From My Point of Pew: Presentation of the Lord

Readings for Sunday, February 2nd.

As I read through the psalm, this is the first thing I thought…

Today the Holy Cross Vocations Director presided over Mass so his homily had more to do with vocations than with the Presentation of the Lord. But he did emphasize that it is important to discern our true vocation. When he entered the seminary, he thought that if he wanted to be holy, the seminary was the fast track there. But as he was working on a paper reflecting on the vows of poverty, obedience, and chastity, he realized the best examples he had of those vows were his parents who were not consecrated religious. Becoming a priest was his way to holiness but for others it may be the single life, it may be consecrated religious life, it may be married life. But we must be open to God’s call whatever our calling may be.

Whenever I hear this Gospel, I remember the phone call I got when my friend, R, told me she was pregnant. Her and her husband are wonderful and live out their faith so beautifully. When she told me they were going to have a baby the first thing that popped into my head was Simeon’s words:

Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.

No, the baby born wasn’t Jesus, but with every baby we have no idea what that baby is going to do in his/her life. There is so much potential. They could be the next Dorothy Day, the next Francis, the next Juan Diego. They are placed on this earth to free the enslaved, to counsel the doubtful, to shelter the homeless, to live their lives for God in service of others. And while what Simeon said to Mary was forboding, he also proclaimed that Jesus would be the savior of his people. May every baby be met with as much hope.