27. February 2 - Presentation to the Temple

You can't trust an apparition. Saint Basil lead me out of John's room, but once out all three Heirarchs were called back to heaven for another important mission. Basil apologized for having to leave me prematurely and waved good by. Then all three saintly apparitions simply disappeared. I wonder what Basil wanted to show me?

To my dismay the Archangel Michael returned to escort me to the next point in the year.

"Hello Sir, how nice to see you again" I said saluting him, but without expression.

"Don't fret, it doesn't become you." replied Michael. "I am just here to tell you the assignment and be on my way to much more important duties than chauffeur."

That cheered me up. "Where to, boss?" I asked.

"You are to go to the temple in Jerusalem to witness the presentation of the baby Jesus. Do you know how to find it? I can call someone to take you there."

There is nothing an angel deplores more than to be underestimated.

"I will be fine sir. Thank you. Praise The Lord."

Michael responded, "Glory be to God." and took off like a bullet.

Not knowing when the fortieth day would be I thought I had better head straight to Jerusalem without delay, which, unfortunately meant without acrobatics.

The temple was easy to spot. It was the largest building in town, so I honed right in on it. I arrived to find angels of many shapes and sizes, some transparent and some iridescent hovering about.

"Welcome!" greeted a kindly angel who pulled away from the mass and shaped herself as a female figure, "My name is Cloris; we have been waiting for you! Look, there is Simeon. You just missed seeing the Holy Spirit!"

I looked over to see a very old man who sat glowing with an aura of shimmering blue light. It was the afterglow of a person who had just seen God. He was thin and his white gown hung about him like it was protecting a sapling from the wind. Simeon's wavy long white hair pointed to clear blue eyes accentuated by wisps of wrinkles that marked the decades as rings on a felled tree.

"What is going to happen?" I asked?

She replied, "The presentation of baby Jesus."

"What is that?"

Cloris replied, "God caused plagues before a stubborn Pharaoh to force him to allow His people, the Jews, to leave, and to prove that leaving Egypt was God's will."

"So what does that have to do with this Presentation?"

"The final plague was the death of the first born male of men and animals. To escape this plague the Jews were to sacrifice an unblemished lamb and with hyssop, to paint its blood on on the lintels and doorposts of their homes. When the angel of death blew through the country to kill the firstborn, it would PASS OVER those houses"

"Oh I thought that pass-over commemorated passing over The Red Sea."

"That was amazing too, replied Cloris, "but they never would have been allowed to leave had not their firstborn been spared the angel of death, when even Pharaoh's son died. God wants every generation of His people to remember that auspicious night. You will soon know why that is. On the 40th day of the life of every male child, to also commemorate the forty years it took to reach the Promise Land, he shall be presented to God in the Temple with a sacrifice of a turtledove or pigeon.

"Look," said Cloris, "here they come!"

I really do like the way the Bride plays with time. The last time I saw Jesus He was thirty years old, and now, less than a month later, but exactly forty days after His birth in the manger, Jesus is an infant again.

Reading my mind, Cloris explained,"the Bride, will respect time when it comes to the life of Jesus and His Mother. This is how She acknowledges His humanity. It is the events that demonstrate His divinity that have nothing to do with earthly time. You will see, but then you did see by witnessing His adult baptism that concluded the twelve days of Christmas. Don't be confused, the Bride's year will only, aha ...LOOK here they are!"

Before Cloris could finish, I spotted the holy family entering the temple. Joseph carried the two turtledoves in a makeshift cage for the offering while Mary who seemed younger than when I saw her in Bethlehem, not quite a woman of fourteen, clutched her swaddled infant close to her heart like a baby doll for her own security as much as for His. The infant was sound asleep in His young mother's arms.

I saw their own retinue of angels surrounding them and one whispered into Joseph's ear that he should go over to Simeon who was still wrapt in prayer. Joseph obeyed the angel voice and went over to ask Simeon where to place his doves. Simeon peacefully looked up at Joseph and then across to sweet young Mary. Then he stood up and walked over to the mother and baby, and like a proud grandfather Simeon asked if he could hold the Infant.

Reading Simeon's gentle nature with her heart, Mary carefully passed her holy bundle into the cupped arms of the fatherly sage. Angels fluttered with joy as the old man and the new one united in spirit. I saw Simeon's sea-blue eyes well up with tears, and then he said, "Master, now You are dismissing Your servant in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel."

And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about their baby. Then Simeon blessed them as Isaac blessed his son Jacob by saying to His mother Mary, "This Child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Upon listening to Simeon's compound blessing Mary's eyes opened wider and her forehead wrinkled with astonishment. How did this old man know, except by The Holy Spirit, Who they were, strangers in Jerusalem? Mary quickly looked up at Joseph who shot back a comforting protective smile. She then curtsied with her head bowed while Joseph went to take the baby back and thanked Simeon.

Simeon released the child with much hesitation, as if he did not want this most glorious moment of his life to be over. Yet, he let go knowing that before him lay the adventure of leaving his mortal shell and, if granted to him, seeing the face of God, the Father.

The family proceeded to the altar where the temple priest was waiting for them. He received the offering and recited the services he had said a thousands times before, because his people were prolific and many firstborn sons had been born to Israel (i.e. Jacob) during his days as a priest.

On their way out of the temple with their entourage of angels Mary was approached by an old woman who had witnessed the exchange with Simeon, and the ceremony.

"Greetings, my child." said Anna, a prophetess who lived in the temple and worshipped God both night and day. Anna was a very slight old woman but her spirit was vibrant. Mary turned the baby whose eyes were then wide open so that Anna could see His face. Baby Jesus looked up and smiled with a hearty toothless grin. I think He was looking at the angel Cloris who was cooing and making faces at Him. "All glory to God!" exclaimed Anna, "The Messiah, has arrived!" And she turned to say, "Come and see, the Messiah who will redeem Israel from our distress and free us from these Romans once and for all! Hallelujah! Glory to Thee o' Lord! Glory to Thee!" Anna was overwhelmed with a joy that she hadn't experienced in over seventy years. Her old face hadn't received such expression before and didn't know quite how to respond to what her heart was telling it to do.

A dozen or so people rushed up to see what old Anna was talking about. But at that, Joseph politely excused himself and his wife, and they briskly made their exit with their angels shielding them from further attention. Cloris turned to look at me with an expression of uncontainable glee and pride. I smiled back in complete agreement. We had both witnessed our Lord's first public reception among His holy men, and His presentation as a baby to His Heavenly Father.

Once out of the temple the Holy Family managed to blend into the crowd in the marketplace for it was the eve of Shabbat and many had shopping to complete before sunset.

In fact, they blended in so well that I lost them too. How that little troupe could evade me the way they do! Unlike when I lost them ...or will lose them, as refugees going into Egypt, this time I really thought I was watching them! Where did they go?