First Sunday after Christmas—2017

Luke 2.22-40 (MSG; adapted):1

22-24When the days stipulated by Moses for purification were complete, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to offer him to God as commanded in God’s Law: “Every male who opens the womb shall be a holy offering to God,” and also to sacrifice the “pair of doves or young pigeons” prescribed in God’s Law.

25-32In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man named Simeon, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he’d see the Messiah of God before he died. Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God:

God, you can now release your servant;
   release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;
   it’s now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
   and of glory for your people Israel.

33-35Jesus’ father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother,

This child marks both the failure and
   the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
   the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
   as God reveals who they really are.

36-38Anna the prophetess was also there, a daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was by now a very old woman. She’d been married seven years and a widow for eighty-four. She never left the Temple area, worshiping night and day with her fastings and prayers. At the very time Simeon was praying, she showed up, broke into an anthem of praise to God, and talked about the child to all who were waiting expectantly for the freeing of Jerusalem.

39-40When Mary and Joseph finished everything required by God in the Law, they returned to Galilee and their own town, Nazareth. There Jesus grew strong in body and wise in spirit. And the grace of God was on him.

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🎶🎶“On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me: Seven swans a-swimming…”🎶🎶

Yes, for those of us who don’t know, like the Christmas carol tells us, there are Twelve Days of Christmas and today is the seventh day! And on this seventh day, we can see from our Gospel reading that people were “waiting expectantly for the freeing of Jerusalem.” Like being swept away by a classical piece of music with all of its ebbs and flows, some people sensed a stirring deep within them that the God of Israel was up to something. The air was electric with anticipation.

If, that is, you were of a sensitive nature.

Some of us are too busy to notice subtle changes in nature. Others of us have been gifted with a special sensitivity to the winds of change. My wife is truly keen in this manner. She’ll notice as the trees start, ever-so slightly, to change colors. Subtle shifts of green give way to auburns, reds, oranges, and yellows. And she sees them all. I seem to notice these changes towards the end when the colors are so bright one can’t help to see them (unless, of course, one has her nose stuck in a book or mobile device or is in deep thought). But I’m starting to notice these subtle changes more and more.

Other people have a sense of knowing, too. They can sense when some news is about to come out or something changes at work or whatnot. Most of us, though, are taught not to listen to these feelings. “It’s just your imagination,” we’re told. But ancient people were more keen to listen to, not only their bodies, but the natural world around them and the Otherworld’s realm, too.

As we saw in the lessons of Advent, some of God’s people could sense that God was doing something — or about to do something. I think they could sense a stirring within their prayers that change was on the wind. Little signs would continue to point to this change. And they noticed.

Simeon, “prayerfully expecting” the rescue of Israel, was given a very specific promise — he’d see God’s salvation before he died. We’re not told how he was to recognize this but maybe he was given a sign like that of the shepherds (Luke 2.12). Or perhaps it was like the sign given to John the Baptizer (John 1.33). Whatever it was, Simeon could now die in peace.

Likewise, Anna the prophetess was there night and day waiting on God to rescue Israel. She continued to bathe the time in prayer and fasting, waiting and anticipating God’s movements. Like Simeon, we’re not told how she knew this was the moment. Maybe her sign was the image of Simeon and the Child. Perhaps it was that inner witness Paul mentioned (Romans 8.16) — the Spirit of God touching her spirit at that very instant — confirming that, yes, this was how God was going to rescue the world.

In either case, we see that God’s rescue plan had begun. The time of anticipation had come to fruition. But it wasn’t going to be a pleasant experience for everyone. Jesus’ very existence would “generate opposition” and reveal the true nature of many people and be their downfall (vv. 34-35; CEB2). And because of this, like any Mother, Mary would suffer, too.

So, on this Seventh Day of Christmas, God announced to Israel that the long promised rescue had begun. May we continue in the excitement of Anna and Simeon as we go out into the world. May God’s Spirit move deeply within us as we “talk about the Child” to all whom are waiting for rescue.

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In the Love of the Three in One,

Br. Jack+, LC

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1.  Scripture quotations marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

2.  Scripture quotations marked (CEB) are taken from The Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible.