The Presentation- Feb 2
Luke 2: 22-40
Again, we have this Epiphany theme, where we see a glimpse that gives us a deeper understanding of who Jesus is.
The Magi knelt before him and we saw him as the king of Israel. … When he was baptized, the voice of the Father identified Jesus as the Son of God. … In his first miracle in the Gospel of John at a wedding at Cana, we saw Jesus identified as someone who could do miracles, and as one who would bring new covenant wine out of old covenant stone jars. … And last week we saw Jesus preaching in his hometown, saying that the Scriptures point to him.
In our Gospel reading, this theme is continued. Once again, we see Jesus as a baby. … As faithful Jews, Mary and Joseph had Jesus circumcised on the 8th day, as a sign of the covenant of Abraham and according to the Law of Moses. And he is presented at the temple 40 days after his birth (Lv 12; Deut 18:5; Ex 13:2,12,15). The Law required that an offering of an unblemished lamb be brought, or if the family is too poor to do so, they bring a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons (Lv 12:6-8). Luke tells us that that they brought birds, and so they are identified as being among the poor.
While presenting Jesus at the temple, Mary and Joseph encounter two people, Simeon and Anna. Simeon is described as righteous and devout, as looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and as having the Holy Spirit resting on him. Sometimes he is thought of as a temple priest, but we don’t see that in the reading. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he wouldn’t die until he had seen the Messiah. That day the Holy Spirit guided him to go to the Temple, and the Spirit reveals to him that this child in the arms of Mary and Joseph is the Messiah he has been waiting for.
He takes the child in his arms, and he says a prayer that has come to be known as the Nunc Dimittis[1], which we say when we pray Evening Prayer and Compline. Traditionally, the evening prayers have an element of preparing for death. So, in the Book of Common Prayer we pray with Simeon,
“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation”.
It is a prayer of gratitude. Simeon was promised that he wouldn’t die before he saw the Messiah, and now God has kept that promise, and Simeon can die in peace. … We pray with him because we live in a privileged time in history, living in the time when the Saviour has come, so we too can die in peace.
Simeon’s song also reveals what was an uncomfortable reality for many of his fellow countrymen at the time- That this Messiah is God’s salvation for all people- a light to the nations, and glory to Israel. He will not be only for the Jewish people, but also for the nations of the world. And that was an aspect of the Messiah many did not want to embrace because at that time they lived under the boot of one of those nations.
(As an aside, the feast of the Presentation is also known as Candlemass. Simeon’s words identify Jesus as the “light to lighten the gentiles”, and so it became a day to bless the candles that would be used that year in church services.)
Simeon says to Mary that the child in her arms will result in the falling and rising of many. People will be divided over him. Many will believe in him, and many will reject him. Simeon speaks ominous words about opposition. The Kingdom of God will come into conflict with other kingdoms. … He also says that a sword will pierce her own soul. Which I’m sure is how it feels to watch your child falsely accused and put to death by their people’s leadership. The sword that pierces her soul is the grief she experiences as she watches Rome nail her son to the cross.
So, our Epiphany theme of revealing who Jesus is continues as we now include that the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, will result in controversy and division in Israel, and Mary will not escape the suffering that will come with him. We also see revealed that he will be for the nations, and not just Israel.
While presenting Jesus at the Temple, they also encounter Anna. She is described as a prophet, and we might compare her life to that of a nun. She was widowed after only seven years, which means she was probably not much older than 25 or 30 when her husband died, and she is now 84. She is described as never leaving the Temple, and dedicating her life to worship, prayer, and fasting. Most of her long life was lived in the Temple area. … She too sees the child that Mary and Joseph bring as connected to the redemption of their people, and she becomes a kind of evangelist, sharing the news with others who were yearning for the Messiah. (It is interesting to note that in the Gospel of Luke, women are often the first to share news about Jesus with others).
The arrival of Jesus at the temple is an answer to prayer for both of these holy people.
Simeon and Anna are examples to us of patient endurance. We don’t always talk much about patient endurance, but it is an essential aspect of our faith. I would say it is sorely needed in our own time. We are taught that we should get what we want when we want it. Instant gratification. It was a lack of Patient Endurance that caused Abraham and Sarah to use their servant Hagar to produce a child, rather than continue to wait for God’s promise to come to pass.
Patient endurance is an essential virtue in the spiritual life (James 1:2-4; Rom 5:3-5; Rev 14:12; 2 Tim 2:12). The letter to the Hebrews talks about the Christian life as a marathon (Heb 12:1-2). Patient endurance is essential if we are to be successful in facing the trials that confront us. … In Matthew 13 Jesus speaks about the seed that that falls on various kinds of soil. Some seed falls on rocky soil, which represents someone who receives it with joy, but soon falls away when trouble or persecution comes. What is lacking is patient endurance. … That parable used to terrify me when I first became a Christian because I knew I could be a bit of a flake. My attention could shift quickly to something that was new and exciting, and I knew I had it is me to leave when things got hard. … The Orthodox priest Fr. Josiah Trenham says, "Endurance is not just about waiting out the storm; it's about growing stronger through it." Patient endurance does something to us that we sorely need in our culture. It gives us a stability.
Waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled is a kind of suffering. Psalm 13 exemplifies this suffering- “How Long, O Lord?” It is an anguished cry about waiting on God. “How Long, O Lord?” … Simeon and Anna are symbols of patient endurance. They represent God’s faithful people, waiting for God’s promises to come to fruition. They don’t give up on God and walk away. They don’t impatiently try to make it happen themselves by finding some child they can shape into the Messiah. … They wait on God and endure in that waiting.
