Didn't Mary and Joseph remember the angel?
The Presentation, by Fra Angelico, located in a monk's cell in San Marco, Florence . Text: Luke 2:22-40 The story of The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple is not something we hear often. It takes place exactly 40 days after Christmas, February 2, which is not always a Sunday. It seems like it might be a set piece, a self-contained story, but since I know stories are never put into the Gospels as filler, I’ve always had a couple of questions. Like — why on earth were Mary and Joseph amazed at what Simeon said? Didn’t they remember that angel coming out the sky to visit only a few weeks ago? And what did Simeon mean when he told Mary that a sword would pierce her heart? And why don’t we hear what Anna said? What is this story telling us? Well, I’m glad you asked. First, on the appointed day, 40 days after Jesus’s birth, Mary and Joseph arrived at the Temple to dedicate their firstborn son to God. They brought the proper sacrifice for people of their standing. And at the ...
