My eyes have seen your salvation

Ml 3,1-4 opp. Heb 2,14-18; Ps 23; Lk 2,22-40
2 FEBRUARY

For the Holy Spirit to move our heart, mind, desires, will, soul, spirit, body, mouth, ears, hands and every cell of our being, it is necessary that we abide in the Law of the Lord. His action is always twofold: first he must lead us from sin to grace, from disobedience to obedience and from death to life. Only then can he take our life in his hands and lead it according to the divine will. But for him to be able to lead us, to move, to push us it is obligatory for us to grow in grace and truth. Sin makes us leaden boulders. We are immovable. Grace makes us like dry leaves. We can remain on the wings of the wind of the Holy Spirit. The more we grow in grace and in wisdom, the more our resistance fails. Jesus was led to the cross, because his growth in obedience was at the most of human possibilities. Simeon is a just man, he lives in fear of the Lord and loves the law of his God. He has consecrated his life to it. Mary and Joseph also love the Law of their God. They observe it in all its precepts. The Holy Spirit can move ones and the others. He can ensure that they meet in the temple of the Lord. We live in the Law, we meet in the house of God, to sing his truth, his love, his justice and his great mercy. This always happens when one dwells in the Law of the Lord. But when one is outside, the Spirit cannot operate and no encounter might ever take place. Who is outside the law does not know the Spirit of God.

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.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

Simeon sent by the Spirit of God into the temple, sees with the eyes of the Holy Spirit the Child whom Mary carries in her arms. He recognizes him with the wisdom of the Spirit that is in his heart. He speaks of Him with the mouth of the Spirit that was made his mouth. The Son of Mary is the light that God has sent into the world so that the peoples were illuminated of his true mystery. There is no true knowledge of God except in the light that is Christ Jesus. It is not a light that emanates from Christ, like the light that is emanated from the sun. He knows the Father who becomes with Christ a single body, a single life and a single light. Whoever does not become the light of Christ in the light of Christ never might he know the mystery of the Father. Christ and the Father are one mystery. Christ is in the mystery of the Father and knows the Father. The Christian is in the mystery of Christ, he knows Christ and knows the Father. Christ is the light of the Father. We know the Father if we are the light of Christ.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, make us light to illuminate from and in the light of Christ.