2 February 2026 (Monday) / The Presentation of the Lord ‐ Feast. Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

2 February 2026 (Monday)

The Presentation of the Lord ‐ Feast.
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Malachi 3: 1-4
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 24: 7, 8, 9, 10
Second Reading: Hebrews 2: 14-18
Alleluia: Luke 2: 32
Gospel: Luke 2: 22-40 or Luke 2: 22-32

First Reading : Malachi 3:1‐4

The Lord God says this: Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire and the fullers’ alkali. He will take his seat as refiner and purifier; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and then they will make the offering to the Lord as it should be made. The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will then be welcomed by the Lord as in former days, as in the years of old.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 23(24):7‐10

Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.
O gates, lift high your heads;
  grow higher, ancient doors.
  Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.
Who is the king of glory?
  The Lord, the mighty, the valiant,
  the Lord, the valiant in war.
Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.
O gates, lift high your heads;
  grow higher, ancient doors.
  Let him enter, the king of glory!
Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.
Who is he, the king of glory?
  He, the Lord of armies,
  he is the king of glory.
Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.

Second Reading : Hebrews 2:14‐18

Since all the children share the same blood and flesh, Christ too shared equally in it, so that by his death he could take away all the power of the devil, who had power over death, and set free all those who had been held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. For it was not the angels that he took to himself; he took to himself descent from Abraham. It was essential that he should in this way become completely like his brothers so that he could be a compassionate and trustworthy high priest of God’s religion, able to atone for human sins. That is, because he has himself been through temptation he is able to help others who are tempted.

Alleluia: Luke 2: 32
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
32 A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Luke 2:22‐40

When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first‐born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
  Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.’ As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’ There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty‐four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.

For our reflection today:

Today’s liturgy represents and brings up to date a “mystery” of the life of Christ: in the Temple, the religious heart of the Jewish nation, in which animals were continually sacrificed to be offered to God, he makes his first entrance, humble and modest, He who, according to the prophecy of Malachi, must “sit as a refiner and purifier” (Mal 3:3), in particular those people consecrated to the worship and service of God. The Psalmist, foreseeing this coming, exclaims full of enthusiasm, addressing the Temple itself: “Lift up your heads, O gates! / and be lifted up, ancient doors! / that the King of glory may come in. / Who is the King of glory? / The Lord, strong and mighty, / the Lord, mighty in battle! / The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!” (Ps 24:7-10). But the “king of glory” is now a tiny newborn, just forty days old, who is brought to the Temple to be offered to God, as prescribed by the law of Moses. Who is this newborn child in reality? The answer to this question, fundamental for the history of the world and of humanity, is given prophetically by the elderly Simeon who, holding the child in his arms, sees and senses God’s “salvation” in him, the “a light for revelation to the Gentiles”, the “glory” of the people of Israel, the “fall and rising of many in Israel”, the “sign that is spoken against”. All of this is that child who, despite being the “king of glory”, the “Lord of the Temple”, enters it for the first time, in silence, in concealment and in the fragility of human nature. (Saint John Paul II - Homily, 2 February 1981)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)