HE SAW AND SO HE WENT

Friday in the Octave of Christmas
Lk 2:22-35

Sometimes we hear someone say, “It is enough for me to have seen you. I can go now.” Simeon can be that someone today. God promised him that he would not die without seeing Christ. Now that he sees the Lord, he may see death. It is enough for Simeon to see Jesus; he is now ready to go.

If I were Simeon, I confess that I might ask God more. After seeing the Baby Jesus, I might request God to make me see the Toddler Jesus, the Adolescent Jesus, and the Adult Jesus before I die. How about you?

But how come Simeon now also tells Mary what her Child will be? How come he can warn Mary about the sword that will pierce her own soul too?

Simeon sees more than the present. He sees the future even in the present. He sees more than the Baby Jesus. He sees the Christ Jesus. He sees with the eyes of faith.

No wonder, Simeon is able to wait for so long a time to see the fulfillment of God’s promise to him. He has faith in God. He believes that God keeps His word and so he sees the Word of God Incarnate.

While we may say that Simeon has a great deal of patience in waiting, it is more than patience that made him live up to this day when he sees he whom he waits for. He believes and so he lives. He has faith and so he sees.

After he saw the Baby Jesus, blest His parents, and confided with Mary, there is nothing more heard about Simeon in the Gospels. You know why? Because seeing the Lord was enough for him and so he went.