Luke 2:22-35
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to
the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that
opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord," and to offer the
sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in
accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in
Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting
the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been
revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had
seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the Temple; and when
the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in
regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now,
Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my
eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a
light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel."
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and
Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is
destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be
contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of
many hearts may be revealed."
* * *
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus
Christ, I long to abide in your presence. You refresh my soul and fill me with
your light, although I don’t turn to you often enough or exercise enough faith
when I do remember you. But here I am now, Lord, ready to spend a few precious
moments with you in the room of my heart. I want to pick up more readily on the
inspirations of your Spirit. I want to be a docile instrument in your hands to
serve you and your Church.
Petition: Lord, teach me to be open to your Spirit.
1. Simeon, a Man of the Spirit: Luke tells us
three times in this short passage that Simeon was a man who was attentive to
the Holy Spirit. The “Holy Spirit was
upon him” since “it had been revealed
to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the
Messiah of the Lord.” Simeon was in conversation with the Spirit and
learned to listen to his holy inspirations. Just as in Christ’s life we see him
many times moved by the Spirit—for example, to come to be baptized by John and
subsequently to be “driven by the Spirit” into the desert—so in Simeon’s life,
he is not only inspired, but also powerfully moved by the Spirit. We should
take a moment in our meditation to admire this man who lent himself totally to
the movements of the Spirit.
2. Mary, Overshadowed by the Spirit: There is no
one who demonstrates docility to the Spirit more than Mary Immaculate. She
didn’t put up any obstacles to the work of the Holy Spirit; as the Spirit
expresses to us through the Gospel writer, “the
Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow
you” (Luke 1:35). As John Paul II describes it, Mary “responded with faithful obedience to every request of God, to every
motion of the Holy Spirit.” As she stands here at the presentation of her
firstborn son, she now hears words spoken to her through the Spirit’s
instrument: “Behold, this child is
destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be
contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of
many hearts may be revealed." Once more, Mary acquiesces to the Holy
Spirit and accepts the foretold suffering far in advance.
3. Amazed by the Spirit: All of us have
heard incredible stories of moments in which the Holy Spirit clearly intervened
or directed a situation. Maybe we have experienced this in our own lives. Is
there any reason why we shouldn’t? Are there any obstacles that the Holy Spirit
would find in our lives? He should be the soul’s gentle guest. But how do we
foster this friendship with the Holy Spirit? We have to bring silence into our
hearts so as to distinguish his voice from the noise of so many worldly voices
trying to drown out his word, and it also means we have to be docile and
obedient once we have heard it.
Conversation with Christ:
Lord Jesus, there are so many lessons to be
learned from your presentation in the Temple. I have taken one of them: the
presence of your Holy Spirit so evident in this Gospel passage. In the
Christmas season we celebrate your being among us as a tiny child. Yet, your
whole life will show us how to be docile to the Holy Spirit. You have sent him
so that we might not be alone. May he always accompany me in life, and may he
always remind me of the many things you did and said, as you lead me to the
Father’s house.
Resolution: I will spend the day attentive to the Holy Spirit and make this a
particular point for my examination of conscience.