The Presentation of the Lord 2nd February Behold, he comes to his holy temple, our Lord and Master: come, let us adore him (Invitatory Antiphon for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord).
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orty days after his birth, in the arms of his mother, the Lord comes to his temple, fulfilling the prophecy of Malachi, and other prophecies besides. He comes to his temple to build the true Temple, the temple not made with hands, unless it be the hands outstretched on the Cross. The feast of the Presentation, like that of the Epiphany in a different way, is about the Church. The Lord reveals himself, and the issue is the Church. The Lord comes and opens up this new, broad place, no longer of restricted access, like the Jerusalem Temple, but open to all who have faith in Christ. Suddenly, there is Lebensraum, Catholicism. And in this new Temple, this new space, the new worship comes into being. This too is the fulfilment of
b. Words for the Feasts and Saints Days.indd 4
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