Luke 2:21-32: a reflection

21When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the custom of the law, 28then he received him into his arms and blessed God, and said, 29“Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace; 30for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31which you have prepared before the face of all peoples; 32a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”

Simeon was an old man who had waited his whole life for the consolation of Israel, and to whom the Holy Spirit had promised that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. When Mary and Joseph bring the infant Jesus to the temple, Simeon, led by the Spirit, takes the child in his arms and blesses God with words of deep peace: Now, Lord, you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples.

Notice the peace in Simeon's words. A lifetime of waiting and hoping is fulfilled in this moment, holding the child in his arms, and Simeon is ready now to die in peace, because he has seen what he longed for. Now let your servant depart in peace, he says; my eyes have seen your salvation. His long hope is satisfied; the deepest longing of his life is met; and he can face death itself with peace, because he has seen God's salvation.

That is the peace of a hope fulfilled in Christ. Simeon had waited a lifetime, and what he saw, God's salvation held in his arms, was worth the wait; it gave him a peace deep enough to face death gladly. And that same salvation Simeon rejoiced to see is held out to us in Christ. To have seen and received God's salvation is to have what Simeon had: a hope fulfilled, a peace that can face even death. If you have seen God's salvation in Christ, you have what Simeon longed for a lifetime to see. Rejoice in it, and let it give you a peace like his, deep enough for anything.

Lord, old Simeon, having waited a lifetime, took the infant Jesus in his arms and said in deep peace, now let your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation. Thank you that the salvation he longed a lifetime to see is held out to me in Christ. Let me see and receive it as he did, and let it give me a peace like his, a hope fulfilled, deep enough to face even death gladly. My eyes have seen your salvation in Christ; fill me with Simeon's peace.