Preparing for spiritual battle

Have nothing to do with godless and silly myths. Train yourself in godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance.
 – 1 Timothy 4:7-9

For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
– Ephesians 6:12

St. Catherine of Bologna

St. Catherine of Bologna lived in the 15th century. She was a nun and was assigned to prepare the novitiates (new nuns in training). As part of her task she wrote a short book titled "Seven Spiritual Weapons". In it she shares what she has learned about the spiritual battle and how she went about her personal "training in godliness." (Here are some excerpts.)

Besides this, it is fitting that the faithful servant of Christ dispose herself to wish to walk the way of the cross, for it befits all those who serve God to engage in battle against the adversaries of God and from them to receive various painful wounds. And above all, it is necessary to have good and even the best arms, especially those which follow below, to fight against those adversaries vigorously....

• The first weapon I call zeal, that is solicitude in doing good, since the Holy Scripture condemns those who are negligent and lukewarm in the way of God (Apoc 3.15-16)....
  ["I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth."]
• The second weapon is mistrust of self, that is, to believe firmly and without doubt that one could never do anything good by oneself, as Christ Jesus said: “Without me you can do nothing” (Jo 15.5)....
  ["I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."]
• The third weapon is to put one’s trust in God and for love of him to fiercely wage battle with great readiness of spirit against the devil and against the world and one’s own flesh which is given one in order that it might serve the spirit....
• The fourth is the memory of the glorious pilgrimage of that immaculate lamb, Christ Jesus, and especially his most holy death and passion, keeping always before the eyes of our minds the presence of his most chaste and virginal humanity. This is the best means for winning each battle, and without it, we will not achieve victory over our enemies. Every other weapon will achieve little without this one which surpasses all the rest....
• The fifth weapon is to remind oneself that we must die. This time is called the time of mercy in which God looks down day after day so that we can amend our lives from good to better. If we do not do this, we will have to render account, not only of the evils we have done, but also of the goods left undone by our negligence. And so Paul the glorious apostle spoke well: “Let us do good while we have time” (Gal 6.10)....
  ["So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."]
• The sixth weapon is the memory of the goods of paradise which are prepared for those who lawfully struggle by abandoning all the vain pleasures of the present life in accord with the saying of the most holy doctor Saint Augustine that it is impossible to enjoy present goods and future ones too....
• The seventh weapon with which we can conquer our enemies is the memory of Holy Scripture which we must carry in our hearts and from which, as from a most devoted mother, we must take counsel in the things we have to do. Thus we read of the most prudent and consecrated virgin St. Cecilia where it says: “She always bore the gospel of Christ hidden in her heart.” And with this weapon, our savior Christ Jesus conquered and confounded the devil in the desert saying: “It is written” (Lk 4.1-13)....
  [And Jesus answered him, "It is said [in the Scriptures], `You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"]

Three spiritual exercises

I want to share three spiritual exercises which have come to me through prayer and contemplation, which have helped me to grow stronger in my faith. I share them in the hope that they will be of use to some of you, my dear readers, in your spiritual battles in the coming year.

1. Confronting childhood demons

I realized that some of the demons that afflicted me had become attached to me as a child and adolescent. And as an adult I had never confronted them.

Now that I examined them as an adult I realized that the demons themselves were childlike creatures. I imagined that they had grown and matured along with me, but they hadn't. They were very immature creatures that just wanted to play. Perhaps they did not realize the harm that they were doing.

As an adult, I had to confront them. And I told them when they appeared that I did not want to play with them. I did not want to make them angry, but I wanted to make sure to let them know that they were not welcome, so I said "Go away. I don't want to play with you anymore." And when I felt I had built up enough courage, I finally said "Go away. I don't want to be your friend anymore."

This worked to some degree – especially initially. But at times I did not have the strength to resist their constant presence. And then there is always the danger that by expelling one demon, you leave your soul open to the presence of another.

