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3. Presentation of
Jesus in the Temple.
It was a law in
Israel from Moses: a mother who had given birth to her first son had to
bring him to the temple and sacrifice a lamb for him or, if she was too
poor, a pair of turtledoves. When Mary also brought her son to the
temple and sacrificed a pair of turtledoves for him, a pious and
God-fearing man named Simeon came to the temple at the same hour, who
had been waiting so long for the consolation of Israel and had received
the certainty in his heart from God that he would not see death unless
he had first seen the Lord's Christ.
So on the very evening of his life the promise was fulfilled and his
long wait was satisfied. He took the precious child in his arms and
praised God and was so delighted that he cried out to God to let him die
now; he had nothing more pleasant to experience on earth. This is a
wondrous emotion in the human mind. Many pious people, when God filled
their hearts with great joy, have wished to die now. Simeon prayed:
‘Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your
Saviour, whom you have prepared, a light to enlighten the Gentiles, for
the praise of your people Israel.’ But to Mary, the mother of Jesus, he
said: ‘A sword will pierce through your soul.’ Hannah, a very old woman,
also came and praised God and spoke of this child to all who were
present and hoped for salvation. So these pious elderly people rejoiced
at the birth of the mysterious child and at the happiness of posterity,
which they could no longer experience themselves.
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