From the Friars: A Light to Reveal You to the Nations
Today we remember the beautiful moment when the prophecy of Malachi has its fulfillment: “and suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek.” And holy Simeon takes the Child into his arms and says He will be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” This 40-day old infant is the greatest revelation of the All-Powerful Eternal Creator of all things.
The Presentation of the Lord. Stained glass at Holy Rosary Shrine.
Light is symbolic of truth. St. Thomas Aquinas taught that truth is the correspondence between the intellect and reality. If a mother asks her son if he took cookies from the cookie jar, he knows that if he says no he will be lying, if he had indeed taken them. The no answer does not correspond to reality. Despite this somewhat obvious difference between truth and lies, many people, including some otherwise brilliant minds, deny the reality of objective truth. Or they may limit it to material things that can be measured scientifically.
God revealed Himself to the Israelites in the great theophany at Mt. Sinai recorded in Exodus 19-20. He descended in fire and smoke amidst trumpet blasts, an earthquake, thunder, lightning and thick dark clouds. “The people were afraid and trembled.” (Ex 20:18) Here the Lord manifests His power and majesty. The descendants of Abraham needed to learn well that there is only one true God and that He is All-Powerful.
Jesus says of Himself, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” (Jn 14:6) He is the Truth because every aspect of His being corresponds perfectly to His Heavenly Father. His actions, words and even His very body itself make visible the fullness of the truth of God. But the shocking event of the Incarnation, despite the many prophecies, was very difficult for the chosen people to accept.
The Supreme Being empties Himself and becomes one of us in order to unite us to Himself. And the paradoxical truth is that the terrifying might displayed at Sinai flows from the Divine total giving of self. God is Love and the child in Simeon’s arms is God who tells us, “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have conquered the world.” (Jn 16:33)
Amen.
–Fr. Peter
