Departing in Peace: A Meditation on Luke 2, for the 1st Sunday after Christmas

For many of us, the major festivities of Christmas are over.  The stress and hurry and rush of preparation is finally resolved in messes not quite cleaned up, and perhaps a bit of relaxation that we’ve made it through another year.  That sentiment will likely peak in a few day, when much of the world will herald in the new year, wishing each other well, concocting plans and resolutions, probably a little tipsy from the free flowing libations.

But in this traditional time of Christmas (what previous generations have called Christmastide,) we have a few more days to celebrate the Incarnation of Jesus our Savior, and learn from the Scriptures that speak to us of this great and wonderful mystery.  This Sunday, we return to the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, and the messages of two prophets:  Simeon and Anna.

Mary and Joseph, according to the Law of Moses, took their new son to the Temple after the period of cleansing was complete.  This was based in the command of God that every male born into the world—especially a first born male—was consecrated to His service, and the only way for that young man to return to his family was for the parents to offer the appropriate sacrifice for his redemption.  This was not a particularly high price, and very few people dropped their sons off on the Temple doorsteps, refusing to buy them back from God.  This law of God was instituted, not to torment the people or secure more food for the priests, but rather to point to the sacrifice God was going to make of His Only Begotten Son.  As Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple that day, this ancient Law of Moses found its fulfillment.

While Mary and Joseph intended to redeem their son from Temple service, God had other plans.  This Son was not going to be redeemed, but rather be offered for the redemption of all mankind.  On the surface, Jesus came home with His mother and father, but in reality, Jesus was continuing to fulfill the Law and Promises He had spoken through the prophets so many centuries earlier.  Jesus had come to be the Savior, not only of Israel, but of the whole fallen world.  To make this point clear, the Holy Spirit spoke through Simeon:

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,

according to thy word:

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast

prepared before the face of all people; A light to

lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things

which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed

them, and said unto Mary his mother,

 Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel;

and for a sign which shall be spoken against;

(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,)

that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Simeon, having been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before the coming of the Savior, and having been moved to enter the Temple during the time of Jesus’ presentation, sings this song of thankfulness knowing that he can rest assured in the Lord’s promise.  He has beheld—and held in his own hands—the Redeemer of the World, the very Word of God made flesh.  Finally at rest in the fulfilled Word of God, he finds himself at rest in the promise.  For Simeon there is no fear of death, because he knows that the Word of the Lord, His Gospel promise of redemption through His Son, is stronger than death.  At this end of his many years, he sings joyously to the God of his salvation, and proclaims that blessed Gospel to all will hear it; even to the Child’s mother and stepfather.

The Church sings the Song of Simeon near the end of the Eucharistic Liturgy, after everyone has received the Body and Blood of Jesus given by Him for the forgiveness of their sins.  The promise of Jesus fulfilled once again, the people sing back to God and one another the joyous song of Redemption completed.  We are a people who sing with Simeon, whether we be young or old, rich or poor, healthy or dying, knowing that regardless of the passing things of this world, the Promise of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ is fulfilled in Him.  We no longer fear death, or torture, or persecution; we no longer are slaves to wealth, or comfort, or pleasure; we are born again of Water and Spirit, Absolved of our sins, and fed on the true Bread from Heaven which is Jesus our Savior.  We live because He lives, and we are blessed because He has blessed our going out and our coming in, this day and forevermore.  We are people in the world, but not of the world, because our Savior has redeemed us from this world, so that we might bear witness of His salvation to all who will hear.  Like Simeon and Anna, moved by the Holy Spirit, we bear the Gospel of Salvation to everyone, for Jesus has been sent to save the whole world.

This is how the Christian departs in peace, be it from the Sunday service, from personal reflection and reading of Holy Scripture, from our daily encounters with people both great and small, from trials and temptations, from prosperity and plenty, and even from this world into which we were born.  We depart in peace, according to the Word of the Lord, which speaks peace, forgiveness, life, and salvation to all who will repent and believe His Gospel.  Amen.