The key word in today’s event is Presentation. Jesus was presented to God in the temple in observance of the law that requires every male that opens the womb to be presented to God. God is always present to us. When we present ourselves before Him, we are accepting His Presence. Permit me to share with you a number of things that happen each time we present ourselves before God based on the prayers of the Psalmist in the Sacred Scripture.
Presence of the Holy Spirit
– Psalm 16:11— “You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
There is less confusion about our destiny, daily goals and means of accomplishing tasks due to the presence of the Holy Spirit. When we experience fewer obstacles in our journey, we tend to be joyfully rejoicing at the success of our work and that is the source of pleasure.
Presence in Activity
– Psalm 27:4— “One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.”
I can still remember the very first time I read (later began to pray it) this Psalm. I was very hesitant because I did not feel like I wanted to be in Church all my life. I thought to myself that I was going to miss a lot of exciting things—sports, concerts, carnivals, family and friends, school, and indeed life in general. So, Psalm 27:4 did not strike me as a prayer I wanted to pray. But as time went on, I realized the psalmist was asking to be present to God in every activity. Yes, we could be anywhere in the world and still be present to God. The Church puts it this way: “seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God” (Lumen Gentium 31).
Presence in Trials
Psalm 97:5— “The Mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.”
Every problem bows in the presence of God. Bring your crisis, trouble, rejection, tears, poverty, hunger, shame, disgrace, accusations, illnesses, distress, pains, anxiety, losses, et cetera before His Presence. In His presence these mountains melt. Notice the psalmist did not say that it disappears. Melting of wax allegory denotes a gradual process that requires patient tarrying.
Presence as a Priority
– Psalm 51:11— “Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.”
One of the lessons we can learn from King David is despite his status as a powerful King he prioritized the presence of God. He prostrated, worshipped, danced, and humbled himself before God’s presence. He knew God’s presence was the secret of his victories. Hence, he earnestly begged God not to withdraw His presence from him when he sinned. Let us not forget to always beg for this each time we are in the presence of God that we might not take it for granted.
