The Presentation - Rector's Rambling for February 4, 2018

On Friday the church celebrated the 40th day of our Lord’s life with what the Prayer Book calls The Feast of the Presentation in the Temple, commonly called The Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin.

On this day Jesus was brought to Jerusalem, to be offered in service to the Lord.  A sacrifice of turtle-doves or pigeons was made as a reminder of the sacrifice called for of Abraham for Isaiah, for which God provided an alternative sacrifice.

Sacrifice comes from the Latin phrase that means to make something holy.  The male Jew is offered up in prayer as a reminder that he is to be holy.

It occurs on the 40th day of the child’s life also because the mother of the child makes her offering of thanksgiving and is considered “purified” from her issue of blood which occurs after childbearing.  These ideas of “unclean” because of an issue of blood seem so alien to us in our modern day mindset, but it was also a protection for the mother and newborn baby – 40 days in which they are expected not to go out and be exposed to germs, stress, or the expectation of work or hosting because they are “unclean”.

This custom continued in our own Prayer Book tradition with the optional service found on page 305, The Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth, commonly called the Churching of Women.  In the service there is a prayer of thanksgiving for a safe child-birth as well as prayer of blessing on the woman and child.

In the story of our Lord’s Presentation, and his mother’s purification, it shows not only that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law by the following of the Law, but we see the appearance of the Prophet and Prophetess, Simeon and Anna, who pronounce blessing and prediction that Jesus will be the one promised of God, and will be for the rise and fall of many.

The story is contained in St. Luke’s Gospel, the second chapter, beginning at the 22nd verse.  And let us also be mindful, with thanksgiving, of the conception and birth of children, and pray for safe child-bearing for those in expectation.