|
Dear friends,
Happy Groundhog’s Day! Or better yet, Happy Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple day! Say that ten times fast!
On Feb 2 we commemorate the 40th day after Jesus’ birth, when he was presented in the Jerusalem Temple and Mary was purified in accordance with Jewish Law.
It was a special day all around – for Jesus, his parents, and especially a man named Simeon. Simeon was a devout man who was waiting for Israel’s restoration. The Holy Spirit told him that he would not die until he set his eyes on the Messiah. So on the day Jesus’ parents brought him to the temple to be consecrated, Simeon was also drawn to the temple by the Holy Spirit. When Simeon saw the baby, he took him in his arms and praised God saying the words we have come to know as “The Song of Simeon”:
Lord, you now have set your servant free
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior,
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen
(Luke 2:29-32; Book of Common Prayer, p. 120).
Can you imagine, picking up a baby in your arms, and knowing that you are looking into the eyes of the Messiah! I used to envy Simeon – what a special moment that must have been. But I think we’re all given opportunities to look into the eyes of Jesus through someone else, if we can only know it the way Simeon did. When did you last look into the eyes of Jesus? I hope that today will be one of those days – for me and you!
| 
