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| Giotto di Bondone, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
Scripture
22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. (NRSV)
Devotion
Today's reading is one that often left out of our yearly recitation of the Christmas story. Narratively sandwiched between the joy of Christmas Eve and the thrill of the Magi's coming, Jesus's presentation at the Temple is easy for modern day Christians to gloss over or even forget. This is a shame, because the moment that Simeon and Anna meet the Christ child is a story of profound hope in despair as well as a reminder of God's enduring faithfulness.
Simeon and Anna (who were both ancient by their society's standards) had spent their entire lives existing under Roman occupation. Like many in their society, these two deeply faithful people had experienced first-hand how their desire to follow God's commandments clashed with the systems set up by Caesar and his appointees. Plenty of individuals were doing their best to love God and one another in their personal lives, but Judah itself remained an unjust and unmerciful place. Even worse, many people had come to accept this situation as the way things were. It would take a miracle for the power of Rome to be overturned and for God's suffering people to finally find consolation. And yet people like Simeon and Anna remained faithful to God as they waited for a Messiah to bring the people salvation.
God rewarded Simeon and Anna for their faithfulness by letting them meet the infant Jesus when Joseph and Mary presented him at the Temple. As these two elderly people gaze upon the long-awaited Messiah, they give thanks not for a salvation they will get to witness themselves...but for a glimpse of the salvation that will come after they have departed this life. They have been blessed to see the Redeemer of their people, and they know that God's promises will come to fruition--not in their own lifetimes, but soon. And because their eyes have seen the coming salvation, these two faithful servants of God can depart this world in peace when God calls them home.
Would that we all experience the joy of Anna and Simeon! The sad fact is that we too live in world that is unjust and unmerciful. Try as we might to do right on an individual level, the system often seems stacked against us. With so much suffering in the world and so many people who seem to just accept that suffering as the way things are, it can be easy to sink into despair.
The Good News is that when we remain faithful to God, we too will find ourselves surprised by glimpses of Christ's coming reign on Earth. We may not get to see salvation on Earth fully realized in our lifetime, but the day is coming. If we keep our wits about us and our hearts open, there will come a moment when the Holy Spirit will give us a special "preview" of what is to come. That special glimpse of God already at work among us can give us the resilience and hope we need to keep remaining faithful to God's will--and when our time comes, it can help us leave this world in peace, secure in the knowledge that our salvation is at hand.
Anna and Simeon's glimpse of God-on-Earth came in getting to see and hold the physical Christ child. Our glimpses of salvation come in many forms--from the smile of a baby to the thankful words of someone receiving help and/or encouragement. These everyday moments may not be as famous as Anna and Simeon's moment in the Temple, but they are still gifts from God. They all point to the consolation we currently receive through Jesus Christ, and they all anticipate the even better day that is to come.
The next time you feel down or discouraged, I encourage you to look for signs of coming salvation. Sooner or later, God will provide you with a moment that brings peace and encouragement. And let us all look forward to the time when all Creation--living and dead--comes to experience the fullness of Christ's redeeming grace.
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