St. Stephen Parish SaintStephenSF.org | 451 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco CA 94132 | Church 415 681-2444 StStephenSchoolSF.org | 401 Eucalyptus Dr., San Francisco 94132 | School 415 664-8331 Weekday Mass: 8:00 a.m. Reconciliation: Saturday 3:30 p.m. or by appt. Vigil Mass Saturday 4:30 p.m., Sunday Mass 8:00, 9:30, 11:30 a.m. & 6:45 p.m. Our Mission Statement We are a Catholic Community that is called by God to follow Jesus Christ. We believe that we are called to worship God together, to lead God's people along the path of hope laid down by Jesus, to share his message through preaching, through the education and formation of our people, young and old, and through caring ser- vice and sensitive outreach to those in need Rev. Tony P. LaTorre, Pastor PRESENTATION OF THE LORD At first this celebration may seem rather strange and out of sequence. We have long since taken down the Christmas decorations and put away the crèches. Indeed, two Sundays of Ordinary Time have passed during which the adult Jesus has been baptized, begun his public ministry and called his first disciples. This is where knowledge of Jewish custom and history helps us understand this momentary shift out of Ordinary Time and back to a feast. The Gospel, says, When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Jo- seph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Mosaic Law set this time of purification as 40 days after the birth of a male child – and today is 40 days, inclusive, after Christmas. What occurred on this holy day took place for countless other Jewish mothers and their sons. The rite of puri- fication included a burnt offering to the Lord – for the wealthy the sacrifice of a one-year old lamb or goat; for the poor, two turtle doves or young pigeons, as Mary does here. As her firstborn son, Jesus is also consecrated to the Lord, and while this does not have to take place in a temple, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem for this purpose. The symbolism of this ought not to be lost on us. In bringing Jesus to the Temple, his parents are giving back the very gift that God has given them. This gesture of whole-hearted thanksgiving to God, therefore, becomes the pattern of salvation and the way of all Christian living. This newborn child, the Father’s gift to creation, will in turn offer his whole life back to God in another act of sacrificial self-giving at Calvary. The child who is presented in the Temple of Jerusalem will one day die in this same city, destroying this Temple and raising a new one. Simeon and Anna, just and pious people, were also present in the Temple. Their hearts were full of expectant hope in the fulfillment of the promises God had made to Israel about her redemption. Together, they represent all who ever longed for the coming of the Messiah and for the redemption of humanity. As Simeon says, this child is the revelation of God’s glory. Jesus fulfills the title given to him in an earlier part of Luke’s Gospel, where he is described as Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father (1:32). He is the very gift of God to us, long promised through the words of Malachi: the one who will fill the Temple with the very presence of God. But this is not just any divine revelation, for Jesus shares with us our human condition, with all its trials and temptations, making him a true light and hope for all humanity. While Christians are no longer dedicated ac- cording to the Law of Moses, we are presented at baptism by name, and, through the grace of that sacrament, conformed to the very identity and sacrifice of Christ. The life we have been given by God is therefore best lived by our own loving, thankful and obedient service to him. With God’s help, may we always do so. As we continue this week, may we always walk sharing the light of Christ with those we meet. Blessings to you all. Father Tony LaTorre LITURGY AND LIFE ♦ How do you see God revealed in the actions during the Mass? ♦ Through what things and beings is God revealed in your daily life? ♦ How did the Mass celebrate Christ as the King of glory, as the Responsorial Psalm proclaims? The Rooster Didn’t Crow ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS Bruce and Darlene Marie Wilkinson in Every Holy Mass in which we participate is our their book The Dream Giver for Parents presentation. Although we were officially presented to tell about a teenager who noticed that his God on the day of our Baptism, we present ourselves father worried himself nearly to death, try- and our dear ones on the altar before God our Father ing unsuccessfully to be everywhere and through our Savior Jesus Christ at every Holy Mass. do everything to protect his child from Hence, we need to live our daily lives with the aware- life’s difficulties. This young man wrote his father the ness both that we are dedicated people consecrated to following note: “I am sure you remember, Dad, how you God and that we are obliged to lead holy lives. used to tell me stories when I was young and was afraid We need the assistance of the Holy Spirit to recognize or insecure. Well, I have noticed that you are often wor- the presence of Jesus in ourselves and in others: All ried about what might become of me when you’re not those who, like Simeon and Anna, persevere in piety and there to help. Now I want to remind you of one of the in the service of God, no matter how insignificant their stories we read together when I was little. It’s the story lives seem in men's eyes, become instruments the Holy of the rooster who got up before dawn every day to sit Spirit uses to make Christ known to others. In His plan on the roof of the farmhouse and crow so that the sun of redemption, God makes use of these simple souls to would rise. Because that’s what he really believed: that it do much good for all mankind. In other words, The Holy was his responsibility to make the sun come up. He was Spirit employs ordinary men and women with simple always afraid that if he didn’t crow, everything would go faith as His instruments to bear witness to Christ, His wrong. He kept worrying: "What would happen if I fell ideals and teachings, just as He used Simeon and Anna. ill, or even died? How would the crops grow, and the The Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Lord to us children wake up in time for school, and the frost melt, when we are receptive and eager to receive Him. Let us and the flowers blossom if I weren’t there to make the be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit within us to sun rise? The world would become cold and dark; all the recognize the indwelling presence of the Lord with us grass and the trees would die and the people too eventu- and in others. ally . ." Then one evening, Rooster attended a party and overslept the next morning. The other animals realized A “New’ Born Bundle that he was not there to make the sun come up and were Every day, new parents bring their just about to panic when they saw a glimmer of light on precious bundle home from its the horizon . It was the sun rising without Rooster! birthing place, convinced that their Rooster was miserable when he found out that he had child is the most precious baby in nothing to do with the sun’s rising every morning. And the world, and they begin imaging embarrassed! But he was also extremely relieved. "What all the great things this child will a weight off my shoulders," he thought, "that I don’t accomplish. As they share their have to. I can’t make the sun come up! Yet, every morn- dreams for their child with family ing, there it is. There must be Someone Else taking care and friends, there is always some- of all this." one ready to throw cold water on their expectations. One Dad, you light up my life, but it really isn’t your respon- couple recounting this experience when they had their sibility to “make the sun rise for me.” I know that you first child spoke of how indignant they became when know Someone Else is taking care of me. That was a anyone would suggest that, first of all, the child would lesson that Mary and Joseph had to learn. And it’s a les- someday make an independent decision about life choic- son I hope you and I have learned as well. God will take es and in addition to that, there undoubtedly would be care of those we love, and God will take care of us. limitations to what the child might accomplish. Then one Mary and Joseph went on day a visiting friend raved about how wonderful the baby with their lives following was and how lucky they were to have this precious bun- Christmas, and so shall dle.