Gospel: Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family. This celebration is assigned to the Sunday within the octave of Christmas. The Gospel for the day is taken from the Gospel according to St Luke and is part of St Luke's Infancy narrative.

And when the day came for them to be purified in keeping with the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord- observing what is written in the Law of the Lord: Every first born male must be consecrated to the Lord- and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is prescribed in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to the restoration of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. 

Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

"Now, Master, you are letting your servant go in peace as you promised; for my eyes have seen the salvation which you have made ready in the sight of the nations; a light of revelation for the gentiles and glory for your people Israel.

As the child's father and mother were wondering at things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Look, he is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is opposed- and a sword will pierce your heart too -- so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare."

There was a prophetess, too, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer.

She came up just at the moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their town of Nazareth.

And as the child grew to maturity, he was filled with wisdom; and God's favor was with him.

Today's Gospel describes the presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple and shows Joseph and Mary as devout Jews, following the prescriptions of the Law of Moses. The Gospel alludes to several aspects of the Law of Moses: circumcision, the dedication of the firstborn son to the Lord, and the purification of a woman after childbirth.

According to the Law of Moses as presented in the Book of Leviticus, a woman was considered ritually unclean during her menstrual period and for a prescribed period of time following the birth of a child. After the birth of a son, a woman was considered ritually unclean for 40 days. After the birth of a daughter, a woman was considered ritually unclean for 80 days. In order to be restored to ritual purity, a Jewish woman performed the appropriate rites of purification and made the required ritual offering.

Today's Gospel notes that Jesus was circumcised on the eight day after his birth, in keeping with the Mosaic Law. At that time, he was called Jesus, the name he was given by St Gabriel. On the 40th day after Jesus' birth, Mary performed the appropriate purification rites and made her offering at the Temple. Although the Law of Moses required an offering of a lamb, those who could not afford could substitute two turtle doves or two pigeons. In this scene, St Luke identifies Joseph and Mary as being poor, and indeed throughout St Luke's Gospel, Jesus will show special concern for the poor.

Another Jewish rite referenced in this Gospel is the dedication of the firstborn son to the Lord. In remembrance of the Feast of Passover, when the firstborn children of the Israelites in Egypt were saved from death, the Mosaic Law prescribed that all firstborn males of Israel should be consecrated to the Lord. In this tradition, Mary and Joseph present the infant Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem, St Luke reports that Mary and Joseph encounter two devout Jews, Simeon and Anna, who recognize the infant Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel's hope for redemption. In Simeon's words we find a prediction of Mary's witnessing of Jesus' death on the cross. The Canticle of Simeon, also called by its Latin name, Nunc Dimitis, is prayed at night prayer, or compline, during the Liturgy of the Hours.

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