First reading 1 John 2:3-11
Anyone who loves his brother is living in the light
We can be sure that we know God
only by keeping his commandments.
Anyone who says, ‘I know him’,
and does not keep his commandments,
is a liar,
refusing to admit the truth.
But when anyone does obey what he has said,
God’s love comes to perfection in him.
We can be sure that we are in God
only when the one who claims to be living in him
is living the same kind of life as Christ lived.
My dear people,
this is not a new commandment that I am writing to tell you,
but an old commandment
that you were given from the beginning,
the original commandment which was the message brought to you.
Yet in another way, what I am writing to you,
and what is being carried out in your lives as it was in his,
is a new commandment;
because the night is over
and the real light is already shining.
Anyone who claims to be in the light
but hates his brother
is still in the dark.
But anyone who loves his brother is living in the light
and need not be afraid of stumbling;
unlike the man who hates his brother and is in the darkness,
not knowing where he is going,
because it is too dark to see.
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Responsorial Psalm 95(96):1-3,5-6
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Proclaim his help day by day,
tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.
It was the Lord who made the heavens,
his are majesty and state and power
and splendour in his holy place.
Gospel Luke 2:22-35
‘You have prepared a light to enlighten the pagans’
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,
just as you promised;
because my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared for all the nations to see,
a light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel.’
As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’
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Guided by the Spirit
“Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple…”. Simeon was prompted to go to the Temple by the Holy Spirit. He listened to the inner stirring in his heart and responded by taking steps to the Temple. He encountered the baby Jesus there and recognised that this child was God’s promised Messiah. Indeed, Simeon was an upright and devout man who trusted God and was open to the Spirit’s promptings.
The Holy Spirit is alive and active in us. He constantly prompts us to go to Jesus and live the life of love we have been created for. Let us be aware of the presence of Jesus’ Spirit, as He is the one who can guide us to have more of Jesus in our lives. Sometimes, we struggle to trust God when we find that He does not seem to answer our prayers or we feel overwhelmed with life’s problems. As we pray, let the Holy Spirit reston us and let us ask Him to help us have the daily openness to keep trusting in God.
Reflective question:
Is the Holy Spirit my daily guide and constant companion?
Is the Holy Spirit my daily guide and constant companion?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
