💖 HOMILY - FEBRUARY 2 💖

First Reading - Malachi 3:1-4 

Gospel - Luke 2:22-40

There are seasons in life when waiting feels long and faith feels quiet. We do the right things, show up faithfully, and yet wonder when God will finally act. Today’s readings speak gently into that space of patient hope and remind us that God often comes in ways that are easy to miss, but never without purpose.

The First Reading speaks of God coming to the temple, not to condemn, but to purify. The image of a refiner’s fire is not about destruction, but transformation. Fire removes what does not belong so that what is precious can shine. God’s coming is meant to restore right worship, to heal what has grown dull or compromised, and to make hearts ready again. This kind of purification takes time and trust.

The Gospel shows us what that waiting looks like in real human lives. Mary and Joseph bring the child Jesus to the temple, simply fulfilling the law, doing what faithful people do day after day. There is nothing dramatic about the moment, yet it becomes holy because of who they carry. In the same space are Simeon and Anna, two people who have waited most of their lives. They are not powerful or influential, but they are attentive. They recognize what others overlook.

Simeon takes the child in his arms and speaks of peace and fulfillment. His long waiting has not hardened him; it has refined him. Anna, advanced in years, becomes a quiet witness, speaking of the child to all who are longing for redemption. Their faith is not flashy. It is steady, patient, and open.

Dear friends, God often comes not with noise, but with presence. God’s purification happens not through spectacle, but through faithful endurance. Those who recognize God’s action are usually those who have learned to wait with trust rather than demand.

Many people feel stuck in seasons of waiting: waiting for clarity, healing, change, or direction. It is easy to become discouraged or distracted. Today’s word reassures us that waiting is not wasted when it is lived in faith. God is at work even when nothing seems to be happening.

Keep showing up. Keep praying. Keep trusting. Allow God to refine your heart, gently removing fear, impatience, and bitterness. Like Mary and Joseph, remain faithful in small things. Like Simeon and Anna, keep your eyes open for God’s quiet arrival.

When we wait with trust, our hearts become ready. When we allow God to purify rather than rush us, faith deepens. And when God finally reveals what has been promised, we discover that the long waiting has shaped us into people capable of receiving the gift with gratitude, peace, and joy.