Rise within us like the star
And make us restless
Till we journey on
To seek our peace in you
Song “Go tell it on the mountain” https://youtu.be/9rXLTgfWdPk
The Lord’s Prayer in our own language
Reflection on Luke 2v22-40
The naming of Jesus and his presentation in the temple, is followed by the prophesies of Simeon and Anna. They recognise who this baby really is. This story, with its setting in Jerusalem and the temple, places Jesus in the cultural context of the religious and social life of Israel. His parents fulfil the requirements of the law.
The lifting of Mary's ceremonial uncleanness required the sacrifice of a lamb as well as a dove or pigeon, but the poor could substitute a pigeon for the lamb.
The Levites are God's firstborn possession and the firstborn son is now redeemed by the payment of 5 shekels to a priest anywhere (Num.8:17f). Mary and Joseph make their response public and go to the temple. The source is Palestinian probably from Marys family. There is a hymn, v29-32 and a prophecy, v34-35.
In Judaism, a woman was unclean for seven days after the birth of a son. Then for 40 days she cannot visit or take part in any religious activities (80 days for a girl child). After this period, she is expected to offer a sacrifice to wash away her uncleanness - a pair of doves for a poor family. Also, since a firstborn child belongs to God, it is necessary to pay a ransom to a priest Neh.10:35-36. Being close to Jerusalem, Joseph and Mary performed their religious duty at the temple. Meanwhile, she must not touch anything holy, or enter the temple, cf., Lev.12.
At the temple there lived a godly man named Simeon. He was waiting for the dawning of the kingdom of God - "the consolation of Israel". The Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he saw the messiah. He now sees the fulfilment of this promise, and, in the power of the Spirit, utters a prophecy concerning Jesus. His spiritual sensitivity led him to enter the outer temple courts (appropriate for women) at just the time when Jesus' family entered.
Simon bursts into prophetic praise / prayer, praise to the baby Messiah. He thanks God that in his old age he has seen the fulfilment of God's promise to him; he has seen the messiah and so now his long wait for the great day of the Lord is at an end.
This hymn, known in Latin as the Nunc Dimittis, uses much the same language as the Magnificat.
Joseph and Mary are amazed (perplexed?) by what Simeon says. Simeon's words address the future of Israel, a future where the self-righteous will fall down and the humble will rise up and this in the face of God's coming messiah; "this child will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand",
"And a sword will pierce through your own soul also". Mary will be burdened with her own pain. Simeon is addressing Mary.
Anna, a devout widow, recognises that the baby Jesus will realise the messianic hopes of Israel and responds in praise and proclamation. A prophet is a person specially endowed to tell forth the word of God. She was very old and of good lineage. Anna's ministry to God in the temple, was expressed in prayer and fasting. She was regularly in the temple, although probably not sleeping in it. Anna speaks for a select group, waiting for the redemption of Israel, Isa.59:9.
The family return to Galilee, having completed all their duties under the law, to Nazareth. The implication is that they have called into Jerusalem while traveling from Bethlehem to Nazareth. Jesus grew strong and wise.
The bible stories are full of the significance of endings and beginnings. There can be no new beginnings without endings.
Our own lives are similarly full of endings and beginnings. We have to adjust to these changes and our emotional health depends on how we learn to negotiate these transitions.
There can be no resurrection without a death, no new beginnings without letting go of old ways of being, of old wounds, old relationships, old places.
The New Year gives us a chance to clean out the old and usher in the new, not in a superstitious way but looking forward to the best God can offer us, ready to embrace the new, and while learning from the old, leaving it behind.
For Mary and Joseph, the consequences of caring for their baby, meant becoming asylum seekers and refugees. The Christmas story moves from the gentleness of the incarnation to the harsh reality of life.
Joseph and Mary flee Bethlehem and their people and go to a strange land that did not know them. They became aliens, immigrants forced to flee. For the families in Bethlehem and surrounding communities the consequences were much worse. Small children were slaughtered because a ruler was tricked by some wise elders from a distant tribe. There was blood everywhere. The consequence of human anger with access to absolute power is clear in our Gospel today and reminds us of the responsibility we have to the innocent and those seeking asylum from tyrant rulers.
We are called to witness in this same world, full of terror, in which angry leaders still destroy innocent lives. Jesus came into the midst of terror and enters into our terror. And we, like Mary and Joseph, are called to move out from soft places, from warm rooms and safe havens, to the places where innocents are destroyed and carry God incarnate, to strange places. God in us, empowers us to listen to angels, to turn away from the comforting familiar.
Here is our call, our responsibility this Christmastide and all through the year. God encourages us to face the powerful, to protect the vulnerable and the needy. God challenges us to see his face in each refugee, each immigrant, every stranger. The Prince of Peace calls us to look away from the comfortable and to see the suffering and terror in our world. Christmas is a time not just of looking in and being with our families but also of looking out, seeking the family which has been left outside, bringing home those who are refugees and strangers.
As God works around us this year it will be with the same mix of divine intervention, danger and tragedy as the Christmas story
Song “Who would think that what was needed”
Our prayers for others
Take us to Bethlehem
House of bread
Where the empty are filled
The poor find riches
And the rich recognise their poverty
Where all kneel, worship
And are fed.
Amen
With thanks to © Janet Morley adapted