"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, `I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first."
– Luke 11:24-26

2. Offering up a sacrifice

This is an exercise I learned from reading the diary of St. Therese, the little flower. While she – a true Saint – offered up her whole life as a sacrifice, I merely offer up a small piece of myself.

I am but a weak and helpless child, yet it is my very weakness which makes me dare to offer myself, O Jesus, as victim to Thy Love.

In olden days pure and spotless holocausts alone were acceptable to the Omnipotent God. Nor could His Justice be appeased, save by the most perfect sacrifices. But the law of fear has given place to the law of love, and Love has chosen me, a weak and imperfect creature, as its victim. Is not such a choice worthy of God's Love?
– From "The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of Saint Therese of Lisieux"

This spiritual exercise is useful for when we leave the door open to an evil spirit that enters through our own negative emotions – for example anger. Now when I feel angry, I offer up the anger as a sacrifice. I think of it as a holocaust in which the anger is burned on a fire. And the smoke from the fire goes up into Heaven and pleases God.

This is very simple and very effective. It does require a willingness to give up the anger and not hold on to it. It's especially effective in situations like driving where many small annoying events can happen that can gradually build up. By offering each one up as a sacrifice as it happens the effect is dissipated. And you are able to channel your energy into the positive things that will make for a better life for you and those who you love.

In this way you channel your emotional energy away from thoughts of hatred and revenge, which in addition to being evil thoughts are actions which you know will never happen. This just causes added frustration because the desired revenge can never be achieved. On a spiritual level, this exercise keeps the soul pure and clean from the sin which would otherwise horribly stain it.

3. Inviting Christ in to expel the demons

The third exercise is one which I described in a recent article. It consists of asking Christ to enter into the temple of your body to expel the demons that are there.

This is by far the most powerful and effective of the three exercises, but it requires the most faith. For Catholics, we are greatly assisted in this by receiving Holy Communion. I described previously how the act of receiving Communion is a physical manifestation of a spiritual reality. As we accept the Host, Christ enters into the temple of our bodies.

And as Christ expelled the money-changers from the temple, he can also expel the demons from the temples of our bodies.

[NOTE: Reflecting on the three spiritual exercises that I just described, I realize that there is a progression from attempting to cure myself on my own, to trusting Jesus to be my Saviour. In the first exercise I tried to confront my demons on my own. In the second I attempted to recognize my demons on my own and then ask for God's assistance in expelling them. Finally, in the third I trusted completely in Jesus and allowed Him to enter into the temple of my body and become my Lord and my Master.

The path of my spiritual journey took me from a simple realization of being in a spiritual battle with my personal demons to a much more profound realization of the necessity of asking for Divine Assistance in combatting those demons.

One very important thing you have to understand is that those demons are not an integral part of you. Yes, they have attached themselves to you through your permission and invitation. Yes, you were deceived, but nevertheless you assented to their presence within your temple. Having invited them in, you do not have the power to expel them on your own. But with the help of God and through his Divine Mercy, all of us are able to overcome those demons – no matter how deeply entrenched in our souls they may seem to be.]

When our demons prevail

Just don't give up. Most of us are not saints. We can expect to spend some time in Purgatory rather than going straight to Heaven; but we can keep trying to become more saintly.

We can go to confession to ask and receive forgiveness for our sins; and we can go to Mass to strengthen ourselves through Holy Communion.

Also, pray for the intercession of the communion of saints; where we are weak, others in the Church are strong.

A final warning from St. Catherine of Bologna

In her closing remarks St. Catherine warns her novitiates to always be en garde against the deceptions of the enemy.

