The Presentation of our LORD

The Virgin Mary and the Christ Child are brought to the temple for their presentation. They follow the Law of Moses. LORD spoke to Moses, "Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. … and when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, and he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her. Then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean (Leviticus 12)."

The Law of Moses is simple and the Holy Family follows this to the letter. After thirty-three days and the eight days until the circumcision, the Holy Family goes up to the temple. The events of the sacrifice are not recorded for us, but we do find reason for the Holy Family going to the temple. Because it is only on their way to the temple they meet Simeon and Anna. The Evangelist St Luke only tells us the purpose for the Holy Family being there.

St Luke also gives us the socio-economic status of the Holy Family. They are not bringing a Lamb to be sacrificed but are bringing two young pigeons or a pair of turtledoves. This could be a insight into the status of those who live in Nazareth or it could just be that God references the Law of Moses in this manner. Either way it does help us to see God's desire for them to fulfill the law in a proper manner.

Jesus is presented to God in the same way Samuel was, but Samuel remained with Eli. Jesus goes back with his family. The question would still remain does he return directly to Nazareth or does he spend some extra time in Bethlehem with the extended family. You know the Grandparents must have delighted in having the Proclaimed Christ child stay with them an extra couple of days or years.

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