Today we get the story of Simeon. If we had Mass tomorrow morning, it would be the Mass, or the reading would be about Anna the prophetess. They were both in the temple when Jesus came to be presented by his parents following the Jewish law.
The firstborn was a special role, and we see that some of the times it worked out very well, other times not so much. Jacob and Esau come to mind where the blessing that was supposed to go to the firstborn is swindled out of the blind father. What is it about following this simple commandment? Why does it matter that Joseph and Mary presented their child to the Lord? What is the point?
I think, really most important, for them, it would have been the natural thing to do. It is what parents did if they were serious about their faith. But I think for the evangelists, for Luke, and for others who talk about this, I don't know that anybody else has this particular story about Luke, the idea is clear that the law is not something frivolous. It is something quite significant. It is an identity marker. It says to Joseph and Mary that they belong to something bigger than themselves.
Simeon has been patiently waiting. Anna went patiently waiting, fasting and praying all day long in the temple. They were waiting on the Lord. Both of them had some sense that God in His goodness was going to do something magnificent. Simeon's hope is fulfilled. And if the story had simply stopped with what we pray as a gospel canonical during night prayer, Lord, now let Your servant go in peace and so forth, if it had stopped after just that, we'd say, oh, what a cute story. But it doesn't.
Imagine if on the day of your child's baptism, the priest were to say, your child is destined for the fall and rise of many and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself, a sword will pierce. And yet, isn't that sometimes true as a parent that there is that piercing sword?
Certainly not like the Blessed Mother at the foot of the cross, but there are times where I suspect most parents just kind of wonder like, what am I going to do? What about this? My son, my daughter is not doing so well. And yet Mary reflects. She treasures. She puts all these things deep in her heart and we should do the same.
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