Jesus is our high priest. He is like us in all things but sin, treats us with mercy, and is true to us. So, we commend our whole being to him. 

Mary and Joseph, true to the law of Moses, bring Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.  Jesus is forty days old. It is also time for Mary’s purification. Yes, the law of Moses prescribes rites of cleansing. These rites show the concern of those who keep the law to commend and present themselves as clean before God.

Such concern to be refined, pure or clean, though, can turn into a not-so-healthy obsession. Yet it bears asking, “Can we stand, commend or present ourselves, as clean or pure before God?” 

“No,” says Paul. He sends us back to Ps 14 that says that there is no one who does what is right; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. His point, of course, is that we all sin and fall short of God’s glory. We need his grace that comes through Christ.

In other words, we must hook up with him. In fact, this is done. For in him, God and humans meet. He is like us to show that he is the high priest with mercy and is true to us. This means that he goes down to us so as to go up with us to the Father. Jesus’ encounter with us is also the start of our going up to God.

So, all we need to do is to commend our whole being to Jesus. There is no need for us to obsess about being clean or not in God’s eyes. For as Jesus stands before the Father, he cannot help to make us also stand before him. Our weak human condition is his. Through him, with him and in him, we can stand before God who will not turn us away. We have no one to commend us but Jesus.

Lord Jesus, we commend our whole being to you. Grant that our surrender lead us to be truly clean and new, and brave in the face of threats. We shall thus keep your new command and share in your giving up your body and shedding your blood. Help us keep in mind always that the Father’s mercy and goodness are infinitely greater than our unworthiness and malice. That his mercies are more than a match to our grave sins (SV.EN XI:129-130).

2 February 2025
Presentation of the Lord
Mal 3, 1-4; Heb 2, 14-18; Lk 2, 22-40