And here I put an end to the aforesaid weapons. But in this regard I beg you, dear sisters, that you learn to use them wisely and never be found without them so that you can better obtain the triumph of victory against your adversaries. And be on guard that you are not deceived by the mere appearance of good, for the devil sometimes appears in the appearance of Christ or of the virgin Mary or in the shape of an angel of a saint. Therefore, in every apparition that occurs, take up the weapon of Scripture which shows how the mother of Christ comported herself when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. She said to him: “What is this greeting?” (Lk 1.29). Follow her example in every appearance and feeling, and you will want to test much better whether it is a good or a wicked spirit before you listen to him. Blessed is whoever does this. Also, it is not less necessary to keep a close guard on thoughts of the mind, since the devil sometimes puts good and holy thoughts in the mind to deceive it under the appearance of virtue, and after that, in order to show what it is, tries and assaults one strongly with the vice which is contrary to this virtue. This the enemy does in order to be able to entice the person into the ditch of desperation.

[NOTE: I began writing this post in order to share the three spiritual exercises that I had found personally useful. Then I read about the talk that Pope Benedict XVI gave on St. Catherine of Bologna during his last audience of 2010 on December 29. (I believe that this was part of a series of talks on women religious.) And I was inspired to incorporate the teachings of St. Catherine into this article.]

Reference

• The full text of "The Seven Spiritual Weapons" by St. Catherine is here. (However, I don't recommend the rather long and torturous introduction that is provided.)

Related articles

• Marriage and the Mass
• Signs
• Choice. At what price?
• Spiritual medicine from a "little flower"
• Divine Mercy Devotion

As the old year of 2010 comes to a close, I wish everyone a Happy and Blessed New Year in 2011!

Peace be with you.
Michael

TRON: another gnostic fairy tale

I just saw TRON. This is another gnostic fairy tale from Hollywood. A combination between Star Wars and the Matrix. That's all you really need to know.

The story involves the typical gnostic yin-yang universe, where good and bad battle each other and eventually cancel out. Nothing new or original here.

Too bad because the computer operating system world of Tron has potential for an interesting story. And the graphics are innovative.

It's interesting to compare Tron to Avatar – James Cameron's version of a gnostic fairy tale. Both are imaginary worlds brought to life on screen. While Avatar is organic, Tron's world is synthetic; Avatar is realistic, Tron is abstract.

Tron also incorporates elements of the movie Metropolis – a gnostic classic. You'll just have to take my word on that because I don't feel like going to the trouble of making the detailed comparisons, but trust me they are there.

It seems that Hollywood, and in this case Disney, never gets tired of the old gnostic theme. It's their answer to the spiritual void left by the anti-Christian culture that we live in.

Instead of peace be with you, it's...
The force be with you. And with you also.

There is even a laser sword in one scene. And then there is the father-son, creator-savior theme.

The whole Campbell hero myth formula is strictly adhered to.

Quorra - Princess Leia - Trinity
Sam Flynn - Luke Skywalker - Neo

Yeah, we've seen this film before. I don't encourage people to delve too deep into gnosticism. It is a truly poisonous belief system. I have only looked into it deeply enough to recognize it when I see it.

"Old heresies never die."

If only Hollywood would apply it's highly impressive technology to making truly Christian movies instead of anti-Christian movies. Imagine how the apparitions of the Virgin Mary could come to life on the screen. But perhaps it is for the better that they don't. I would not want these miraculous visions to be subjected to the full Hollywood commercialization treatment.

P.S. I think the word TRON has something to do with the Tetragrammaton. That is the four letters that spell out the name of God in Hebrew – YHWH. This is just a hunch, but a strong one. Note that the 'W' is a placeholder for 'O' or 'U'. It's not too hard to imagine a 'T' transforming into a 'Y'; 'R' to 'H'; 'N' to 'H'.

Divine Mercy and the Papacy

Divine Mercy and Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II canonized Saint Maria Faustina Kowalaska on April 30, 2000. At that time he also recognized Divine Mercy Sunday as revealed to Saint Faustina.

It is important then that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on throughout the Church, will be called "Divine Mercy Sunday".

[...]

From that Heart, Sr. Faustina Kowalska, the blessed whom from now on we will call a saint, will see two rays of light shining from that Heart and illuminating the world: ‘The two rays,' Jesus Himself explained to her one day, ‘represent blood and water' (Diary, 299).

