The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the power of love even as we struggle with conflict in our relationships.
The reading from the First Letter of John presents Christ and His Commandments.
* [2:3–6] The way we may be sure: to those who claim, “I have known Christ and therefore I know him,” our author insists on not mere intellectual knowledge but obedience to God’s commandments in a life conformed to the example of Christ; this confirms our knowledge of him and is the love of God…perfected. Disparity between moral life and the commandments proves improper belief.
* [2:7–11] The author expresses the continuity and freshness of mutual charity in Christian experience. Through Christ the commandment of love has become the light defeating the darkness of evil in a new age. All hatred as darkness is incompatible with the light and Christian life. Note also the characteristic Johannine polemic in which a positive assertion is emphasized by the negative statement of its opposite. (1 John, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)
Psalm 96 offers praise to God Who Comes in Judgement.
* [Psalm 96] A hymn inviting all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God (Ps 96:1–3), who is the sole God (Ps 96:4–6). To the just ruler of all belongs worship (Ps 96:7–10); even inanimate creation is to offer praise (Ps 96:11–13). This Psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Is 40–55, as does Ps 98. Another version of the Psalm is 1 Chr 16:23–33. (Psalms, PSALM 96, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is presented in the Temple.
* [2:25] Awaiting the consolation of Israel: Simeon here and later Anna who speak about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem represent the hopes and expectations of faithful and devout Jews who at this time were looking forward to the restoration of God’s rule in Israel. The birth of Jesus brings these hopes to fulfillment.
* [2:35] (And you yourself a sword will pierce): Mary herself will not be untouched by the various reactions to the role of Jesus (Lk 2:34). Her blessedness as mother of the Lord will be challenged by her son who describes true blessedness as “hearing the word of God and observing it” (Lk 11:27–28 and Lk 8:20–21). (Luke, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)
Andy Alexander, S.J. (2008) comments that Simeon's hope is not naive. And so he instructs Joseph and Mary in its depths. There will be people who contradict this vision of unity and peace. They will choose being unique and special, being chosen and righteous over being inclusive and forgiving. And, of course, Mary's own heart will be part of the suffering that is the cost of discipleship. To see her precious son so rejected would be like a sword piercing her own heart. Simeon himself could not have imagined how true that would be as she would behold his heart opened with a lance on the cross.
The poor couple, who could only afford two small birds for their offering, came home blessed. We can only imagine what they taught their child about being a light for all people, about unity and forgiveness, about trust in God and sacrifice. When Jesus was led into the desert by the same Spirit that was with Simeon, he was ready for his mission.
Dear Lord, Jesus, we thank you for your becoming one with us. We thank you for these days to help us continue to understand and embrace your coming. We thank you for being light in our darkness. We thank you for these scriptures which help us see what you wish to reveal to us. So we ask you today to heal whatever darkness might be left over after Christmas. Restore your own peace in our hearts. Let your Spirit lead us to the places where we can reveal your light to others. Prepare us for the swords that will pierce our hearts as we give ourselves to being your disciples for others. (Alexander, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Simeon and Anna represent both sexes awaiting their Redeemer,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.
"Simeon and Anna, a man and a woman of advanced age, greeted the Lord with the devoted services of their professions of faith. As they saw him, he was small in body, but they understood him to be great in his divinity. Figuratively speaking, this denotes the synagogue, the Jewish people, who, wearied by the long awaiting of his incarnation, were ready with both their arms (their pious actions) and their voices (their unfeigned faith) to exalt and magnify him as soon as he came. They were ready to acclaim him and say, 'Direct me in your truth and teach me, for you are my saving God, and for you I have waited all the day' (Psalm 25:5). What needs to be mentioned, too, is that deservedly both sexes hurried to meet him, offering congratulations, since he appeared as the Redeemer of both." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.18) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 2:22-35 comments that even though we aren’t waiting to see Jesus in the Temple, we can still have this same expectant attitude every day as we wait for him to reveal himself to us. We can look for his peace in an otherwise tumultuous situation. We can try to recognize his hand at work when a door opens to share our faith. Or we can find him present in the kindness of a friend who reaches out to spend time with us. And most important, we can find him in the quiet of our prayer and the joy of our Eucharistic celebrations.
Wherever you find yourself today, try to be like Simeon. Even if you are really busy or confronted with unexpected happenings, keep looking and waiting for Jesus to reveal himself. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and to help you be attentive. And even if you forget and get caught up in the activities of the day, you can always take a minute before bedtime and ask the Lord to show you the ways in which he was present. The more expectant you are in looking and waiting for him, the more you’ll see his hand in your life.
“Lord, thank you for helping me to recognize your presence today.” (Meditation on Luke 2:22-35, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler discusses the role of keeping the commandments in the First Letter of John in connection to the sense of spiritual superiority expressed by the Docetists. The commandments are treated not so much as legal prescriptions but as guides for loving one another and helping them. Friar Jude reminds us of the conflict in Mary’s thoughts as one who prayed “the Shema Israel,” and miraculously birthed the “Son of God.”
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, illustrates our inherent union with God—and the small self that keeps us separate.
Now, that’s a pretty strong statement about us and the choices we make from that unnecessary state of separateness. We have never been separate from God except in our thoughts, but our thoughts don’t make it true! Nor are we separate from anyone else. Whatever separates us from one another—nationality, religion, ethnicity, economics, language—those are all just accidentals that will all pass away. We are One in God, with Christ and with one another. “I am the vine and you are the branches” (John 15:5). If only we could live that way every hour!
We all pull back into ourselves. We pout and complain and resent and fear. That’s what the little self does. The little self, the branch cut off from the vine, can do nothing according to this gospel. So Jesus says, “Remain in me as I remain in you” (John 15:4). The promise is constant from God’s side. The only question is from our side. Do we choose to live in that union? Every time we do something with respect, with love, with sympathy, with compassion, with caring, with service, we are operating in union. (Rohr, 2022)
We are witnesses to the love and promise of Christ and the conflict with the tendency of our small self to prefer “taking care of number one.”
References
Alexander, A. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved December 29, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/122922.html
Luke, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 29, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/2
Meditation on Luke 2:22-35. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 29, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/12/29/569305/
1 John, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 29, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/2?3
Psalms, PSALM 96. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 29, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/96?1
Rohr, R. (2022, December 29). Remaining in Communion — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 29, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/remaining-in-communion-2022-12-29/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture ... Retrieved December 29, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=dec29
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