Lk 2:22-40
And when the day came for them to be purified in keeping with the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord- observing what is written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord- and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is prescribed in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to the restoration 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 until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
Now, Master, you are letting your servant go in peace as you promised;
for my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have made ready in the sight of the nations;
a light of revelation for the gentiles
and glory for your people Israel.
As the child’s father and mother were wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Look, he is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is opposed- and a sword will pierce your soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’
There was a prophetess, too, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came up just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.
When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And as the child grew to maturity, he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.
The so-called “Nunc Dimittis” resounds every evening in the monks’ Compline and recalls the words of the aged Simeon, which he spoke in the Temple of Jerusalem when he saw Jesus and his parents offering Him and their sacrifice prescribed by the Law, to the Lord.
What joy for the righteous and pious Simeon, who waited for the consolation of Israel and then recognized in the child Jesus -revealed by the Spirit- the Messiah. His longing had been fulfilled, his eyes were allowed to behold salvation.
When I read these words, my heart becomes a little heavy. So many of his brothers in faith still lack this decisive realization, lack the enlightenment that the consolation of Israel is none other than the child whom the aged Simeon took in his arms and spoke the wonderful words:
“Now, Master, you are letting your servant go in peace as you promised;
for my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have made ready in the sight of the nations;
a light of revelation for the gentiles
and glory for your people Israel.”
Just now our sister Corinna, who lives in Jerusalem, sent me an appeal addressed to all Jews. On February 21, all Jews around the world should pray at the same time for the Messiah to come. So we see how actual the believing Jews are still waiting and longing for the consolation of Israel.
They are waiting for him to come. We are waiting for him to come again.
It is the gift of the Holy Spirit to recognize the One who brings salvation to all peoples in the child that Mary and Joseph brought to the Temple.
Those who have been listening to my interpretations for a long time know that the enlightenment of Israel is a very great concern of mine. It is important not only for the Jews, but for the whole world and the Church, that the “firstborn”, after so long a journey and so many centuries in a foreign land, arrives at home (cf. Rom 11:15). Home is not first and foremost the State of Israel. No, the home is what Simeon says: the seeing of the salvation that God made ready in the sight of the nations; a light of revelation for the gentiles and glory for His people Israel. In other words, the recognition of Jesus as the Son of God. He is the Messiah for Israel and for all nations!
We all know that only the Holy Spirit can give this knowledge. But this is exactly what we can ask for. As the Jews cry out for the Messiah on February 21, we can ask the Lord that they may recognize Him like the aged Simeon and also like Hannah of the tribe of Asher, who spoke in the Temple in Jerusalem about the Child to those who were waiting for the redemption of Israel.
With the song “Come, Lord Jesus, Maranatha”, posted on the Internet by Harpa Dei (Come, Lord Jesus, Maranatha), we gave musical expression to the longing of the Bride for her Bridegroom, in different languages. Many people have responded to it, and in the future we want to direct this call to the Lord in other languages as well, so that it may become strong and include the Jews as well.
I would like to invite our listeners to pray with us in a special way for the enlightenment of Israel on this 21st of February. I will return to the subject just before the 21st.
It is a heartfelt desire of God that all people come to the knowledge of His Son (cf. 1 Tim 2:4), it is a burning desire of the Apostle Paul, as he sets it forth in the Letter to the Romans (9:1-5), that his fellow believers come to know the Lord. We can interact through our prayer, because the Lord will come. Our love can hasten it (cf. 2 Pet 3:11-12).
Come, Lord Jesus, Maranatha!