Today's Gospel is basically describing a ritual which every Jewish parent had to observe on the birth of the first son. The child had to be offered to God in thanksgiving for the grace of a son. (First-born animals had also to be offered.) The Gospel, however, focuses more on two elderly people whom Mary and Joseph meet in the Temple. Simeon gives thanks to God for the grace of seeing the Messiah, the Saviour of Israel, before his death. At the same time, he makes two predictions: one, that the Child will become the Light of the nations and, two, that his Mother will suffer greatly because of the suffering Jesus will endure for our sake. This will be a source of deep pain for the Mother, something she will not realize fully until she sees him die in agony before her eyes. Simeon's words must have been very puzzling and even alarming to Mary and Joseph. Also present was Anna, a widow for 60 years, who also gave thanks for the grace of seeing the Child. Today is a day for us, individually and collectively, to renew the total offering of ourselves to Jesus and to His mission for the world. Today is a feast of light. Jesus is the Light of the world but He said that His followers are, too.