The fourth joyful mystery: the presentation of Jesus

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

“Lord, now you are letting your servantdepart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

And his father and his mother marvelled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:25-38)

In Simeon and Anna, we have models of persistent and patient hope to accompany us in this Jubilee Year.

Like many people in our world today, they lived in challenging times. The land was under military occupation, with many people enduring hardship and oppression. Yet, these two elderly people held on tightly to God’s promises, faithfully waiting for the coming of the light.

Father Nacho, a parish priest in western Guatemala, also knows what it means to hold onto hope in difficult circumstances. A CAFOD partner for more than thirty years, he works to support sustainable farming among rural indigenous communities, in an area where the climate crisis has caused droughts and food shortages. Reflecting on hope, Father Nacho told us:

“Christian hope is, fundamentally, that profound experience of feeling accompanied by God who walks with us and that, little by little, we are building the kingdom of God.”

As we pray this decade, let’s join Anna, Simeon and Fr Nacho and seek to place our trust in God’s promises and presence with us. And let’s continue to work, little by little, to build God’s kingdom and shine the light of hope in our wounded world.

Pray the Our Father.

Pray a Hail Mary on each of the ten beads of the decade.

Pray the Glory Be.

You may also want to add the Fatima invocation