Blood and water! We immediately think of the testimony given by the Evangelist John, who, when a soldier on Calvary pierced Christ's side with his spear, sees blood and water flowing from it (see Jn 19:34). Moreover, if the blood recalls the sacrifice of the cross and the gift of the Eucharist, the water, in Johannine symbolism, represents not only Baptism but also the gift of the Holy Spirit (see Jn 3:5; 4:14; 7:37-39).

Divine Mercy and Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI makes reference to Saint Faustina and the Divine Mercy in two separate statements in his new book, "Light of the World".

SEEWALD: About eighty years ago, Faustina Kowalska, the Polish nun canonized by John Paul II, heard Jesus say in a vision, "You will prepare the world for my definitive return." Are we obliged to believe that?

THE POPE: If one took this statement in a chronological sense, as an injunction to get ready, as it were, immediately for the Second Coming, it would be false. But it is correct if one understands it in the spiritual sense that was just explained, as meaning that the Lord is always the One who comes and that we are always preparing ourselves for His definitive coming, precisely when we go out to meet His mercy and allow ourselves to be formed by Him. By letting ourselves be formed by God's gift of mercy as a force to counteract the mercilessness of the world, then we prepare, as it were, for His own coming in person and for His mercy.

 -----

THE POPE: If you look at the history of the Church, women — from Mary to Monica and all the way down to Mother Teresa — have so eminent a significance that in many respects they shape the image of the Church more than men do. Just think of major feast days such as Corpus Christ or Mercy Sunday, which originated with women. In Rome, for example, there is even a church where not a single man can be seen in any of the altarpieces.

The popes can declare and announce and pronounce, but it is up to the Church as a whole to accept and to celebrate and commemorate. It is the role of the bishops and the priests and the laity to fulfill these declarations and to make them become a real physical and spiritual force in the world.

For more information on Saint Faustina and Divine Mercy please visit the site of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception devoted to spreading the news of this wonderful revelation:
http://thedivinemercy.org/index.php

Signs

[Please read the previous post, Marriage and the Mass, before reading this one.]

The arms of the Church as represented in St. Peter's Square

The signs of bread and wine

At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration are the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Christ's Body and Blood. Faithful to the Lord's command the Church continues to do, in his memory and until his glorious return, what he did on the eve of his Passion: "He took bread...." "He took the cup filled with wine...." the signs of bread and wine become, in a way surpassing understanding, the Body and Blood of Christ; they continue also to signify the goodness of creation.
 – Catechism of the Catholic Church (par. 1333)

If you read my previous post, it should have left you with a question.

"What is a sign?"

The Bible is full of signs, so this should not be a new question. But then many times we don't think too deeply about what we are reading. Or at least we don't question it.

But the Bible is meant to be questioned. Not in the sense of a disbeliever; not even in the sense of doubting.

But in the sense of the believer searching for the truth.

The New Testament begins with a series of signs.

And from there it reveals their meanings.

"But, what is a sign?"

And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
 – Luke 2:10-12

The angel gave the shepherds a sign: "a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."

Yes, we all know what a sign is in our everyday world. It is a symbol. It points us towards something. It reveals a greater meaning.

The ruins of the Roman Colosseum

A sign is a bridge between one world and another. In common usage, it connects the world of words and images with the world of thoughts and ideas; it is a bridge between the physical reality that we experience through our senses and the interior reality of the mind.

The signs in scripture are meant to communicate not to our minds, but to our hearts and souls. They connect the physical world to the spiritual world.

The Biblical signs are outward physical manifestations of an inward spiritual reality.

And so the angel gave the shepherds a sign. It is a sign that reflects a spiritual reality.

The Book of John reveals that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us". This is the meaning of the angel's sign given to the shepherds.

But John does more than just explain the meaning of this sign to us; he also uncovers and reveals the spiritual reality hidden behind the sign. This is an example of a revelation. A message from God.

The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
 – John 1:9-13

The Eucharist is a sign.

