2.3.19

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.