Feast of the Presentation of the Lord – C
February 2, 2025
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton 11:00am
Traditions
I want to leave you with one sentence, one idea this morning, and it is this.
Tradition expresses who we are and makes us who we are. Traditions fulfill a lot of purposes for us and for society in general.
But I am focusing today on this one idea. Tradition expresses who we are and makes us who we are.
Some of Our Traditions
For example, families and even friends celebrate birthdays. Among other things, my mother always baked us our favorite cake – mine was a coconut or a dark chocolate cake.
A birthday tradition like this expresses who we are as special and loved. It also makes us who we are by strengthening our sense of self.
Another good tradition is the singing of the National Anthem before baseball and other sports games and other events.
This expresses who we are as Americans. It also makes us who we are by strengthening our sense of belonging to this country.
One more example of a good tradition is Thanksgiving.
This expresses who we are as persons grateful for all that we have. It also makes us who we are by strengthening our awareness of what God has given us.
Tradition in the Gospel
In today’s gospel, we also see a tradition.
Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple. The tradition is to present a child to the Lord forty days after his birth.
This expresses who they are as persons of faith who see themselves and their child as God’s sons and daughters. It also makes them who they are by strengthening their relationship with God.
What also happens in this passage is that this old man Simeon helps to enhance the tradition. He calls Jesus “a light of revelation.”
This expresses who Jesus already is. And it makes Jesus who he is by proclaiming it publicly.
Our Baptism Tradition
This presentation of Jesus in the temple is a prelude to our bringing children here to church for baptism.
Our baptism tradition expresses who a child is as a beloved son or daughter of God. And it also makes them who they are by strengthening their identity as persons united with Jesus Christ.
And in our baptismal tradition, we also celebrate the light that Simeon talks about today. This light is symbolized by the candle that is handed to parents or godparents.
This is why, again in our tradition, we have the blessing of candles on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This expresses who we are as a people already enlightened by Christ and makes us who we are by strengthening this light for our guidance.
Conclusion
So, there we are: Tradition expresses who we are and makes us who we are. It is very valuable.