It is an outward physical manifestation of an inward spiritual reality.

Marriage is a sign.

It is an outward physical manifestation of an inward spiritual reality.

The New Testament begins with a multitude of signs.

An angel appears to Zechari'ah; a child is born to the aging and barren Elizabeth; an angel appears to the Virgin Mary; a child is born in a manger; an angel warns Joseph in a dream; John baptizes in the Jordan river.

And suddenly the meaning of all these signs becomes clear when Jesus is baptized by John and the Holy Spirit appears and the voice of the Father is heard by all.

"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

Another sign from Heaven. But this one is unmistakeable.

And then more signs as Jesus performs miracles – the water becomes wine, the blind see, the crippled walk, lepers are healed.

Miracles are outward physical manifestations of an inward spiritual reality.

And still the Pharisees asked Jesus to provide them with a sign.

"Rabbi, give us a sign."

And Jesus replied, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."

And this in itself is a sign.

When the Devil tempted Jesus in the desert, He replied: "You shall not tempt [test] the Lord your God."

And yet we all keep asking for a sign – another sign from God.

The Church is a sign.

It is an outward physical manifestation of an inward spiritual reality.

Over the past two thousand years, the Church has persevered. It has weathered the storms. And it has emerged alive and vibrant, with renewed vigor; ready to fight the new and powerful demons and dragons that challenge its authority and its existence.

I'm sure that there is no one that understands better the importance of signs to the life of the Church than our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. When he celebrates the Mass every word, every action becomes an outward sign and expression of a hidden spiritual reality, which is the real presence of Jesus Christ.

He is at the helm of the ship which is the Catholic Church. He has guided us through these dark and turbulent times by the light of the Holy Spirit. God bless the Pope!

The Pope is also a sign. He is the Pontifex Maximus. A Latin term that literally means "the greatest bridge-maker". He is the Vicar of Christ. Like the father is to the family, the Holy Father is to the Church. He is the greatest authority and as such has responsibility for the well-being of the Church. His authority flows from God. And so he is for the Catholic Church a sign; a bridge between the Kingdoms of Heaven and Earth.

Marriage and the Mass

"Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure" -- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are true words of God."
 – Revelation 19:7-9

The Last Communion of St. Jerome by Botticelli

There has been a lot of focus on the institution of marriage lately. What is marriage? From a legal perspective it is one thing, but from a Catholic perspective it is something else completely.

Marriage is a sign.

Anyone who has been to a Catholic wedding knows that it is quite different from a Protestant wedding. A Catholic wedding is a Mass.

Every wedding is a Mass.

The Mass is centered around the act of Holy Communion with God. Receiving the Blessed Eucharist is a sign.

That's not to say the act of Communion is symbolic for Catholics. No, it is a real physical acceptance of the body and the blood of Christ.

Usually we talk about the physical world and the spiritual world as if they were completely separate and unrelated. But these two Kingdoms are actually closely joined.

The two Kingdoms come together in the act of Communion, when the physical reality perfectly reflects the spiritual reality.

As we open our mouths to accept the Eucharist, we also open the temple doors of our bodies to accept Christ in our soul.

This sign is given to us by Jesus.

It is a sign of the joining together of our body and soul with that of Jesus.

Is this not a union? Is this not a marriage?

Then every Mass is a wedding. It is a wedding between you and Christ. At the same time it is a wedding between you and the Church, which is the body of Christ.

Every wedding is a Mass; every Mass is a wedding.

We promise to be faithful and loyal to our spouse, Jesus Christ. We promise to respect Him and follow His commands. And we promise to love Him and cherish Him for the rest of our lives. And we look forward to the day when we will be joined with Him in the holiest of unions in Heaven.

This is not a decision to enter into lightly. When you accept Communion, you are saying "I do".

When you recite the Creed, you are saying "I do". I do believe in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; I do accept.

And every week, we renew our vows. I do. I do. I do.... For the rest of our lives. Amen.

