02 February 2020 Catholic Mass Daily Bible Reading.

USCCB. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 2,22-40.
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,"
and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."
The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157)

Cistercian abbot
1st sermon for the Purification (©Cistercian Fathers; cf SC 166, p. 309f.)

"Simeon took the child into his arms and blessed God"
“Your lamps must be burning in your hands” (Lk 12:35). By this outward sign let us remind ourselves of the joy of Simeon carrying the Light in his hands (...) We must be burning with love and radiant with good deeds, and so take up Christ in our hands with Simeon (...) Let us discuss this charming custom of the Church of bearing lights aloft on this feast day (...) Could anyone hold up a lighted candle in his hands on this day without at once remembering that old man who on this same day took up in his arms Jesus, God's Word, clothed in flesh like a candle-flame clothed in wax, and affirmed him to be “the Light which would be a beacon for the Gentiles”. Surely he was that “burning and radiant lamp” (Jn 5:35; 1,7) which bore witness to the light. For this purpose he came in the Spirit, who had filled him, into the temple that he might “receive, O God, your loving-kindness in the midst of your temple” (Ps 48[47]:10) and declare him to be loving-kindness indeed and the light of your own people. Truly, O holy Simeon, in the quiet contentment of old age you carried this light not simply in your hands but in the very dispositions of your heart. You were like a lamp-standard, seeing so clearly how much the Gentiles would one day be lit up, while reflecting (...) the bright rays of our faith. Old, yet still sincere, you can now be happy in that you really see what once you but foresaw. Gone is the world's gloom, “the Gentiles bask in this light of yours”; “the whole earth is full of his glory” (Is 60:3; 6:3).