The Presentation of our Lord

The Collect:

Rite I:
Almighty and everliving God, we humbly beseech thee that, as thy only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Rite II:
Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Old Testament: Malachi 3:1-4

¹See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. ²But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; ³he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. ⁴Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Psalm: Psalm 84 or Psalm 24:7-10

¹ How dear to me is your dwelling, O LORD of hosts! *
       My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the LORD;
       my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
² The sparrow has found her a house
  and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; *
       by the side of your altars, O LORD of hosts,
       my King and my God.
³ Happy are they who dwell in your house! *
       they will always be praising you.
⁴ Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
       whose hearts are set on the pilgrims’ way.
⁵ Those who go through the desolate valley will find it a place of springs, *
       for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.
⁶ They will climb from height to height, *
       and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.
⁷ LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; *
       hearken, O God of Jacob.
⁸ Behold our defender, O God; *
       and look upon the face of your Anointed.
⁹ For one day in your courts is better than a thousand in my own room, *
       and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God
       than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.
¹⁰ For the LORD God is both sun and shield; *
       he will give grace and glory;
¹¹ No good thing will the LORD withhold *
       from those who walk with integrity.
¹² O LORD of hosts, *
       happy are they who put their trust in you!

or

⁷ Lift up your heads, O gates;
  lift them high, O everlasting doors; *
       and the King of glory shall come in.
⁸ “Who is this King of glory?” *
  “The LORD, strong and mighty,
       the LORD, mighty in battle.”
⁹ Lift up your heads, O gates;
  lift them high, O everlasting doors; *
       and the King of glory shall come in.
¹⁰ “Who is he, this King of glory?” *
      “The LORD of hosts,
       he is the King of glory.”

Epistle: Hebrews 2:14-18

¹⁴Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. ¹⁶For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham.¹⁷Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

²²When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord²³(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), ²⁴and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, ²⁸Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,²⁹“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; ³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation, ³¹which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, ³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” ³³And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. ³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed ³⁵so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” ³⁶There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. ³⁹When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

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