On this day, the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, by his parents, Mary and Joseph, the Church has traditionally honoured those in the community who dedicate themselves in a privileged way to prayer and to those who have a particular religious vocation to the contemplative life. In the figure of the venerable Simeon, Jesus’ presentation in the temple also reminds us that prayer and contemplation are not just a waste of time or an obstacle to charity. On the contrary, time could not be better spent than in prayer as true Christian charity is a consequence of a solid interior life. Only those who pray and offer penance, like Simeon and Anna, are open to the breath of the Spirit. They know how to recognise the Lord in the circumstances in which He manifests Himself because they have learned how to love with the love with the heart of the One whose very name is Charity. ~ Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP