THE WORD
1 Jn 2: 3–11 / Lk 2: 22–35
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they 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 Messiah 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: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”......
IN OTHER WORDS
Archdeacon Thomas Becket and King Henry II were close friends who enjoyed life’s pleasures together. As Chancellor of England, Thomas normally acted in harmony with the King’s wishes to the disadvantage of the Church. Then the King got Thomas made Archbishop of Canterbury, hoping for complete control over the Church, and expecting that their previous friendship and lifestyle would remain unchanged. However, Thomas, realising his duty to Christ as archbishop, resigned as chancellor and from then on championed the Church against the King. Henry now persecuted Thomas because of his “ingratitude.” Eventually, Thomas was murdered in his own cathedral. King Henry later did public penance at the site and Pope John Paul II prayed there when he visited England in 1982.
The Pope said, “ ...the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.” But the darkness has not gone yet. In his last sermon before becoming Pope, Cardinal Bergoglio described what he called “spiritual worldliness” as “the worst evil of the Church,” suggesting that the Church should “come out from herself” in order to evangelize the “peripheries, not only geographical, but existential.”
For me, spiritual worldliness or darkness exists not just when Christians look first for self-gratification, but even when they are moved by material considerations rather than by Christ. Some years ago our local priests discussed whether the American bases in the Philippines should stay or go. Factors discussed included sovereignty, security, economy, prostitution and so on. Christ was never mentioned.
In contrast, at the end of our Catholic elementary school graduation last year, I noticed a young teacher quietly sitting on the concrete ledge outside the faculty room. She was there for a few minutes and nobody disturbed her. I knew that her prayer was one of thankfulness. I was grateful for her, but felt ashamed that I myself had managed only a quick Thank God after the ceremony.
Archbishop Thomas Becket renounced his spiritual worldliness. Can we try to abandon ours, and begin to put Christ first in all we do or say?
- Fr. Alan Meechan, SVD (Naujan, Or. Mindoro)
The Word in other words 2015
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
