Greetings (See Second Reading)
Jesus shared the same flesh and blood than we So that he
could become completely Like his brothers and sisters And, compassionate and
trustworthy, Atone for our human sins.
May this Lord Jesus be always with you.
R/ And with your spirit.
Introduction
Today we celebrate the Presentation of the Child and Lord Jesus in the Temple. Eastern Churches call this feast: “the encounter”. Jesus comes to the Temple to encounter his people in the persons of Simeon and Anna, who stand for the Old Testament or Covenant. They recognize Jesus as the long-expected hope of Israel. He is to lead God’s people into the New Testament or Covenant and from now on all are invited to follow the Lord Jesus. We recognize today Jesus as the light of our life, and with lighted candles in our hands we are following him: we become lights of Christ our Light.
Blessings of candles
Let us pray that the Lord may
kindle in our hearts the fire to follow Jesus our light (pause)
God our Father, you are the true light. When you speak, darkness gives way to light, The world reflects your brightness, We can live in the light of your love. As we carry these lighted candles into the Church
Make our faces and heart radiate with your glory. With your Son, make is children of the light, Keep us from the darkness of sin; Lead us to your everlasting light Through him who is our way, our truth, and life, And the light of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Procession Let us
go in peace to meet the Lord.
In the Mass with the blessing of candles, there is no penitential act after the entrance song; the Mass continues with the Gloria and the Opening Prayer. In other Masses of the day without blessing of candles, the following penitential act could be used:
Penitential Act
We have at times followed other “lights” than Christ, the true Light. We ask
now the Lord to forgive us (pause) Lord Jesus, let your light guide us on the
road to the Father: Lord have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, shine on us the light of your truth and wisdom
of the Spirit: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ have mercy.
Lord Jesus, let the light of your mercy gather all nations in your love: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us our sins. May we walk in the light of Christ into everlasting light. R/ Amen.
Prayer Let us
pray that with Jesus our light we may set resolutely in the road of renewal. (Pause)
Our God and Father, It is hard for us to say farewell To all that looks familiar and safe: our settled ways, our self-complacency, our certainties, our practices. We offer our self with Jesus our Lord and ask for the strength to follow his light. Help us to accept with him the insecurity of true renewal and to bring to all around us the light and warmth of your Son. Let this be the sacrifice we offer you today with Jesus, and Mary his Mother. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Intercessions: Let us pray to our Lord Jesus, who is
the saving light of all nations and the glory of his people, and let us say:
R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
• For the Church, that it may show the world the true face
of Christ and be the sign that in him all are to be saved, let us pray:
R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
• For the pope, and for all in the Church who render a
service of authority, that they may have the courage to speak out and act in
the name of truth and justice, and that they bear witness to the love of
Christ, let us pray:
R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
• For all fathers and mothers, that they may inspire their
children by their own way of living, to follow the light of Christ, let us
pray:
R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
• For all Christians, that the Spirit of the Lord may guide
them to be true to their conscience, let us pray:
R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
• For the poor, the sick, and the discouraged, that they may
still keep their eyes turned to the light of Christ and that they may discover
it particularly in dedicated Christians, let us pray:
R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
• For all of us in this community, that we may be at least a
pale reflection of the light of Christ, let us pray:
R/ Lord, let your light shine on us.
Lord Jesus Christ, without you we walk in the dark. Let your light shine brightly in us, that we may become in our limited way your light to the world, for you are our light shining bright now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts Lord our God, you ask of us to accept with faith your word spoken by your messengers and above all by your living Word, Jesus Christ. Make us truly recognize and welcome the humble coming of your Son in these simple signs of bread and wine. Let his word and that of his prophets take root in us and change us into a community in which prevail the love, the justice and the forgiveness of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer Let us offer the prayer of Jesus to our Father in heaven. R/ Our Father…
Deliver us Deliver us, Lord, from the darkness of sin and let the light of your love and peace shine on us, your people. Purify your Church, that it may bear witness to the light of the gospel in a world torn with wars and strife. Let your kindly light lead us forward in hope and joy, as we work for the full coming among us of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ Amen.
Invitation to Communion This is our Lord Jesus Christ who is the light that come into the world to enlighten all people. Happy re we to share in his offering and to receive him as the bread of life. R/ Lord, I am not worthy…
Prayer after Communion Our God and Father, You spoke your mighty Word to the world and there was light. You have spoken your Word Jesus Christ among us and there is light in our minds and hearts. Do not allow us to keep this light of Jesus hidden under the shade of our mediocrity, but let it shine in our words and deeds, that it may brighten the footsteps of all people in search of the truth. We ask this on account of him, who is the light and the guiding star of our lives, Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing Lead, kindly light! Let Christ lead us all on the bright path of goodness and love, that we may reach our destiny and reflect the Lord’s light on the people around us. May Almighty God bless us for this task, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen. Go in peace and take the light of Christ with you to let it shine on all. R/ Thanks be to God.
Commentary:
Several thinkers have said in many nuanced ways that the
measure of a society lies in the way it treats its children. Given the tragic
ways children are mistreated in these days, we have failed as a cultured
society.
In today’s gospel we have four holy people—Mary, Joseph,
Simeon, and Anna—who teach us how to return to respectful and holy ways of
treating our children. Mary and Joseph consecrate their child to God, doing
everything required by God’s Law and thus orienting their child to the One to
whom he truly belongs. Simeon and Anna recognize the divinity in the child,
blessing him and letting themselves be blessed by him, and by talking well of
the child before others. Thus, consecrated to God and blessed and loved by
others, Jesus grows filled with the wisdom and grace of God.
The feast of the Presentation invites us to consecrate our little ones to God, recognize the divine within them, and treat them as God’s own. Going one step further, we can apply the same to ourselves as well—consecrate ourselves to God, recognize the divine within us, and live respectfully as God’s own children.
