There’s a
certain morbidity to the Christian religion, which has been criticized by some
and embraced by others, including those with Goth sensibilities. Simeon comes
off as morbid in a couple different ways. He basically says “thank you God now
I can die in peace,” a prayer many Christians repeat nightly before bed. He’s
also well aware that the messiah will be opposed and bring down people as well
as lift them up. But morbid or not Simeon knows some things need to die.
Perhaps even the idea that women are not fit to enter the presence of God until
40 days after they give birth.
Quite
honestly, I had no idea until quite recently that the purification mentioned in
verse 22 referred to Mary’s purification. In fact if Jesus had not been the
first born, he would not have been brought to the Temple. Mary would have to go
every time she gave birth though. By the way, women were not considered fit to
be in the presence of God for 66 days if they had a girl, over twice as long as
having a boy.
Of course
the irony of this all is that God was covered in this unclean blood Mary shed
when she gave birth. Our nativities always show the babe in swaddling clothes
all cleaned up, but the birth was a fully human birth, with blood and screaming
and pain. And the incarnation made all of that sanctified. As we read in Hebrews, “Because He himself
was tested by what He suffered; He is able to help those who are being tested.”
While yes, that’s no doubt a reference to the crucifix, and well, most of us
have no memory of the trauma of birth, God did not shy away from this unclean
blood.
Jesus even
commanded His disciples to drink His blood, clearly stating that blood was now
clean. Jesus says that he did not abolish the law, but fulfilled it. Much of
the law was completed. The Christ event purified all creation. There was no
longer separation from God. And of course, those who were invested in
maintaining the purity sacrifices opposed this. Their inner thoughts were
indeed revealed.
A sword will
pierce your own soul are Simeon’s final words to Mary. The seven sorrows of
Mary are even depicted as swords in her heart. But I wonder if Simeon is
referring to Mary’s moment of weakness where she tries to take charge of Jesus
thinking that He is out of His mind. Her innermost thoughts, at least for a
time, opposed the Christ.
There is a
human tendency, I think, to begrudge people their freedom. I had to go through
months of purification, now you’re telling me these young mothers never will
have to? That’s so not fair! Hence parables like the Prodigal son, or the
laborers who all get paid the same. How grateful we are that not all our inner
thoughts get revealed.
There’s a
saying though, that we’re as sick as our secrets. The seal of the confessional
is a truly sacred thing, a sacrament that is out of favor but I believe very
useful. We get the chance to voice our innermost thoughts, our secrets, bring
them to the light, and not let them fester into sickness.
And so
before he gave Mary her warning, Simeon spoke his innermost thoughts aloud. I’ll
repeat it as it appears in the Compline service, a translation I prefer to the
one read in the Gospel tonight: Lord, you now have set your servant free to go
in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior,
whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the
nations, and the glory of your people Israel.
Jesus’ light
was too bright for many to see, and many oppose it still to this day. For
Simeon, seeing the light was the culmination of his life. It was time for him
to pass on. Not because he was a priest as some suggest, which would mean the
service he just preformed was now obsolete. Not because he was no longer useful
or needed, but because his life was fulfilled.
For those
who pray compline it’s the culmination of our day. A chance to ask ourselves,
where did we see the light of Jesus during our day? To reflect on how distance
from God only exists in the minds of those who oppose this light. And for
today, to reflect on the freedom that light brought to women. I wish the new
testament was a lot more explicit about this freedom. But it’s there, in the blood of Christ.
