The Meeting of Our Lord

(Matthew 25:31-46)(February 15, 2004)

Today we celebrate the feast of the Meeting of the Lord; or, as it is also called, the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. The “meeting” refers to our Lord’s being acknowledged by the righteous elder Simeon as the One Who will fulfill the promise of God to deliver the human race, and all of creation, from death; and to the testimony of the righteous handmaiden of the Lord, Anna the prophetess.

Now, our Lord was circumscribed on the eighth day after His birth; and so He became a child of the covenant of Abraham, in obedience to the law of God, given through Moses. On the fortieth day, it was the time for the purification service; for, after giving birth, a woman was not to enter the temple until the 40th day. After her purification, the father and mother, with their child, could enter the temple to present the child as an offering to God. This also was in keeping with the law of Moses, which provides that every first-borne male, whether man or beast, belongs to the Lord. That is, every first-borne male was to be sacrificed to the Lord. (By the way, ladies, this does not mean that men are more important, or more valuable, than women. Rather, all the things that happen with first-born males, from the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham, to their being slain by the tenth plague in Egypt, points us to recognize God’s sacrifice of His Only-begotten Son for us.) Now, as human sacrifice is an abomination to the Lord, provision was made to allow for the redemption of a son. The price was a yearling lamb, as a burnt offering; but if the lamb was more than the family could afford, then a pair of turtle-doves; and if the turtle-doves were too expensive, then a pair of pigeons was to be offered.

The Theotokos needed no purification; and our Lord Jesus, our Redeemer, did not need to be redeemed; yet obedience to the law was offered freely, to “fulfill all righteousness.” This is an act of obedience to God that comes about from the love of God, and a desire to please God. It is not an obedience for fear of the wrath of God, to placate an angry and vengeful deity; but an offering of love, in thanksgiving for love.

Today is also the Sunday in the period just prior to Great Lent when we recall the Last Judgment, and the account of the judgment from the Gospel of St. Matthew. Now, I’m willing to guess that, if I asked you to draw the scene, or turn it into a movie scene, most likely it would take place in a courtroom: probably an English courtroom, with the high bench on which the judge is seated, presiding over all from on high; and a witness box, in which each of us would appear, alone, apart from everyone else, to give an account of ourselves. As we are confronted by our sins by the prosecuting attorney - maybe even Satan himself, who is called in Scriptures the accuser of the brethren - in shame, we acknowledge our guilt, and are filled with fear, as a stern God exacts justice.

But the fathers tell us that this is not how it will be on that great and terrible day. Indeed, our Lord Himself tells us, in the Gospel of St. John the Theologian, that He was not sent to condemn the world, but to save it; and that all those who believe in him are not condemned, but are saved, while those who do not believe have condemned themselves. But how can this be?

The fathers tell us that this is so because God is Love. It is the very presence of God that judges us; for, in the light of His glory, all that we have tried to hide in the darkness of our souls is revealed, and we are confronted with the reality of the evil we have done, and the good we failed to do. As we love God, we try to leave behind our sinful ways and desires, and to walk in His ways, doing what is good and pleasing to God. Those who have struggled against evil desires and habits and words and deeds, and have labored to be merciful and righteous, will find themselves being warmed and comforted by the love of God, and rejoice at being invited to enter into the kingdom God has prepared for them. At the same time, those who lived an evil life, in pride and cruelty, with hardened hearts, seeing those in need, and doing nothing, will find their hearts burning with shame and regret, unable to bear the presence of the love which they refused to allow to flow through them. They will be denied the delights of the kingdom, and will find themselves in darkness, with weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

Brothers and sisters: let us beware of the lack of love for God which puts our souls at risk of eternal damnation, separation from God. Insofar as this lack of love comes from a lack of trust, let us remember that God provides for all our needs, beginning with the gift of life itself. We have, after all, the answer to the “final exam” at the Last Judgment: as ye have done it unto these, the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto Me. And what is it that we are to do? To feed the hungry, to give those who are thirsty something to drink; to clothe the naked, to care for the stranger, to visit the sick and those who are in prison. These instructions are rich in meaning, both literal and figurative; and our part is to be attentive to the opportunities God provides for us to minister to the needs of those around us. Some of us may only be able to offer the equivalent of two pigeons; or two turtle-doves; while others can afford a yearling lamb. But let us make the offering, trusting that the love of God will make certain that we will not lack for anything we need; so that we are free from this world, and all we possess; free to love God by loving and caring for each other: so that we do not need to fear Judgment Day, but, trusting in the love of God, we have the hope of our salvation.