Presentation of our Lord
Speaker: The Rev. Shearon Sykes Wiliams
Whenever a child is born that has been eagerly awaited, there is profound joy. Loving parents and adoring grandparents look at the child and marvel at the miracle of life and the gift of this little mystery. The child holds such hope and promise. What will he be? How will she sound? How will he change us? There is such potential. Will he be a teacher? Will she be a scientist? How will this life impact the life of our family and our community?
And yet when the old man Simeon saw eight- day old Jesus, he knew right away that he was the Messiah, according to Luke. Simeon knew because he was a man of prayer and deep devotion. He was eagerly looking forward to the comfort of his people. And he had long felt that God would allow him to see the Messiah before his death. He was able to see Jesus for who he was because he had prepared his heart and mind to recognize the Messiah through a lifetime of worship, Scripture study, prayer and living expectantly- waiting for God to do something wonderful. And God did do something wonderful- God gave him a great gift in seeing – and recognizing Jesus before he died.
I have often marveled at how the cycle of life works. It is such a mysterious thing in a family when a beloved older member dies shortly after the birth of a baby. Oftentimes people will hold onto life until they are able to see the new baby. They are able to die in peace after that. There is a sense of completion. In the baby, they see that the life of the family continues. Birth and death. Death and birth. Just as the baby is birthed into life in this world from the womb, the one who dies is birthed into everlasting life, back into the womb of God. We come from God and we return to God.
And God surrounds us each day – the challenge is to attune our selves to that reality. We can really think of each day as a microcosm of the life cycle. Each day is a new birth and each night is a type of death- releasing ourselves into God.
It is very fitting that the words of Simeon in today’s Gospel are part of both our Evening Prayer and Compline services in the Book of Common Prayer, services that happen toward the end of the day. The Song of Simeon is often referred to as the Nunc Dimittis for the first few words of Simeon in Latin, “Now dismiss,” Nunc Dimittis.
If you have ever gone to an Evening Prayer service here are St George’s or another Episcopal church or cathedral, you have heard it. It has hundreds of musical settings. (We sang one of them for our gradual hymn before the Gospel today.) Evening Prayer- called Evensong when it is sung- is a service that takes place just as it is getting dark- the transition from day to night. Simeon’s words about “a Light to enlighten the nations” take on more significance as we hear them being sung as candles are slowly being lit by the acolytes, one by one.
Simeon’s words are also part of the Compline service. Compline means “complete,” so it’s a prayer service that completes the day. Simeon’s words come – appropriately- at the end of that service to help us know that we have done what we can for that day, and that it is time to prepare for sleep, releasing ourselves into God’s care. When we say or sing the “Nunc Dimittis,” we are asking God to dismiss the thoughts and cares of the day, helping us to accept what has not been done, give thanks for what has been done, and realize that a new day awaits us- but now is the time for sleep to restore us and prepare us for the next day.
If you have never experienced Compline, I highly recommend it as a sleep aid. It is so easy to suffer from “busy mind,” with thoughts racing and racing as we try to go to sleep at night after an over-full day. Compline reminds us that our life begins and ends in God and puts all of those things that fill our minds in a larger context. It allows us to relinquish control and responsibility for a while– giving our concerns over to God.
It helps us to hold our lives with open hands, to let go of what we need to let go of, and to receive surprising gifts from God, just like the gift Simeon received when he took Jesus in his arms.
Jesus comes to us over and over again. Regular prayer practices help us to receive and recognize Jesus when God gives him to us. The world looks a lot more hopeful with a newborn baby in our arms. We look into their faces and see such radiance- we know intuitively that they are fresh from God’s presence- and because of that, they are great teachers. They remind us of what we have forgotten. And paradoxically, babies can help us relinquish our death grip on life and live life with an awareness of larger, fulfilled life, life as God intends for us- seeing deeply and being able to recognize gifts large and small.
Cradling a baby is a gift. And cradling someone as they die is also a gift- especially when we know that they are returning to that ultimate love that babies come from. As I was reflecting on today’s Gospel, and heard Simeon’s words afresh, I thought of being present with my father several years ago as he lay dying. My brothers and sister and mother were all surrounding him - and somehow Simeon’s words rose from my heart in the last few minutes of his life, and I was inspired to tell him gently, over and over again, “Go in peace. Go in peace.”
Sometimes the words of Scripture or liturgy can sound rote and meaningless. But they can surprise you- coming back to you when you least expect them and most need them. And when they do, you realize that they have profound meaning- and give thanks for all of those times when you thought you were just showing up and going through the motions.
Lord, you now have set your servant free
to go in peace as you have promised;
for these eyes of mine have seen the Savior,
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
a Light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.
(Book of Common Prayer, p. 135)
Sources:
1. Book of Common Prayer, Evening Prayer Rite II, pp. 120 and Compline, 135
2. The New Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. E.A. Livingstone, Ed. , Nunc Dimittis, pp. 1167-1168