Earlier this week we experienced the wonder of Christmas, through worship and song on Christmas Eve, and celebrations with family and friends. We remembered the story of Jesus’ birth, the promise of salvation, the light that dispels the darkness, the hope of peace, and the gift of eternal love. God showed up in an unexpected way, as a vulnerable baby, in a stable. According to earthly standards, he had no status, no power, and no wealth. I still marvel at the gift that God gave us – that he came to experience life as we do – all the joys and sorrows, to show us how to love, and to reconcile us to God.

Today, we continue the story of the life of Jesus as we encounter Simeon and Anna at the temple where Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to present him to God. I am going to lead you through this scripture a little differently than I normally would by taking a look at this story through the lives of each character: Mary and Joseph, Simeon, Anna, and Jesus. We are going to examine the themes of waiting, hope, and faith, and their encounters with divine presence.

Let’s begin with Mary and Joseph. They brought Jesus to the temple to present him to God. They were acting as pious observers of Jewish law by bringing Jesus to the temple. This act of dedicating the first born male is connected to the Exodus and God’s plan for salvation.  They also brought a sacrifice of two turtle doves. The sacrifice would have been presented for purification.  The typical sacrifice would have been a lamb but two turtle doves were sufficient if you didn’t have enough resources to obtain a lamb.  So, from their sacrifice, and the other stories we know about Mary and Joseph, we can assume that they are poor.  Also, they just finished traveling from Nazareth to Jerusalem to Bethlehem and back to Jerusalem. This is likely within the first forty days of Jesus’ life. They must be exhausted both physically and emotionally.  And yet, they are persistently faithful.  They are faithful in following the Jewish laws. They are faithful in presenting Jesus and offering a sacrifice.  Can you imagine having that kind of faith to make such an arduous journey with a newborn?

Next, we encounter Simeon. Luke says Simeon was righteous and devout and that he eagerly anticipated the restoration of Israel. And, the Holy Spirit was upon him. Verse 26 says, “The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he wouldn’t die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” Simeon has been waiting with patient hope for the Messiah, the Savior. And now that hope has been fulfilled. Simeon, led by the Spirit, went to the temple and brought Jesus into his arms and then praised God. His song of praise is called “Nunc Dimittis” which means “now you are dismissing”. Simeon is now being dismissed from his role of waiting for the Messiah, because he has seen God’s salvation. His song speaks of himself as a servant being released. He speaks to the liberating power of Jesus’ salvation. A salvation that is universal in scope, for all peoples, a light to the Gentiles.  

What an amazing experience. Can you imagine waiting for decades to witness and welcome God’s salvation to the world and then finally getting to literally hold God’s light to the nations? Simeon’s years of patient and hopeful waiting led him to encounter God’s divine presence in the flesh.

Simeon blesses Mary and Joseph and then provides a sober warning to Mary. He warns her that Jesus will cause many to fall and rise, that he will generate opposition, and that her innermost being will be pierced with a sword.  The journey will not be easy and without suffering. And Mary and Joseph are just beginning their years of faithful waiting knowing that what lies ahead will not be easy.  This is a reminder that although we’ve received the light of the world, we still wait for the day of complete reconciliation. While we know the hope in Christ, we still wait for the fullness of salvation. Like Mary and Joseph, our lives will not be without suffering.

This brings us to Anna, an 84-year old widow and prophet. A faithful servant full of patient hope. She never left the temple, worshiping God with fasting and prayer night and day. Anna reminds us of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, who sacrifices and prays to God for a son. When she is blessed with Samuel, she brings him to the temple and dedicates him to the Lord. Anna, likewise, is devoted to God and waits in the temple for God’s salvation. And while Simeon praised God and spoke with Mary and Joseph, Anna praised God and began to speak to everyone in the temple about Jesus. She encountered the living presence of God and began telling everyone about it. Now the Word of God becomes public in a new way through Anna’s sharing of the Good News.

