The Lord whom we seek has indeed come into His Temple. His presence, however, differs from the powerful and rather frightening encounter foretold by the prophet Malachi. Instead of wrath and punishment, the encounter is one of compassion. The ecstatic praise of God offered by Simeon and Anna tells the story of God's faithfulness and humanity's approaching salvation. Jesus enters the Temple as a tiny, helpless baby, and all of this for a good reason. The Letter to the Hebrews assures us that Jesus takes part in our humanity in its weakness and vulnerability in order to be able to empathise with our struggle and pain, thereby acting as our compassionate high priest. In Jesus there is no condemnation, only compassionate understanding and encouragement. The message is clear: God is not angry with us; God is with us!

How do we look upon our own pain, struggle, and human weakness? The temptation to self-pity or bitterness is always a danger. There is, however, another way: we can use our own humanity as a means to exercise understanding and compassion towards others. We don't know why life deals out the challenges that it does. We do know, however, that no experience is ever wasted if it is met with love, patience, and the desire to serve God's greater glory and God's people.