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Simeon meets the Holy Family in the TempleReflection (1) based on Living Space commentary on Feast of Holy Family (B) – 31st Dec 17Sir 3:2-6, 12-14, Col 3:12-21, Luke 2:22-40Full commentary can be found in Living Space section of Sacred Space at sacredspace.ie“When the day came for them to be purified they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. ……Prompted by the Spirit Simeon 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 said: ‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.’ …..Simeon said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child; he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too, so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’….. When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile, the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.” Luke 2:22-40 The Holy Family was a Jewish family and both Jesus and his parents are shown as faithfully carrying out the requirements of the Jewish Law. In today’s Gospel there is a double ceremony described: one is the purification of the mother and second is the offering of the first-born child to the Lord. According to the Mosaic law (Lev 12:2-8), a woman who gave birth to a boy was not allowed to touch anything sacred for 40 days At the end of this period she was required to offer a year-old lamb as a burnt offering and a turtle dove or a young pigeon as expiation for sin. The parents also presented their first-born son as an offering to the Lord, again in accordance with Jewish law (Exod 13:2,12) The account goes on to mention Simeon, an upright and devout man, who looked forward to Israel’s comforting”. (Luke 2: 25) He had received a promise that he would not die until he had laid eyes on the Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he enters the Temple just as Mary and Joseph are there with Jesus. He recognises who the Child is and says a prayer of thanksgiving and surrender to his God. But he goes on to say that the child “is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that is contradicted” (Luke 2:34). Many will reject the way of life that Jesus proposes. Jesus’ life is a sign which points us towards God, but many contradict that sign and go in other directions. Simeon has a further word especially for Mary - “You yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2: 35). Mary will not know the meaning of these words for many years to come, although she will experience a foretaste when Jesus is lost as a boy in Jerusalem. Mary may be full of grace, but she will not be spared from sharing some of the pain which Jesus will endure. It is all part of that unconditional ‘Yes’ which Mary said to the angel In Nazareth and which she also expresses now in the Temple as she offers her Son to God his Father.Pause for thoughtMary’s true greatness is not in the privileges bestowed on her by God, but in her unconditional acceptance of everything God asked of her. For each one of us it is the same. Today we are invited to say ‘Yes’ to God no matter what he sends us. ................
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