This is our answer from todays psalm for the first reading of the solemnity of today! Today, Jesus, whom we have adored with the Kings as "King of the Jews" enters in the temple of God in Jerusalem!

The occasion is given through the Law of God, by which Jesus’ parents are bound. The Law forsees that the woman, 40 days after birth, purifies herself through a particular rite; forsees too that the first male child, that belongs to the Lord God, is offered and ransomed by a sacrifice. Mary and Joseph, obedient, go to the temple to fulfill what the Law forsees.

No one has ever brought to the Holy Place a child like this one! He is the One who sanctifies the temple, that gives value to the many sacrificies offered through the centuries in the hope of this one! No sacrifice and no offering was ever pleased to God!

It happened as the prophet Malachy said: "The Lord shall enter his temple"! In Jerusalem there is someone who really await the manifestation of the presence of the Lord God! The surprise of Mary and Joseph to see their Son of only forthy days in the arms of Simon, blessed by him! This man, with his words, confirms all that they hade seen and heard in Bethlehem: their Son is light for all nations, is salvation of God, is peace and glory for all the people. God is certainly at work: the Spirit of God puts on the lips of the old man and then give to an eightfour year old woman, Anne, words that were not fruit of intelligence or human observation.

Through these two venerable persons, the Holy Spirit manifest Jesus to the people of Israel, after He was revealed to the shepherds and the rappresentatives of all to other peoples, the Kings! To manifest Him to Israel God waits for the moment in which the Law is being obeyed, and make use of the voice of two old persons, wise witnesses of the faithfulness of God. In this way the Hebrews are helped to welcome the Child without any prejudice, but with love, and let the faith in Him be found in their hearts!

Simon, surprisingly, turns also towards the Mother. He, inspired from above, prophesize that the Child was not going to be accepted by all in the same way, for He shall be a light that shall uncover all that is hidden in the hearts of men. Before Him all shall be present, and of everyone shall be known whether in heart there is love or hatered, if they serve the God of love or themselves, if they have in their hearts life or death, friendship, truth or deceiveness!

Prophetic words, true. We see them all days. From those who love Jesus, one can only hope for faithfulness, forgiveness, mercy, comprehension, spirit of sacrifice, humilty, love. Instead, from those who don’t have the love of Jesus in their heart, even if their mouth is full of nice words and shares, one cannot hope nothing, for such persons doesn’t accept the cross, on the contrary, refuse it, does not understand its significance.

True goodness is that of God, who loves in offering Himself in His Son! True goodness is that offered to others for their salvation. This salvation is Jesus, saviour of each and everyone; those who are insignificant, who live in the desperation of solitude and sin, of being slaves, in fear of death, of many things and of many lords (2^nd. Reading)!

Today we hold in hand a light, a sign of the one we enjoy, Jesus! The light shines our face in such a way that the others see that they can trust us, for we belong to the Son of God, the same light that shows our way. This light shows all that surrounds us, the face of others, so that we, with the simplicity of doves, can see the image of God, and with the prudence of a snake, we defend ourselves from their false pretentions, our faith!

This is a shining feast in which we too, like Simon and Anne, go to meet with the Child that the Father is offering us! Let us open the doors of the temple, our hearts, for Him, and enjoy the salvation given us becoming ourselves instrument of salvation for others by our witness!