly the following lines: _I believe in one God, the Father almighty... I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God... For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man... I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life... I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church..._ Do you really believe what you profess?

*My simple advice:* live out the Creed that you profess. Be guided by the Church and his teachings. Do not despise the Priests of God and Consecrated men and women.

*Prayer*

_May the Blessed Virgin Mary help us to be committed to doing the will of the Father as we struggle daily to keep the Faith and Tradition handed on by the Apostles onto the day of salvation._
_Amen!_

*Rev. Fr. Pius D. Oyeniyi, _C.Ss.R_*

19/02/2025

*COMPH FEBRUARY NOVENA*

*REFLECTION DAY ONE*

*Understanding the Great Terms: Temple and Presentation*

Very central to the Feast of Presentation of the Lord are two important terms: *_Temple_* and _*Presentation.*_ The Presentation was a great and awesome event in the earthly life of Jesus Christ and its significance can never be overemphasized. The Temple was the place this august event took place. Hence, for a better appreciation of the Feast, we need to remind ourselves of the meaning and usage of the terms *_‘Presentation’_* and *_‘Temple’_* in relation to the Feast. What are the common, biblical and theological understanding of these two terms?

*Presentation:*

Generally, the term ‘Presentation’ could on the one hand mean exposition, display, unveiling or exhibition; and on the other hand, it connotes the act of giving, gifting, surrendering, submitting, offering, donating, handing out, handing over, letting out and so on. Whichever way we choose to look at it, the solemn event of the Presentation of Jesus would fit in perfectly. It means that on the one hand, we may not be wrong to say that the Presentation of Jesus was his ‘exposition,’ ‘display,’ ‘unveiling’ or ‘exhibition’ in the Temple in Jerusalem as the Lord’s Christ, the Consolation of Israel, Salvation prepared in the sight of all people, a Light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel (Luke 2:26-32). In this sense, the Presentation was to the people and not necessarily to God. By it, the real identity and essence of Christ’s birth were again made known to his parents and to all.
On the other hand, the Presentation of Jesus could rightly and very well be understood as the act of ‘giving,’ ‘gifting,’ ‘surrendering,’ ‘submitting,’ ‘offering,’ ‘donating,’ ‘handing out,’ ‘handing over’ of the child Jesus by his parents to God in the Jerusalem Temple. In this sense, the Child is dedicated and offered up to God. The scriptures clearly tell us that this sacred exercise of presentation took place in the Jerusalem Temple. What is this Temple?

*The Temple:*

The term Temple, in this discussion, is used to describe or designate the only worship centre among the ancient Jews. There was only one Temple of Yahweh in the whole of the ancient Israel and it was in Jerusalem. There alone were sacrifices allowed to be offered to Yahweh according to divine law and offering of sacrifices was the main ritual that took place in the Temple. Although the Temple is more often than not referred to as a single institute when discussing the history of Israel, it is important to note that the Jerusalem Temple was rebuilt twice after the completion and dedication of the first by Solomon. At the time of the first and the second Temples, a twice-daily animal sacrifice (known as burnt offering) was offered on the altar in the Temple for the sins of the Jewish people. It was a special place of encounter with Yahweh as it once housed the Ark of the Covenant, which was the symbol of God’s presence and holiness. The first Temple was built during the reign of king Solomon in 957 B.C, destroyed in 588 B.C, rebuilt by Zerubbabel in 515 B.C, restored and enlarged by Herod the great 20 B.C. – A.D. 62 and finally destroyed by emperor Titus in A.D. 70. In a nutshell, the Jerusalem Temple was God’s special dwelling place. Consequently, a serious Jewish religious activity like child presentation could not have taken place somewhere else other than the Jerusalem Temple. Hence, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

*Prayer*

_O Lord, as we contemplate the importance of the terms ‘Presentation’ and ‘Temple’ in connection to the Feast we celebrate, help us to continuously ponder and benefit from the mystery of your Presentation in the Temple. Amen._

*Rev. Fr. Pius D. Oyeniyi, _C.Ss.R_*