DAILY READING

Tuesday, February 02, 2021

Reading (Malachi 3:1-4)

[1] “Look! I am sending my messenger to clear the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple. Yes, the messenger of the covenant, in whom you take such delight — look! Here he comes,” says Adonai-Tzva’ot.

[2] But who can endure the day when he comes? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like the soapmaker’s lye.

[3] He will sit, testing and purifying the silver; he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold and silver, so that they can bring offerings to Adonai uprightly.

[4] Then the offering of Y’hudah and Yerushalayim will be pleasing to Adonai, as it was in the days of old, as in years gone by.

Gospel (Luke 2:22-40)

[22]When the time came for their purification according to the Torah of Moshe, they took him up to Yerushalayim to present him to Adonai [23] (as it is written in the Torah of Adonai, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to Adonai” [24] and also to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the Torah of Adonai.

[25] There was in Yerushalayim a man named Shim‘on. This man was a tzaddik, he was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra’el, and the Ruach HaKodesh was upon him. [26] It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah of Adonai.

[27] Prompted by the Spirit, he went into the Temple courts; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua to do for him what the Torah required, [28] Shim‘on took him in his arms, made a b’rakhah to God, and said, [29] “Now, Adonai, according to your word, your servant is at peace as you let him go; [30] for I have seen with my own eyes your yeshu‘ah, [31] which you prepared in the presence of all peoples — [32] a light that will bring revelation to the Goyim
and glory to your people Isra’el.”

[33] Yeshua’s father and mother were marvelling at the things Shim‘on was saying about him. [34] Shim‘on blessed them and said to the child’s mother, Miryam, “This child will cause many in Isra’el to fall and to rise, he will become a sign whom people will speak against; [35] moreover, a sword will pierce your own heart too.

All this will happen in order to reveal many people’s inmost thoughts.” [36] There was also a prophet named Hannah Bat-P’nu’el, of the tribe of Asher. She was a very old woman — she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage [37] and had remained a widow ever since; now she was eighty-four.

She never left the Temple grounds but worshipped there night and day, fasting and praying. [38] She came by at that moment and began thanking God and speaking about the child to everyone who was waiting for Yerushalayim to be liberated.

[39]When Yosef and Miryam had finished doing everything required by the Torah of Adonai, they returned to the Galil, to their town Natzeret. [40] The child grew and became strong and filled with wisdom — God’s favor was upon him.