I assume since it was part of the Jewish law and customs that the presentation of baby boys to God was a regular, ordinary occurrence. It wouldn’t have been some special event. There were no angels announcing Jesus’ presence or stars guiding the way.  It was a regular day at the temple. And in that regular, ordinary event, something extraordinary happened. Simeon and Anna encountered God, the saviour of the world. This ordinary moment became a sacred encounter. 

The passage from Psalm 130, verses 5 – 6, reminds me of the hopeful and expectant waiting that Simeon and Anna practiced as they waited for their sacred encounter with God.

I hope, Lord.

My whole being hopes,

    and I wait for God’s promise.

My whole being waits for my Lord-

  more than the night watch

    waits for the morning;

  yes, more than the night watch

    waits for the morning!

Verses 7-8 follow with a call to Israel to wait;  a call for us to wait.

Israel, wait for the Lord!

  Because faithful love is with the Lord;

  because great redemption 

    is with our God!

He is the one who will redeem Israel

  from all its sin.

This call to participate in waiting for the Lord brings us to Jesus. Jesus is brought to the temple to be presented to the Lord in accordance with Jewish law. But I think it was also by God’s design that Simeon and Anna, faithful servants, would encounter the savior of the world. Simeon reminds us that Jesus is a light for the world, the salvation for all peoples. This is who Simeon and Anna, and all the other people at the temple encountered, Jesus, Emmanuel, God in flesh, an innocent, precious infant. God didn’t come as a warrior, wielding power and might. God came in weakness so that we might have strength. God came as an infant to elicit love, and nurture tenderness, not to crush Rome. This is the Jesus we encounter at the temple. This is a reminder of who God is.

So, what do the stories of Simeon and Anna mean for us and how we live out our faith?

First, I think we meet God in the faithful waiting. In the act of praying and fasting and communing with God, Simeon and Anna are opened up to seeing God’s activity in their lives and in the world. Their waiting and devotion to God, opens them up to encountering the divine presence. I think we often miss God in our inability to be still. Can you imagine if Simeon and Anna were too busy ordering the affairs of the temple that they missed Jesus? Or what if they ignored God’s promptings and weren’t even at the temple that day? They would have missed their encounter with God’s divine presence. Waiting and yearning is actually an opportunity to experience God’s fuller presence.  I’ll acknowledge that I’m not the best at sitting still or waiting. I like to keep busy.  However, I can recall certain times in my life where I’ve taken intentional time to pray and connect with God on a deeper level, and every time I’ve encountered God. I don’t think God showed up because I decided to quiet my soul and wait. I think God is already there but when I’m busy, I miss him. I encourage you to develop some sort of regular practice to quiet your soul, connect with God, and wait for God’s presence.  

The second thing I think we can learn from this story is to recognize that we live in the already / not yet. The savior has arrived. Jesus has come.  I love these words from our communion liturgy that remind us of what Jesus did for us, “he delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.” We have been forgiven and reconciled to God. And, we live in the not yet. We live in a broken world, where sin, suffering, wars, and greed remain. Like Mary, we know that we will continue to experience suffering. And like Mary, Simeon, and Anna, we are called to wait with patient hope for the full realization of God’s kingdom on earth.

The last thing I think we can learn from this story is that we are called to sing and tell of God’s salvation for all to hear.  Both Simeon and Anna upon encountering Jesus, sang praises to God and told others about the salvation found through Jesus. An encounter with God changes us. When we encounter God’s light and love, we are changed. We are filled with God’s light. And we are not meant to hide that light, but to shine it for all to see, so that they may know the life-changing grace of God.

As you reflect on 2024 and prepare to begin a new year, I invite you to wait on the Lord, draw near to God, and shine God’s light for all to see. Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Let’s draw near to God so that God’s light can shine for all to see. Will you pray with me?

God of light and love, we thank you for the gift of Jesus, for the forgiveness of our sins, for the examples of your faithful servants Simeon and Anna. Help us to draw near to you, and wait with patient hope. We seek to encounter your life-changing presence. Amen.