LUKE 2:22-40
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
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. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. 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, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 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 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-- and a sword will pierce your own soul too."
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, 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. 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.
When they had finished everything required by 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.
Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, lived as faithful Jews according to the law of Moses. This meant that they needed to present their firstborn son in the temple, designating him as holy to the Lord. This is a reminder of the Hebrew Scripture story about Abraham presenting Isaac to the Lord, offering to the Lord the child for whom they had long waited. The trip that Mary and Joseph made so many years later was ordinary, yet filled with the memory of tradition for God’s faithful people.
At the time of Jesus’ presentation, Simeon was prompted by the Spirit to go to the temple where he encountered the Christ child being carried in His parents’ arms. Simeon praised God that he had seen the Messiah before he died, and announced to all that Jesus was the Light of the world and the revelation of God to the nations! He blessed Mary and Joseph, and prophesied that Jesus’ ministry would cause the fall of those in Israel who opposed Him as He upset the established order of society. Simeon also prophesied that this baby, the Messiah, also would serve as the sign of God to many. All of this, Simeon prophesied, was so that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed, leading to a healing and righteousness for those who would believe. All so that hearts of those who will believe are healed and made righteous.
In this same temple presentation that Simeon was part of Anna (who was a widow living and worshipping in the temple) was moved by the Holy Spirit to come into the temple when Jesus was being presented to God by His parents. She praised God as Simeon had, and prophesied that this child was the One who would redeem Israel. Both Simeon and Anna not only followed their hearts to come into the place where the Messiah was being presented in the humble form of the baby Jesus, but also thanked God and then told the people – us still today – that this little child born of Mary would change the world. Healing and making righteous the hearts of believers.
Today and every day God invites us into a partnership to effect God’s Mission, to reconcile all people to God’s very Self. Jesus made us worthy through his Death and Resurrection. We are righteous because of the gift He gave to us. Our honor and call is to share with others who Jesus Christ is to us in our own lives as well as to the world. When we tell our story of our own relationship with God, we open the door for others to believe themselves. And in that belief they are healed. The Spirit of God is moving among and with us all the time; calling us to follow wherever the Spirit leads us to encounter God, and to see in the ordinary circumstances of life the very Presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
-------------
+ Do you know anyone who has felt prompted to go somewhere or do something for no understandable reason, later finding out that something important happened to them or occurred because they were there? Has this ever happened to you?
+ What would our life look like if we stopped what we were doing and went somewhere if we sensed the Spirit of God was prompting us to do this?
+ What would it look like if we revealed our thoughts and hearts to God, accepting God’s healing and being made righteous? What would life be like if everyone we knew accepted God’s healing and righteousness?