LIGHT OF SALVATION

Jesus is presented in the temple of Jerusalem by Mary and Joseph as the Savior of all nations and light of salvation. The presentation of the Lord reveals God’s desire to save all. It is also the feast of encounter. God wants to encounter His people because the business of God is finding us. He alone can save and heal us. Jesus restores wholeness to our fallen world. He brings healing to our wounded humanity. He purifies His people so that by refining them like silver and gold, they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord. They may offer right praise to God and bring right order into the World. The purifying and refining work of God is the work of the Holy Spirit because change comes about by the observance of the Law of God and by being open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is the fire that destroys what is evil and purifies what is good. The Cross is the fulfillment of the purifying and refining work of God for the renewal of the world. It is on the Cross that the sins of the world are placed on Jesus so that everything that is wrong in the human race might be consumed in the holocaust of His divine mercy. Christ became sin on the Cross so that the sin of humanity might be consumed in the holocaust of His divine mercy. He took upon Himself our sin and punishment so that we are not condemned anymore. We are already reconciled with God. In fact, in Jesus, we have full access to God. He is our sacrifice, ransom, atonement and reparation. God comes to us to find and purify us. In Jesus, grace is restored. In Adam and Eve, grace was lost but St. Paul says, “when sin abounds, grace abounds the more!” Jesus is the light of the world, the new temple revealed to the non Jews as never before. He is the new dwelling place of God. We are also the temples of the Holy Spirit. We are called to be the light and salt of the earth and agents of God’s inclusive love.