DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Thursday, November 29, 2018

The old, priest Simeon took the infant Jesus in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Master, now You are dismissing your servant in peace, according to Your word;
for my eyes have seen Your Salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel.” – Luke 2:28-32

An old man.  A devout priest.  A fellow-sufferer in these times of the Roman occupation.  An aging man of God whose eyes were beginning to him, holds an infant in his arms.  And there is joy; an uncommon joy, not so much the joy of something already accomplished, but the joy o f soon to arrive salvation.  A nation would be saved in order to become as guiding, inspiring Light for even these Roman governors and their soldiers. They were not to be mighty conquerors such as they once were and these Gentiles now were, but rather they would serve as the radiance of God to the nations all around them.

The old priest after decades of prayerful waiting would behold the Hope, a Hope that would not be fulfilled in his remaining years, but still a new Hope near approaching.  And this brought him joy to know that God had been long preparing for this rescue and relief, patiently waiting for that coming together that comes in the fullness of Time.

I find this moment when the very old embraces the very young to be a most Beautiful Christmas Moment.  If for no other reason … we witness the coming together of all things new and all things old, the hope of worn-out, human souls being embraced by the Hope Divine.

Always in Christ’s Service,

Fr. Charitas de la Cruz