Every Christian has the opportunity to see Christ before His/Her Death

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season : 4th Week - Thursday*

*The Presentation of the Lord - Feast*

*Gospel : Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22-32*

*First Reading : Mal 3:1-4*

*SECOND READING - Heb 2:14-18*

*Every Christian has the opportunity to see Christ before His/Her Death*

*1) Simeon on Seeing the Christ before His Death*

In the context of the presentation of Jesus in the temple, we have a another episode, where the prophet Simeon, was waiting for the Lord to see

The Holy Spirit had revealed him about the seeing of the Lord, before His death 

According to the promise of the Holy Spirit, Simeon was able to see Jesus, hold Jesus in his arms and was able to have the devine encounter before His death 

After seeing the Christ of the Lord, he replies in the following words *"Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”*

*2) Requirement to see Jesus the Lord*

This we can learn from the Life of Peophet Simeon and prophetess, Anna,

#They were righteous and devout,

#Holy Spirit was upon them 

#They were earnestly waiting for the Lord

#Temple was their home for living 

#They were prayerful persons and spent most time in prayer and fasting 

So these are some of the requirements to see Jesus and to experience Him 

*3) Every Christian gets ample opportunities to see Christ*

To the every baptised child the Holy Spirit reveals that they will not see death until they see the Lord

So this is a great opportunity given to us by God, to see Jesus and to experience His divine power and experience

Seeing Jesus and experiencing Jesus is the hallmark of Christian life and Christian Spirituality

*4) Various ways of Seeing Jesus in our day to day Life*

#In the celebration of the Eucharist

#In the Eucharistic Adoration

#In our Prayer life 

#While reading the Word of God and meditating it 

#While serving the poorest of the Poor 

#While living our life according to the Gospel values 

#While receiving the sacrament of reconciliation

#While forgiving the faults of one another 

#While sacrificing ones life for the betterment of the Another 

*5) Have You seen Jesus in your Life?*

This is question, which needs lots of reflection to answer it 

In one word we can say that all of us have seen Jesus in the Gospel, Jesus in the Eucharistic celebration, Jesus in the adoration, Jesus in Holy things 

But the question is what has happened in my life, after seeing Jesus? 

*6) The effect of Seeing Jesus*

Seeing Jesus means not merely with the bodily eyes 

One should see Jesus with deep faith, from the heart and from ones deep rooted relationship with Christ

Such seeing only will create a transformative effect in our life 

Mother Theresa saw Jesus in the poor which changed her life 

Fr Stan Swamy saw Jesus in the poor, which changed His life

Zacchaeus saw Jesus from his heart and mind, which changed his Life 

You and me seeing Jesus every day in different people, in different situations and in different context.

What is the effect of it? 

Before my death, will I be able to see Jesus in real spirit??

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*