Presentation of the Lord

Luke 2: 29 – 32

“God, you can now release your servant; release me in peace as you promised. With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation; it’s now out in the open for everyone to see: A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations, and of glory for your people Israel.”

After the last Sunday Mass, she would stay in church. She kept herself busy gathering the discarded bulletins, spilled lollies, and dropped tissues from the pews. She never talked to anyone, but would smile if they acknowledged her.

Of indeterminate age, widowed decades in the past, she once was the parish sacristan assigned to replace the burned-down daily and weekly wax candles lit at the side altars by parishioners, until the wax candles were replaced by safe and cleaner, if less ethereal electric votives. Without that task, she created her job of official cleaner of the pews, with one caveat. She stayed and did it only on those Sundays when Baptisms had been scheduled. Her task completed, she would silently join with the families gathered for the ceremony, smiling as if she was remembering happier times from her past. Since no one knew her, everyone thought she was from the other side of the family. Occasionally, she’d even slip quietly into the group photo with everyone there. A few times she was able to hold the baby for a picture with no one questioning her.

Imagine when family relooked at those pictures years later, husband and wife asking each other who she was and both responding they thought she was part of the other’s family. She wasn’t a grandmother or aunt or neighbour or friend, just someone who found hope and consolation in children newly blessed and ready to face the future. That surely was what sustained her.