There are many ways we are called to patient endurance. Perhaps we are facing an illness. Maybe we are facing the illness of someone we love. Maybe we are in the throws of grief after the death of someone close to us. Maybe we are waiting for a job. Maybe we are waiting for God’s will for our lives to be revealed. Maybe we are in a time of spiritual dryness where our prayers feel like they are just words spoken in an empty room, and our Scripture readings don’t seem to give us any consolation. … These times call for patient endurance. Both Simeon and Anna are well into their senior years, and I think that is to teach us to continue to hold on. … Simeon’s words speak about suffering- opposition and a sword. He speaks of a time that will require patient endurance. This is an important part of a spiritual life. We are not promised a life free of hardship. The symbol of our faith is a cross, after all. … Trust that God is doing something, and that when the time is right, God will give you the light you need.
May we trust in God’s timing. And know that even in our patient endurance, God is shaping our souls. The light will come. The promises will be fulfilled. But in God’s timing, not ours. AMEN
[1] a Latin phrase that means "now you let depart"
Simeon’s song also reveals what was an uncomfortable reality for many of his fellow countrymen at the time- That this Messiah is God’s salvation for all people- a light to the nations, and glory to Israel. He will not be only for the Jewish people, but also for the nations of the world. And that was an aspect of the Messiah many did not want to embrace because at that time they lived under the boot of one of those nations.
(As an aside, the feast of the Presentation is also known as Candlemass. Simeon’s words identify Jesus as the “light to lighten the gentiles”, and so it became a day to bless the candles that would be used that year in church services.)
Simeon says to Mary that the child in her arms will result in the falling and rising of many. People will be divided over him. Many will believe in him, and many will reject him. Simeon speaks ominous words about opposition. The Kingdom of God will come into conflict with other kingdoms. … He also says that a sword will pierce her own soul. Which I’m sure is how it feels to watch your child falsely accused and put to death by their people’s leadership. The sword that pierces her soul is the grief she experiences as she watches Rome nail her son to the cross.
So, our Epiphany theme of revealing who Jesus is continues as we now include that the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, will result in controversy and division in Israel, and Mary will not escape the suffering that will come with him. We also see revealed that he will be for the nations, and not just Israel.
While presenting Jesus at the Temple, they also encounter Anna. She is described as a prophet, and we might compare her life to that of a nun. She was widowed after only seven years, which means she was probably not much older than 25 or 30 when her husband died, and she is now 84. She is described as never leaving the Temple, and dedicating her life to worship, prayer, and fasting. Most of her long life was lived in the Temple area. … She too sees the child that Mary and Joseph bring as connected to the redemption of their people, and she becomes a kind of evangelist, sharing the news with others who were yearning for the Messiah. (It is interesting to note that in the Gospel of Luke, women are often the first to share news about Jesus with others).
The arrival of Jesus at the temple is an answer to prayer for both of these holy people.
Simeon and Anna are examples to us of patient endurance. We don’t always talk much about patient endurance, but it is an essential aspect of our faith. I would say it is sorely needed in our own time. We are taught that we should get what we want when we want it. Instant gratification. It was a lack of Patient Endurance that caused Abraham and Sarah to use their servant Hagar to produce a child, rather than continue to wait for God’s promise to come to pass.
Patient endurance is an essential virtue in the spiritual life (James 1:2-4; Rom 5:3-5; Rev 14:12; 2 Tim 2:12). The letter to the Hebrews talks about the Christian life as a marathon (Heb 12:1-2). Patient endurance is essential if we are to be successful in facing the trials that confront us. … In Matthew 13 Jesus speaks about the seed that that falls on various kinds of soil. Some seed falls on rocky soil, which represents someone who receives it with joy, but soon falls away when trouble or persecution comes. What is lacking is patient endurance. … That parable used to terrify me when I first became a Christian because I knew I could be a bit of a flake. My attention could shift quickly to something that was new and exciting, and I knew I had it is me to leave when things got hard. … The Orthodox priest Fr. Josiah Trenham says, "Endurance is not just about waiting out the storm; it's about growing stronger through it." Patient endurance does something to us that we sorely need in our culture. It gives us a stability.
Waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled is a kind of suffering. Psalm 13 exemplifies this suffering- “How Long, O Lord?” It is an anguished cry about waiting on God. “How Long, O Lord?” … Simeon and Anna are symbols of patient endurance. They represent God’s faithful people, waiting for God’s promises to come to fruition. They don’t give up on God and walk away. They don’t impatiently try to make it happen themselves by finding some child they can shape into the Messiah. … They wait on God and endure in that waiting.
There are many ways we are called to patient endurance. Perhaps we are facing an illness. Maybe we are facing the illness of someone we love. Maybe we are in the throws of grief after the death of someone close to us. Maybe we are waiting for a job. Maybe we are waiting for God’s will for our lives to be revealed. Maybe we are in a time of spiritual dryness where our prayers feel like they are just words spoken in an empty room, and our Scripture readings don’t seem to give us any consolation. … These times call for patient endurance. Both Simeon and Anna are well into their senior years, and I think that is to teach us to continue to hold on. … Simeon’s words speak about suffering- opposition and a sword. He speaks of a time that will require patient endurance. This is an important part of a spiritual life. We are not promised a life free of hardship. The symbol of our faith is a cross, after all. … Trust that God is doing something, and that when the time is right, God will give you the light you need.
May we trust in God’s timing. And know that even in our patient endurance, God is shaping our souls. The light will come. The promises will be fulfilled. But in God’s timing, not ours. AMEN
[1] a Latin phrase that means "now you let depart"
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