Reflection
The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Luke 2:22-35
Today is the fifth day in the Octave of Christmas. In the gospel, we hear details of the day that Jesus was presented at the Temple, to be consecrated to the Lord, in fulfillment of the law. Simeon, a righteous man, had received an inspiration from the Holy Spirit that before he died, he would see the Christ of the Lord.
He entered the temple filled with the Holy Spirit, in joyful anticipation. How long he waited for this day to arrive is not known. We can only imagine the state of high alert and excitement he must have felt. First of all, this was the answer to generations of prayer on the part of the Jewish people, secondly, Simeon would have known that he had been given a tremendous gift, to be the one chosen to receive the Messiah, and to consecrate him to the Lord, in the Temple.
No, we don’t know how long he waited for this moment, but we do know that he was looking for the Savior. He was eagerly awaiting him, and when he took the baby in his arms, he immediately recognized that this was the one whose coming had been revealed to him by the Spirit.
We see through the window of this gospel, Simeon holding the child and proclaiming his praise and thanksgiving, even expressing his readiness to die, now that his eyes had seen salvation come. We hear through this window, The song of Simeon, a beautiful expression of praise, known as the Nunc Dimittis, in Latin, meaning, ‘now dismiss.’ This canticle is part of the Liturgy of the Hours Night Prayer, recited by clergy, religious and lay people, all over the world, every day of the year. Memorize this prayer of praise and wonder!
During Advent, like Simeon, in some ways, we waited and watched for the coming of the Lord. Now, in the octave of Christmas, the nativity story has opened up before us; we have celebrated the birth of a little child, God made man, divinity united to humanity. And today, through this Holy Gospel, we are witnesses, generations later, to the Presentation of the Lord and to Simeon’s song of praise.
What comes next? After the Christmas season, do we go back to “normal” everyday life, without a second thought for this wondrous event? Or are we on high alert, like Simeon, with the capacity to recognize Jesus when he bursts into our lives, or quietly walks beside us? Do we give grateful thanks for the revelation of God the Father, through the incarnation of the Son?
Memorize, and pray, the song of Simeon and relive the joy every day!