Lectio Divina, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord February 2, 2025

When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
Mary and Joseph took Jesus 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 Christ 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 the sight of all the peoples:
    a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
        and glory for your people Israel.”

MEDITATE

“This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”

A verse from John comes to mind when I think of Simeon: “The wind blows where it will and you hear its sound, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes. So it is with all born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8). Here is Simeon, an unassuming man, waiting in the Temple for the consolation of Israel. We don’t know much else about him other than that he was righteous and devout. He could have been a beggar, but the Spirit of the Lord dwelt with him, and he knew the truth.

The consolation of Israel can come from one person alone, the savior of the world, the Messiah, the one who was promised to God’s people from the days of Moses. It makes one wonder, how long was Simeon waiting? How many days ended where the prophecy remained unfulfilled? Yet he kept waiting.

What wisdom, patience, and perseverance we can learn from Simeon! How many times have I waited on the Lord, only to give up when I decided I had waited too long? Many people say, “We’ve waited 2,000 years for Christ to return. He had his chance,” and they use this as an excuse to go live the way they want. But how long did the faithful wait for the savior to come in biblical times? According to the biblical timeline, Adam and Eve lived about 4,000 years before Christ. So the people who lived in biblical times had to wait that long before God fulfilled his words to the serpent:

“I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her seed;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”

The striking of the serpent’s heel is often seen as a reference to the crucifixion of Jesus and his ultimate victory over sin, death and the devil. But the faithful, people like Simeon, had to wait 4,000 years! We’ve only been waiting for 2,000 years. It really puts things in perspective, and it takes the foresight of a prophet like Simeon to see the big picture like he did.

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go  in peace … for my eyes have seen your salvation … ”

Traditionally and appropriately, we pray the Canticle of Simeon during Night Prayer as Catholics. It is a fitting reminder that God shows us his salvation every day, whether through the holy sacrifice of the Mass, the love of others, or even just the sun rising and setting with the promise of a new day tomorrow. Simeon waited a long time to see his savior. We can see him every day in church. We can experience the joy he experienced in the Temple by simply going to Mass, where choirs of angels join us to sing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.”

“a light for revelation to the Gentiles”

Decades after the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, Peter and Paul would argue over whether or not Gentiles were also being admitted into the kingdom of heaven. Unless we’re Jewish, the Gentiles are us. It wasn’t clear at first if Jesus was offering salvation to Gentiles along with the Jews, apparently. The Gospel of Luke was written after this quarrel, which can be found in Galatians 2:11-21. Peter, called Cephas in the passage, at first believed salvation belonged to the Jews alone, but was later corrected. Luke traditionally received a great deal of his Gospel from the Virgin Mary, mother of God, who was there at the Presentation, heard the words of Simeon, and could have cleared up the matter for Peter had he just listened to her. Peter, for his part, was humble enough to correct himself. Perhaps this canticle of Simeon, where he said, “my eyes have seen your salvation … a light for revelation to the Gentiles” played a role in convincing Peter that salvation through Christ was also available to those outside the Jewish faith.

PRAY

Lord and Master,

By your grace, I can be a witness of your salvation every day. I can give you glory for saving me, for giving me countless blessings, and for giving me another day to praise you. Simeon was patient in waiting for Israel’s consolation. Mary and Joseph were obedient, following all the Jewish customs. Help me to trust that you will fulfill your word in your time, not mine, and to see that the best way is your way, not mine. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

LISTEN

In order to properly listen to God, we must know his word as Mary and Joseph did. They were also blessed to be part of a community that upheld the traditions of their people. Salvation was offered to all nations because Mary and Joseph listened and obeyed God throughout their lives and, most importantly, throughout Jesus’ childhood. They kept him safe, they raised him in the faith, they followed all the Jewish customs. They listened. It just goes to show, the best way to hear God’s voice is by staying on his path.

Glory Be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

About the Author:

David Kilby is a freelance writer from New Jersey and managing editor of Catholic World Report. He received his undergrad degree in humanities and Catholic culture from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. In addition to working with the Knights of the Holy Eucharist (knights.org), he has served as a journalist for Princeton Packet Publications, and the Trenton Monitor, the magazine for the Diocese of Trenton. Some of his published work can also be found in St. Anthony Messenger, Catholic Herald (UK), and Catholic World Report. Find more of his writing at ramblingspirit.com

Click to purchase the 6mm Pearl Rosary - February Birthstone Amethyst Rosary ✞

Click to purchase the White Pearl and Amethyst Crystal Stretch Bracelet ✞

Click to purchase the Amethyst Crystal Necklace ✞