Like a Sword in Her Heart
Dec 29: The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Today is the Fifth Day of Christmas, and the first one, I believe, that isn’t also some kind of feast day or other.
We’re continuing with the First Letter of John, which has some interesting ties with yesterday’s reading. Today’s epistle and the Gospel both contain contradictions, which aren’t really contradictions. Just a fuller understanding of life, which can be wonderful, joyous, kind, beautiful, and cruel, painful, mean, and ugly.
It’s a lot to think about while you’re trying to find those five gold rings for your true love.
Reading I
1 Jn 2:3-11
Beloved: The way we may be sure that we know Jesus is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.
Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. And yet I do write a new commandment to you, which holds true in him and among you, for the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall. Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Boy, John is calling people liars left and right, isn’t he? Yesterday, you were a liar if you said you were without sin; today you’re a liar if you say you know Jesus but don’t keep the commandments.
In English, to “know” someone can mean a lot of things. Just because you know about Jesus or know of Jesus doesn’t mean you actually know Him as a friend. The way you show your friendship with Jesus is by loving your brother(s and sisters).
I like how John says “I am writing no new commandment,” followed almost immediately by “and yet I do write a new commandment.” This alone should dispel any misconception that the various authors of the Bible literally transcribe what God wants them to write. God wouldn’t write like this; only a human who’s struggling to figure out God’s will would bounce back and forth like that.
And that’s probably something everyone has to struggle with: discerning true inspiration from our own random thoughts.1
Responsorial Psalm
96:1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Remember folks, Christmas isn’t just one day! Keep singing!
Alleluia
Lk 2:32
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A light of revelation to the Gentiles
and glory for your people Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Doesn’t it seem like cheating to just pull a verse from the Gospel reading we’re about to hear?
Gospel
Lk 2:22-35
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
It would’ve been weird for God to trust His only Son to a couple of lapsed Jews, so it’s no surprise that Mary and Joseph were devout. There’s a lot of little details to that effect which modern Catholics wouldn’t notice.2
For example, while baby Jesus was to be consecrated, they didn’t have to take Him to the temple specifically. They did so because it’s so central to Judaism. Only the birth mother had to purify herself before enter the temple,3 but Joseph also purified himself anyway (possibly out of solidarity with Mary).
But we’re also reminded that they were poor. A mother is supposed to offer a year-old lamb as a burnt offering and a turtledove or young pigeon; if you couldn’t afford a lamb, you’d bring two turtledoves4 or pigeons, like Mary did.
So, it was probably an expensive hassle to bring Jesus all the way to the temple in Jerusalem, but they still did it. And it’s a good thing, because Simeon was there, waiting for the Messiah. After blessing Jesus, he says what’s now known as the Canticle of Simeon, which many people use as part of their nighttime prayers.5
Anyway, Simeon doesn’t just keel over right then and there, with baby Jesus in his arms. He takes the time to announce a prophesy. Jesus will not only be an important figure in Israel (duh), but Mary will be a part of it. As Jesus suffers, so will she; it’ll be like a sword in her heart.
She doesn’t know it yet, but Mary will be at the foot of the cross when Jesus is crucified. And any parent knows what it’s like to see their child suffer, whether it’s a sickness or injury or emotional wound. Jesus had all of those, too; He is both God and Man. Mary had to clean up scraped knees and feed Him chicken noodle soup when He was sick.
But she also had to watch Him die, which no parent should have to do. Despite that pain, she endures for us as Queen of Heaven. When we pray for Mary’s intercession, remember she suffers as much for us, who are her adopted children, as for her own Son.
I may or may not be writing about myself here.
Unless you read the footnotes in your Bible.
Also useful for the second day of Christmas.
Isn’t it amazing how many Catholic traditions are rooted in the Bible? Not surprising, but still amazing.