This coming Sunday is the Feast of the Holy Family. The gospel is part of the infancy narratives of St. Luke and this week is the story of the “Presentation in the Temple.” From the Lukan prologue to our present verses, the focus and spotlight of the narrative has moved around highlighting many characters in the infancy stories of Jesus. Upon arrival at the Temple the movement is narrowed, but nonetheless attention needs to be paid to where the author is leading us.

In one aspect the spotlight is on Jesus. For example, even Mary’s purification becomes Jesus’ presentation (2:22–24), and the time devoted to providing character references for Simeon (2:25–27) and Anna (2:36–37) underscores the veracity of their claims about Jesus. Similarly, Simeon turns to address Mary directly (2:34–35), but his words to her concern Jesus. The child does nothing, but all words and deeds are oriented around him.

Then again, the spotlight shines on Jesus only in a qualified sense, for Jesus is repeatedly characterized in relation to God. He is presented to the Lord (2:22), and identified as “the Messiah of the Lord” (2:26) and God’s salvation (2:30). Moreover, the sight of the child is enough to cause both Simeon and Anna to praise God (2:28, 38). This narrative remains thoroughly centered on God and what God is doing through his Son, the Incarnate Word of God.

Image credit: Giotto di Bondone, Presentation of Christ in the Temple | Lower Church in the Basilica of San Francesco, Assisi | PD-US