Luke 2:25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”41 Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; 43 and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, 44 but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. 46 Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48 When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You.” 49 And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. 51 And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Morning Prayer continues with the reading of Luke’s Gospel. The readings for the past few days are from Luke 2, which included the stories of Simeon and the 12-year-old Jesus in the Temple.
Simeon, a righteous and devout man, was looking for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Simeon went “in Spirit” into the Temple where he saw God’s salvation and took His salvation into his arms:
“Now Lord, Lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to Your word; For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation …”
Unlike Islam and Judaism, Christians have seen their God, they have seen salvation … Christianity is the religion of the Word made flesh, “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation.” Seeing salvation … so in the Eucharist we too see God’s salvation and take His salvation into our hands — “[Jesus] was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.” (Luke 24:35). As God gave the Blessed Virgin Mary a sign to confirm the angel Gabriel’s word, and to confirm Mary’s faith (Luke 1), so in the Eucharist we are given a sign — Jesus Christ Himself — to confirm God’s promises, and our faith. Having seen God’s salvation we may live, and die, in peace.
In Luke 2 we also read of the 12-year-old Jesus, who as the Lord’s Christ is once again found in the Temple. Every year the devout Mary and Joseph attended the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem. (At the age of twelve, a Jewish boy became a “son of the law,” one who is obligated to know and observe the law.) On their return trip home, Mary and Joseph discover that Jesus was not with them. They returned to Jerusalem and, after three days, found Jesus in the Temple. Jesus was sitting in the midst of rabbis, listening to them and asking them questions. The rabbis were amazed at Jesus’ understanding and His answers to their questions; Mary and Joseph were astonished at what they behold!
Mary said to Jesus, “Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.” And he said unto them, “How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?”
Jesus “must” be about His Father’s business. Jesus acts in accordance with what MUST be. The Greek dei appears in the Gospel with reference to Jesus’ readiness to submit to God’s will. Jesus MUST go up to Jerusalem, He MUST suffer, be rejected, be crucified and be raised up again on the third day (St Matthew 16:21).
At 12 years of age Jesus is already bound by what He MUST do: he MUST be about His Father’s business. Jesus was not thoughtless and neglectful of His parents; He was being obedient to His purpose in coming into the world: to do His Father’s will. Mary and Joseph did not understand what Jesus spoke to them, yet Mary pondered these things in her heart. Mary’s faith, like ours, seeks understanding … She ponders the events of Jesus’ life and His sayings. Her faith must come to maturity … Mary, like the Church, is the handmaid of the Lord … fully confident that God shall bring forth what He has promised according to His word.
JSH+