Presentation of the Lord

Last week was not a great one in terms of me actually doing anything to forward my life plans.  I am building up to some major state tests, and we have district testing in about 10 days.  All of this leads to me being super stressed and not as focused on God as I want to be.  I know that things ebb and flow, but I also have a lot of big decisions ahead of me and would love to say that I am focusing on that first and foremost.  I am human and I am not perfect, and this week I flat out failed.  Luckily, it also gave me time to reflect on how important the Church has become in my life.  I was unable to make it to daily mass at all last week, and by Friday I was really upset about it.  Like, ready to cry in my car because I was so upset I didn't make it to mass.  Being separated from that for a week made me appreciate how important it really is to me. 

The church that I go to for daily mass is known for being very traditional, which I adore.  It can be intimidating on Sundays, but it is a part of my routine on weekdays.  I try to make it at least three times a week (twice at the traditional church, once on Thursdays to the church that I am a parishioner at.)  Today, I was especially glad I made it since it is the Presentation of the Lord! 

I was not raised in a very devout family so I cannot actually remember celebrating the Presentation of the Lord ever before.  As in, I'm almost 100% sure I have not...I thought we only walked in with candles on Easter?  Apparently not.  When combined with the Liturgy of the Hours (which is very closely related to the readings for the day at mass) it leads to a wonderful understanding of the story that I have never had before.  It struck me how amazingly lucky I am to be part of a church where I can not only go and celebrate God in community every single day, but I can also participate in my own house and classroom through LOTH.  I enjoy praying the LOTH daily, but whenever it is combined with a Feast day, I get that double whammy of Catholic awesomeness.

What I loved most about the Presentation of the Lord is a combination of the following three parts of the Evening Prayer II:

 

"It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person, both on earth and in the heavens, making peace through the blood of the cross.  (Colossians 1:19-20)

 

We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet never sinned.  So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and favor and to find help in time of need.  (Hebrews 4:15-16)

 

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.” (Luke 2:34-35)

In these three verses, we see that God so loved us that he sent his son as fully man and fully God in order to make it possible for us to be saved.  Our sin was so great that this was truly the only way.  He was born to a virgin who knew that it was not going to be up to her.  She knew that her son was not truly hers and that her heart would be pierced with pain so that we could all be saved.  Instead of wanting to protect her son (as would, of course, be very natural) she continued to submit to God's will and trust in Him.  Because of this, Jesus is not only our savior but he was a man, which means that he experienced loss and betrayal.  He wept when his friends died and when he saw others in pain.  However, he was also able to then go to the cross and die to create a way for our souls to be saved.

 

As I continue to work on filling out my application and figuring out what role I am to play in the church, I pray that I accept hardships and suffering as part of God's plan for me, and that I continue to do whatever I can to praise God first and foremost.