Life is not meant to be lived according to some absolute, clearly articulated formula. It is an adventure inspired and guided by the Spirit of God planted deep in our hearts. Living in tune with God’s Spirit means getting beyond obsession with legal details to living lives inspired by love, selflessness, care and compassion - qualities that give meaning to all laws built on justice. Living by faith is a risky business. It means trusting God, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald.

The Presentation of the Lord gives us examples of how to be patient, never losing hope and accepting God’s will. May this feast teach us these lessons and praise God for giving us Jesus as our Saviour and Redeemer, writes Divine Word Missionary priest, Fr Elmer Ibarra SVD.

The Gospel calls us to contact and collaborate with people who differ from us, both within and beyond the Christian community, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald. This generally involves risk and personal discomfit. It means venturing into engagement with people who seem strange to us, putting aside our fears and prejudices, with the openness of genuine fisherfolk. We must search for common ground with them as promoters of peace and justice. After all, acceptance, peace and justice were the foundation of Jesus’ mission.

It’s just possible that today’s gospel reading also contains an invitation for us all to reflect on how we handle ourselves when our very worthwhile contributions to people in need are not recognised and acknowledged, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald. Living the values of the Kingdom of God can be a thankless task. Jesus experienced that as his life unfolded, and all he had to console himself was his faith in God. Whenever God’s Spirit lands on us, and it really does from time to time, our consolation will be found in our faith in the God whom Jesus came to know and trust.

We have to realise that, in baptism, we have been planted in God’s love. As a consequence we have to reflect that love to everyone we encounter. In doing so, we become tightly linked to one another, forming Christian community, writes Christian Brother Julian McDonald.