"Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel."
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel."
In today’s gospel the old man Simeon celebrates the end of an era in Salvation History, and the beginning of another. The hopes and expectations of the Jews were fulfilled in Jesus, whether they knew it or not. With his birth, teaching, miracles, Last Supper, passion, death, Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost Jesus turned Judaism inside out and gave it to the world.
Christianity is not a sect, reform or destruction of the old religion. Rather, Jesus is the fulfillment and glory of Israel. As Saint Luke compiled the Acts of Jesus and the Acts of the Apostles, he saw everything that is beautiful about Judaism fulfilled, satisfied, blessed and glorified. The new faith born of the old seed would spread like a tree in a wide open field to cover the Earth, enclosing both Jews and gentiles.
As we approach the end of the calendar year, we do well to thank God for the blessings of the past. They have been more than we ever expected or deserved. We realize we have often stood under a waterfall and complained of being thirsty; that is, we have failed to receive many of God’s freely-given graces. But, if the past was wonderful, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!” The best is yet to come.
“Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” And so we open our hearts to the New Year, 2013, blossoming before us.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.