LUKE 2:22-35 Jesus Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Reflection
Here we meet Simeon, a righteous, devout man waiting for the “consolation of Israel.” Isaiah 40:1-2 speaks about this consolation with these words, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for.” Isaiah indicated that this would be the work of the Messiah, the promised deliverer of God’s people.
Now, the Holy Spirit had promised Simeon that he would see “the Lord’s Messiah” before he died. And when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple, the Spirit moved Simeon to go there. Simeon recognized Israel’s consolation in the baby Jesus, and he praised God, announcing that the comfort of Israel had come as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of [God’s] people Israel.” This child, Jesus, would save God’s people everywhere from their sins.
In Jesus, we have God’s consolation, his comfort, that we have been forgiven. Let the consolation of Jesus dwell in your heart today as you bring his comfort to the world around you.
Jesus, our consolation, only you can provide true comfort. Through your life and death, you have made us alive. Help us to live in such way that we draw the world to you. In your name, Amen.
We come with all we have – body, frailty, energy – and we approach you, who welcomes all, knowing that you sustain us at all ages, and in all ages, calling us to love. Amen.
The heavens and seas proclaim your glory. But we have polluted the skies and clogged the seas. Young and old together show the beauty of God. But we have made idols of youth and made age seem shameful. Forgive us, God, for our sins against the earth and our sins against each other. We move – through age and aeons – in the one direction: towards your love. Forgive us, God, for making idols of the things that change, and ignoring what does not change. In your great love. Amen.You, God, are seen in the flourishing of nature – everywhere, everywhere, everywhere. We thank you for farmers, fields and fruit. We thank you for sun and rain. We honour this earth and its glorious creation, and the wisdom of nurture that has come from generations and generations of people who have tilled the earth – as you have told us. Amen.
A prayer for all ages together
There are some among us who are young, and others among us who feel young, and others among us who can’t wait to grow up, and others among us who can’t believe they did.
All of us, all ages, we are gifts to each other.
We honour you, God, and each other.
May we listen to each other, more and more, in quiet, and in noise.
Amen.
Suggested Listening Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Optrm7lF16s Faith of our fathers, living still https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay9EcTD2gzs Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP1ecUkOTB8
