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 The
Creator of the Law, in fulfillment of the Law, was brought to the Temple
and presented to the Lord, for the external aspect of this great event
in the Gospel narrative was in conformity with the rules laid down in
the Old Testament. The Lord said to Moses, "Consecrate to Me all
the first born; whatever is the first to open the womb among the people
of Israel, both of man and of beast is Mine.... And when in time to come
your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him, 'By strength
of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of bondage. For
when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord slew all the first-born
in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man and the first-born of
cattle. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open
the womb; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem' (Ex. 13:1-2, 14-15).
And so Mary and Joseph came after forty days of purification to the Temple
to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord,
"a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons" (Luke 2:24). The
original Old Testament prescription that the firstborn must be consecrated
to the service of the Lord was now done by substitution: ...the firstborn
of man you shall redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts you shall
redeem. And their redemption price (at a month old you shall redeem them)
you shall fix at five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the
sanctuary... (Num. 18:15-16). These five shekels evidently symbolized
the coming redemption of us by the Savior - His five wounds on the Cross.
The harsh way of the Cross, portent with profound significance, brought
Son and Mother, the God-Man and she who is "more honorable than the
Cherubim and more glorious, beyond compare, than the Seraphim," meekly
to the Temple at Jerusalem, and the Liberator and Redeemer of the world
was Himself redeemed for so trifling a sum.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man
was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the
Holy Spirit was upon him And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And
inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought
in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law,
he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now lettest
Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word" (Luke 2:25-29).
This was the crossroads between the Old Testament and the New. St. Simeon
symbolizes the departing Old Testament, exemplified by men of righteousness
and prophets who in spite of all their doubts and searchings entertained
the firmest faith in what had been foretold of the promised salvation.
The righteous Simeon took Him up in his arms, and the Old and New Testaments
stood together: the Old, departing, held in its arms and blessed the New.
This was unity and continuity, a direct link and a development; the Law
and the promised manifestation of the Grace of God as His Only-Begotten
Son, the Redeemer.
To Simeon the God-Receiver was granted more than had been granted to any
other man before him: he held the Almighty in his arms, and to him were
revealed both the Glory and the Way of the Cross of his God: "for
mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared before the
face of all people, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and to be the glory
of Thy people Israel/' And His father and His mother marveled at what
was said about Him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother,
"Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel,
and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through
your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed"
(Luke 2:30-35). Thus, for the first time, the Most-Holy Mary was forewarned
that there would be no end to the thorns and trials of her life, that
her Son, while bringing light and spiritual renewal to all peoples, would
Himself be so persecuted that a sword will pierce through your own soul
also.
The Lord wished for moral harmony in spreading abroad this holy news,
and so He wished a woman, too, to repeat what had been said by Simeon;
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe
of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven
years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She
did not depart from the Temple, worshipping with fasting and prayer night
and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to Cod, and spoke
of Him to all who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem (Luke 2:36-38).
 Just
as in Palestine in ancient times, we bring our children on the fortieth
day to be presented to the Lord; but in contrast to the Israelites, we
bring children of either sex. In the Presentation, Christ, the Firstborn
of all the human race. Creator of the New Church and of the New Testament,
filled the old rites with a new content. By bringing our children to church
like the Most-Pure Virgin Mary, we bind them over to God. Baptized and
sanctified by grace, our children, by being made members of the Church,
take their first steps upon the way of grace and the way of the Cross
that lies before those who would follow Christ.
So we must go out to meet Christ and receive Him, taking Him into the
arms of our souls, begging leave for sin to depart from us that we may
live our lives in peace and tranquility, free of the agitations of evil.
St. Simeon gave us an example of how firmly to follow the path of a righteous
life, filled with the expectation of a meeting with the Lord.
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)
Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, Full of Grace! From you shone the Sun of
Righteousness, Christ our God, enlightening those who sat in darkness!
Rejoice and be glad, O righteous Elder; you accepted in your arms the
Redeemer of our souls, Who grants us the Resurrection.
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 1)
By Thy Nativity, Thou didst sanctify the Virgin's womb and didst bless
Simeon's hands, O Christ God. Now Thou hast come and saved us through
love. Grant peace to all Orthodox Christians, O only Lover of Man! |
