February 2nd has many interconnected commemorations associated with it. It is the last feast dated from Christmas in the liturgical calendar. 40 days after the birth of the Child, Joseph and Mary brought the infant Jesus to the Temple as required by Mosaic Law to be consecrated to the Lord. The account in Saint Luke’s Gospel highlights the prophetic encounter of Simeon and Anna with the Infant Jesus. For this reason, ancient texts refer to this day as the feast of the “holy encounter.” After Simeon and Anna meet the child Jesus, they proclaim His mission in salvation history.
During the Last Supper, our Lord prayed for the unity of his followers: “so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me” (John 17:21). The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18th through 25th) was started with the intention of joining Christians together in echoing Christ’s prayer that his followers might be one. Over the course of the centuries, major divisions have developed among the Christian faithful, dividing Roman Catholics from the Orthodox Churches, and later, Protestants from Catholics.
Today, we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, the closing of the Christmas Season. We began the liturgical year when we celebrated the Advent Season in early December. Advent is our preparation for the Second Coming of Christ as we anticipate the celebration of His first coming among us as a baby. Then, the Christmas Season’s celebration of the Incarnation and Nativity of Christ renews our faith that God “took on flesh and dwelt among us.”
Each year, we as Catholics celebrate Christmas not just on December 25 but for days and weeks afterward, until the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord. This year, we are blessed to have three and a half weeks to celebrate Christmas.
In last week’s Gospel we learned of Jesus’ birth in a stable after a long and arduous journey. Joseph had accepted his role as Jesus’ foster father and Mary had accepted that she was carrying the son of God. Neither had planned for the changes in their lives, but they accepted them because of their faith in God.
On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Gospel takes us to a tender and joy-filled moment: Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45). This encounter between two women of faith—one carrying the Savior and the other His forerunner—brims with the Holy Spirit's presence and points us toward the heart of the Advent season.
