34 Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “This boy is assigned to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that generates opposition 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your innermost being too.”
Reflection
As I think about what Jesus’ childhood must have been like, I can’t help but think about how much pressure both Mary and Joseph must have felt in knowing they were given the awesome responsibility of nurturing and raising Jesus, God’s Son. Talk about the need for daily courage and strength!
I can imagine that Mary and Joseph where probably just starting to settle down after the whirlwind of events leading up to and surrounding Jesus’ birth. But in keeping with Jewish Law and custom, they brought Jesus to the temple, to present him to the Lord.
Here they encountered Simeon, a man who’d been eagerly waiting his whole life for the restoration of Israel and the coming of the Lord’s Christ. Upon seeing Jesus, Simeon was overcome with emotion, and proclaimed to Mary what Jesus’ purpose in this world would be and how this would affect Mary.
As I read these verses, to me they don’t sound like very comforting words for a new mother. I can only imagine that this statement caused Mary and Joseph some fear and anxiety about what would happen to this child that that they loved so dearly, and what his path in life would mean for them. And yet, Mary and Joseph did not try and hold Jesus back from being who he was created to be and do what he was meant to do. They had the courage to trust God with the child they loved so much.
This passage hits home for me as my children are starting to get to the age of discerning where they feel God calling them in life. I hope I have been and will continue to be as faithful as Mary and Joseph. I pray for the courage to release them to fulfill the call God has placed on their lives, no matter where it may lead!
by Manny Estevez
For Pondering and Prayer
Who has God placed in your life to help them fulfill the purpose God has set for them? Who has helped you, or is continuing to help you fulfill the purpose God has placed on your life?
Prayer: God, you have made every one of us in your image. Help us to nurture the people you have placed in our lives to help them fulfill their calling. Thank you for the people who are helping us become the people you have made us to be. May you give us the strength and courage we need to do your will in this world, so your kingdom may be realized on Earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.