My eyes have seen your salvation

The Presentation of our Lord, February 2, 2025: Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40; Psalm 84 or Psalm 24:7-10

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.

This is the Song of Simeon, one of the canticles we use regularly in evening prayer: the rubrics have us read either this or the Magnificat in each service. It is also a regular part of compline, the service that ends the day. It is an affirmation of hope, offered by an old man seeing the baby Jesus when he was presented in the temple.

Today’s gospel places Simeon’s song in context, and what interests me is how he recognized Jesus as special, when Jesus was just 40 days old. So too does the old woman, Anna, who prays in the temple day and night. How do we recognize things? When I was young, I remember my mother holding a baby who was about 6 weeks old, and saying, “This child will do what she wants”. And indeed, as she got older, she did. But my mother could tell from how the baby behaved when held. How did she know?

Somehow both Simeon and Anna knew that Jesus was special. They would not live to see his ministry, but they knew. Simeon told Mary that “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel”; but also that “a sword will pierce your own soul too”.

So Simeon can rejoice, but also know that there is pain to come. It is particularly poignant right now, as many of our neighbors are living in fear. The chaos of government in the last two weeks has terrified many. And yet. My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.

This feels abstract, and distant. But part of what we experience as Christians is the way Jesus is present in the here and now, acting through and with people throughout the world. We did not have to be in the Temple to know what Jesus can do: we can see it in our lives and those of the people around us.

This is the theme of the Letter to the Hebrews. Paul tells us that since God’s children share flesh and blood, Jesus himself likewise shared the same things. The incarnation is ongoing. Furthermore, because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. We are not alone when we suffer: Jesus is with us.

The Song of Simeon came to be part of the daily monastic office by about the 5th century. It has been said daily for more than 1500 years. I am sure it has been said by many people who were living in fear, or living in doubt. These are words of comfort: we know God is with us, and our salvation is assured. As the psalm tells us, Happy are they who put their trust in you!

May we recognize the signs of the incarnation around us, and hold on to the knowledge that Jesus is with us. May we put our trust in God. And may we be the incarnation for others in all that we do.

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