Scripture Reflection - December 29
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Readings: 1 John 2: 3-11; Psalm 96: 1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6; Luke 2: 22-35
From the first moment of his conception, the life of Jesus is taken over by the Holy Spirit who generated Him in the womb of the Virgin Mary and who must generate Him in every other heart. If the Spirit cannot enter a heart, because it is in sin and there is no will to convert, that heart remains forever without Christ. He generates Christ and salvation is accomplished, on the condition that that heart brings to completion its full growth as the true body of its Savior. In the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit will have to be given to the heart through the proclamation of the Word by the disciples of Jesus. Given as a Spirit of conversion, then it will be given by the Apostles of the Lord as the Spirit of sanctification, regeneration, new birth, for a perfect conformation to Christ in life and in death.
Simeon is a just man. The Spirit entered his heart and announced that he would not see death before he met the Christ of God, his Messiah. Jesus is taken to the temple in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit invites Simeon into the house of God and makes him recognize among the many children who is his Messiah. He takes him in his arms and blesses the Lord for this very high grace. Now he can die in peace. Nothing on earth has value to him. His life has reached fulfillment. He saw the expectation of peoples, the salvation of God prepared by him before all peoples, the light that must reveal the true God to the world. Simeon knows who Jesus is. He knows his truth. This most pure light comes in him from the Spirit of God.
Though we are not blessed to encounter this supernatural event of the Incarnation in the same way that Mary and Joseph did, we share their “amazement” and their “wonder and awe” by prayerfully pondering this event. The mystery of Christmas, which is a manifestation of God becoming man, is an event that transcends all time and space. It’s a spiritual reality, an event that our minds of faith have full access to. Just like Mary and Joseph, we must witness the shepherds and Magi and rejoice with Simeon as he gazed upon the newborn Messiah, the Savior of the World.
Therefore, it is right to question our consciences and respond with great honesty. Do we know who Jesus is? What is the way for true faith in Christ to be witnessed to the people? Whoever believes, never stops believing, growing in faith and witnessing Christ before men. Today it is we who are responsible, With Simeon, let us rejoice and offer our praise and thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior.
God bless
Abba Meskel