Dear Sisters, Dear Brothers,
Rejoice! God’s Light has visited us. A great light illumined the shepherds in the night of Christmas. A luminous star filled the hearts of the Magi with joy. Jesus was revealed in full light in his Transfiguration. Easter is the definitive victory of light. “God is light, and in him there is no darkness”. The Word of God was the true light of God coming into the world.
Rejoice! The Child in the hands of Mary and Joseph, who are one in the same gesture of offering, is sheer Light. The face of Simeon is made luminous by the vision of Jesus’ Face. His heart rejoices. His lips praise God. His great age and his long expectation are met with the unique light of salvation. Anna, too, rejoices and praises the Lord. The true heart of Jerusalem is touched by this wave of light and the “poor of the Lord” exult with joy.
Rejoice! The little Child given by His Father, offered by Mary and Joseph, received and presented by Simeon, is victorious over sin and death. His gift of self is our liberation. He chose for Himself the condition of a slave. He humbled Himself becoming obedient unto death. He thus opened for us the wellspring of God’s mercy. He is our peace, the “Prince of Peace” whom we love.
Rejoice! The long-expected One is the Lord’s servant who has come to take on his shoulders the sins of the world. He is the priest of the new and eternal sacrifice. He is the victim offered once for all. He is the price of our Redemption. He is the guarantee of our hope for salvation. He is the Saviour of all, born for us in Bethlehem and manifested in Jerusalem in the light of His offering.
Rejoice! See the light of the candles. See the light in your eyes. See the light radiating from your hearts. You are light, dear Brethren. You are children of Light. You are the light of the world. Your baptism shines out today. The candles manifest who you are. They show the Light dwelling in your souls, your minds and your bodies. You are light: say No to darkness; radiate truth onto the world; announce the victory of Light; show the Face of Christ to your neighbours; see the light of Christ’s Face in the gaze of the poor and the little, the sick and all who suffer.
Rejoice! Awaken in your heart the joy of salvation. Realise what it means that God took us, His beloved and broken creatures, in His arms and blessed us with an everlasting blessing. See God’s inexpressible bounty and let His divine generosity become the rule of your actions. Let Christ’s love-to-the-end be the law of your heart: “love one another as I loved you”. Offer yourself as Jesus offered Himself. Let Jesus offer you by the hands of the priest and present you to His Father as a sacrifice of reconciliation and thanksgiving.
You, too, rejoice, little Child, received in the hands of the old man. From the hands of your parents, you move to the hands of Simeon; from Simeon’s hands into your Father’s hands; from the hands of God to our altars; from the hands of the priests into our hearts; from our hands to the least of those who are your brethren. Jesus given. Jesus received. Jesus giving. Jesus receiving. And all of us, in turn, receiving and giving light, received by Love and given to Love.
You, too, rejoice, Virgin Mother, whose heart was made to give to the world the very Gift from the Father. Cause of our Joy, give us Jesus that we, too, may give Him to the world! Mother of God, pray for us! May your joy be ours. May your light fill us with joyful hope.
You, too, rejoice, Holy Church of Christ. Be in Christ light for the nations, sacrament of unity, beacon of truth, hope and joy for all!