In today’s reading, Jesus is brought to the temple to be circumcised (Jesus really did share fully in our pain!! – see the Aside at the bottom). At the temple are two characters that are the focus of this discussion: Simeon and Anna. Simeon, Luke tells us, 1) had the Holy Spirit upon him, 2) had received revelation from the Holy Spirit, and 3) was guided by the Holy Spirit. Because of this, when Mary and Joseph arrived at the temple, Simeon took Jesus into his arms, and praised God, announcing that Jesus was the “salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Anna, Luke tells us, at the very time Simeon was praising, began to praise God too.
Here is what I find interestin
g: Why would Luke refer to the Holy Spirit not once, not twice, but three times with regard to Simeon and not a single time with regards to Anna, when both seemed to be equally in tune with the Holy Spirit? I mean, I think Luke could have written: “Anna, upon who the Holy Spirit rested, was alerted by the Holy Spirit and guided by the Holy Spirit so at that moment Jesus was presented at the temple, she began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.” So why didn’t he?
I believe the Bible is well crafted and there is a reason Luke chose to write it this way. I think it is as if Luke is showing us two clocks, one (Simeon) where you can see the gears and the hands and one (Anna) where you only see the hands. With this, Luke is trying to tell us a couple of things. First, Luke is telling us to listen to the Holy Spirit; s/he will enable you to fulfill your role in God’s plan, just as Simeon and Anna fulfilled their role by announcing who Jesus was (God’s salvation!!) to their fellow worshipers. Second, when we see someone doing God’s will, we will know that it is due to the prompting of the Holy Spirit (even if there are no subtitles or soundtrack saying “she’s doing this because of the Holy Spirit”). Remember what Paul says in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Personally, this reading is a bit of a wake-up call. I can’t say that I’ve ever pondered the Holy Spirit as much as I’ve thought about the nature of Jesus or God. And I surely haven’t really pondered the role of the Holy Spirit in my life. But this reading is saying that I should, that we all should. And that is sort of a cool thought, that God is saying, listen to my Spirit and you too can play an integral role in my plan, just like Simeon and Anna.
(An aside on the presentation of Jesus in the temple. If you do a Google Images search of “presentation of Jesus in the temple”, you get a lot of images of Jesus literally being “presented” at the Temple. However, when I was traveling in Europe, I found in a museum a small statue of Jesus actually being circumcised. Somewhat mesmerized, I took a blurry picture of it through the glass (no flash allowed). Why was I mesmerized? Well, it struck me how “common” Jesus was. It’s so easy – for me at least – to forget that he shared so many common experiences with us; that he was truly both human and divine.)
Luke 2:21-38
Jesus Is Named
21 After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), 24and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;* this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.* 27Guided by the Spirit, Simeon* came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28Simeon* took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant* in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.’
33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34Then Simeon* blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
36 There was also a prophet, Anna* the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child* to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
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