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Sunday, February 2, 2014

Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Running water always speaks to me. This Sunday's Readings  for the Feast of the Purification - the Feast forty days after Christmas when Mary and Joseph, to fulfill the Law, took Jesus to be presented in the Temple and Mary had to present herself for the Jewish rite of purification. Two people recognize the Infant Jesus; both of them are persons of prayer. They are often there in the Temple and now are able to recognize the Savior of the world in this tiny child.

I was struck by the Psalm chosen for this Liturgy:

Responsorial Psalm ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10

R. (8) Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory.
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
 
 I guess one of the reasons that I kept thinking about this Psalm was that I read about a homily the Pope had given about the prayer of praise and how we need to cultivate this prayer and dance for joy. He spoke of the Gloria and the Sanctus at the Mass as being prayers of praise and do we really enter into these prayers praising God?

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