Happy Holy Days!

Los Tres Reyes Magos - Puerto Rico

The Christmas season

A quick reminder that the Christmas season for Catholics is just beginning. We are still awaiting the arrival of the Three Wise Men on the Feast of the Epiphany – celebrated this year on Sunday, January 2, 2011. Actually, the real date of the Epiphany is January 6, but in the US the date is always celebrated on a Sunday. And the Christmas season doesn't officially end until January 9. (I'm not sure if that is inclusive.) And then there is the whole thing about the 12 days of Christmas, but then it gets a bit confusing. The way it is celebrated in the current Catholic liturgical calendar, there are a full two weeks of Christmas season.

Traditionally, in Spain and other Spanish speaking countries like Puerto Rico, the Christmas presents don't arrive until January 6 with the Three Wise Men. I'm not sure how many countries still celebrate this tradition. It's called El Día de los Reyes, and although it may sound similar to Christmas, the gift giving is usually limited to one per child. So it does not lend itself to being commercialized in the same way as the Santa Claus tradition. And there is a definite Biblical basis for the tradition of the Three Wise Men giving gifts to the children.

You would think that the Protestants that believe so strongly in sola scriptura would have picked up on this tradition instead of the very un-biblical Santa and his reindeer. Sorry for the grumbling, I just watched one of those Santa "Clause" movies on TV on Christmas Eve and I couldn't imagine anything more out of harmony with the true spirit of Christmas. This was a classic case in point of how the secular humanists have redefined Christmas, and stripped Jesus totally out of the picture. They use those movies to promote all the usual anti-family humanist values. And then they throw in lots of "magical" moments to fill in the spiritual void that this creates.

If people really feel such a deep desire for spiritual fulfillment, then why do they so quickly dismiss the most profound and mysterious spiritual truth in the world which is embodied in Christianity?

A Christmas poem: "For unto us is born"

And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
 – Luke 2:10-12

Below are the lyrics to a song I'm working on. The words come almost directly from the Gospel of Luke. I know it doesn't rhyme and even the rhythmic scheme is inconsistent. Still, I think it has a poetic quality.

I became inspired to write it when I was listening to the Gospel reading for the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass which was Luke 2:1-14. I happened to be watching the celebration at the National Basilica in Washington on TV while I had my guitar in my hands and was doodling out a melody.

I paused the video recording of the Mass and began to work out the melody and the lyrics, using my Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition) Bible as a reference. I searched for words in Luke and would sort of pray and meditate and try them out against a melody I had in mind. Gradually the song emerged. Then I made a rough music recording on my computer and edited a few lines here and there. And here are the resulting lyrics.

I hope you enjoy. And even though I am holding on exclusively to the copyright, I have to give full credit to my co-author, the Holy Spirit. Until I can work out the music and record it, here is a recitation of the lyrics.

For unto us is born
© 2010 PublicVigil

For unto us this day is born
A mighty King to reign among men
In Bethlehem, the city of David
Who is Christ, our Savior
The Lord of Lords

Wrapped in swaddling clothes, inside a manger
Because there was no room, for them in the inn
Oh what great joy, will come to the people
Glory to God in Heaven
On Earth peace among men

And all who heard, of the angel’s appearance
Wondered at the meaning, of what the shepherds saw
But Mary kept these things within her heart
Pondering the message
And the child, her son

On the day that they took him to the Temple
To present the baby to the Lord
Simeon, a devout and righteous man
Blessed their family
And said to Mary

“Behold this child will cause the fall and the rising
Of many souls in Israel
And a sword will pierce through your soul also
And the thoughts of many
Hearts will be revealed”

Joseph and Mary, having completed the sacrifice
Of two young doves, returned to Galilee
To the town of Nazareth, and the child grew in favor
And He became strong
And was filled with the wisdom of God

For unto us this day is born
A mighty King to reign among men
In Bethlehem, the city of David
And His name is Jesus
The Son of the Most High