Genesis starts with a tragedy and a promise. Malachi the last book of the Old Testament, in the First Reading speaks of not giving up on the promise God gave in Genesis. ‘Very soon,’ says Malachi, God is bent on fulfilling His promise. A herald will go before the redemption, and God Himself will come. Be on the watch, He is near at hand.

The Second Reading is revealing in regards to how God fulfilled His promise… Since it is He who loves humanity, He Himself came to save it, by becoming human. And therefore He is the perfect High Priest.

The Gospel opens the act of God as a child He comes to His own, and humanity fails Him. Only a few recognise and praise God, the rest are unaware, going about their daily routine.

Here we need to ask why did Simeon and Anna recognise? The Answer is clear, the Holy Spirit revealed the News to them. The Holy Spirit could not convey the same News to all the others in the Temple, because they/their hearts were closed to God. They did not have a relationship with God. They in a way were strangers to God and His Word.

Personally for me this is heartening, because I have often wondered if I would be counted with the crowd, if Jesus came in today and he was contrary to current notions of God and how to recognise God’s presence. Am heartened because today’s Gospel Text tells me, He will reveal His Identity to all who seek Him earnestly and desire to do His will by being in relationship with Him. Pray then, asking God to purify your desire for Him, and be able to be in relationship with Him. He will never abandon you.