News Church of the Annunciation. Ypapanti—The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple One of the major feast days of our Holy Orthodox Church is the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. It occurs forty days after the Nativity of our Savior on the second of February, at a time when we come to an end of a series of feasts that have taken us through the darkness of the long and cold winter nights, a series of feasts bringing out different aspects of God’s search or outreach to us: the Word becoming flesh in the small dark cave in the depths of the earth; the manifestation of God to us through the passage through the waters. Now in obedience to the Mosaic Law, forty days after his birth, Christ, the firstborn son, is brought to the Temple so that He might complete the Law, and the Law might be completed by Him. The Blessed Mother of God, the Theotokos, and Joseph to whom she was espoused, left Nazareth and journeyed to Jerusalem to present the Christ- child in the magnificent Temple of Solomon.

It was required by Jewish law to make an offering for the new Child. As Joseph and the Theotokos were very poor people, they brought with them two small turtle doves, as illus- trated in the icon for the Feast. At that time, those who were wealthy offered money or a small animal to be sacrificed.

Being brought to the Temple, He is met by the righteous elder Simeon and the prophetess Anna: the old now passes, and the new has come. The place where they meet, where the old meets the new and the new is revealed, is in the Temple, the place to which Jesus is brought as a sacrifice. The elder Simeon was a very pious, humble, just, and devout man, a man of holi- ness. It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that although he was old, he would not see death until he saw the Christ. When the Theotokos and Joseph entered the Temple, this dedi- cated servant of God received the Christ- child in his arms, and the prophecy of Isaiah was ful- filled: Christ is brought in the Temple and He rests in the arms of the elder as on a throne. At this, Simeon utters the words: “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people: a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people, Israel.”Israel’s glory has dawned in Christ, who is the light of revelation to the Gentiles. Now that Israel has accomplished its task of bringing the Messiah into the world, Simeon can depart in peace: the promises made in the beginning to Abraham about the calling of the nations are now fulfilled.

In Abraham’s seed all nations of the world are now blessed. Simeon blessed Joseph and the Theotokos and then said to them, “Behold, this Child is des- tined to be the cause for all the fall and rise of many in Israel.” He prophesied that those who believe in Christ will be exalted and saved while those who do not believe will be degraded. To the Theotokos he added, “And your heart shall be pierced by a sword.” He did not mean an actual sword would pierce her heart, but that her heart would experience an excruciating pain when she witnesses the Crucifixion and sees her Son suffering and dying upon the Cross. As for Anna, who was a widow of many years and a prophetess, she was also pious and humble, advanced in age, and remained in the Temple day and night fasting and praying.

When the presentation of the Lord occurred, she gave thanks unto God and then spoke to many people who lived in Jerusalem who were awaiting the redemption from their trials, tribulations, and sins. The advanced age of the righteous elder and the prophetess indicate the passing away of the ancient customs, the rituals and prescriptions, for these were only ever, as the Apostle puts it, a shadow of the good things to come.

The reality belongs to Christ, the one who was received into the arms of the elder, the one who was to cause the fall and rising again of many in Israel, who thus bestows upon us the resur- rection, the new creation. Today then, standing in the Temple with Simeon, we come indeed to the com- pletion of the movement of God towards us, so that we can also say: let us depart in peace, for the glory of God is revealed, enlightening those who sat in darkness. If this movement of God towards us is in- deed light coming into the world, enlightening those who sit in darkness, then we must begin to set our own sights upon the journey to Jerusalem.

On 11/11/11, the Immortals movie will debut. What appears to be a Greek myth tale on the surface, looks to be more of a spin on the Bible's account of God, the fallen. Shop for great Catholic products, including car magnets, evangelization cards, books and more, from Catholics Come Home and other vendors. Who is the antichrist? Is the antichrist on the earth today? Many religions of the world are anticipating a religious figure, a messiah, to come and save humanity.

The light of God is indeed also the peace of God. Showtime Full The LEGO Batman Movie Online Free. We too must begin to see the Lord as Simeon did, to know that He is indeed our rest; to find in him the peace that keeps us in peace throughout the storms of the sea of life; to be at rest in Him rather than be blown about from one crisis to the next, from one emotional bruise to another; and to be focused on Him, rather than on the thoughts which preoccupy us, each one seeming so important at the time, and leading to yet more habituated actions that we know we will regret.

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Let us pray that like Simeon we may learn to meet Jesus in the Temple, that we might find in Him the completion of our heart’s desire, and ourselves come to know His mercy and peace.+Rev. Dr. Emanuel S. Chris, M. D., M. Div. Hail O Woman full of grace, Virgin and Mother of God: from you has arisen the Sun of Justice, Christ our God, enlightening those who stand in darkness. You too, just Elder Simeon, rejoice, for you carried in your arms the Redeemer of our souls, our Resurrection.

O Christ our God who through your birth have sanc- tified the virginal womb and have now blessed the arms of Simeon, today You have come to save us. O Lord, when wars prevail, keep your people in peace and strengthen our Public Authorities in eve- ry good deed, for You alone are the Lover of Man.

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