February 2: The Presentation of Our Lord

Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40

“Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.”

In every respect.  Like us in every respect.  He was not exempt from suffering, and his suffering was like ours.  That means not only that he suffered oppression and hardship; to be like us in every respect he must have battled with envy and anger and gluttony and self-doubt and . . .  

We don’t like to think of Jesus this way.  I was raised to think that Jesus never felt this stuff; he was “like us, but without sin.”  But this way is more comforting, and more powerful.  He did feel all that I feel, and he moved through it and beyond it to become Jesus the Messiah.  I suspect that he still feels some of what I feel, those emotions that the Gospels tell us he felt: compassion, but also anger at oppression and distortion of human life; love, and anguish for victims; desire, holy and perhaps not so much.  He was like us in every respect, and so he can help us.

How, exactly, can he help?  The author of Hebrews say he’s a faithful and merciful high priest, making atonement for us.  This is not my favorite concept, as it’s been distorted over the years to reinforce the image of a God who keeps accounts and demands payment.  But Jesus does make us at one with God by showing us how, as humans rather than angels, we can be restored to the image of God.  By dying to self, by letting go of the fear that drives so much of our sin, he shows us the way home to God.  

The path opens up.  It leads through sacrifice, making holy, atoning for what I have done wrong and turning again to God.  It passes through all the hardships of life, through the many small deaths as well as the big gate.  It leads to life free of fear, free in the face of death.

Today Jesus is presented at the Temple, and recognized as the one we are waiting for.  Present yourself today, as you are, and ask Jesus to help you become what God intends for you.  And rejoice!  Your eyes are seeing the Savior, if you look with an open heart.