When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, … and to offer the sacrifice. … Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them.   

"Something is happening. Everything’s different but everything’s fine. This is the good stuff. You gotta talk to the One who made you, talk to the One who understands, talk to the One who gave you all that light in your eyes. No use pretending. You never existed until you saw the light. You’re just beginning. You haven’t missed it—it’s all ahead of you, and you know what to do. Here comes the world and she is beautifully mysterious. She’s got it all and you say ‘give it to me.’ Thank you, thank you." 

Luke’s principal reason for including in his Gospel the presentation of Jesus in the temple was to give the message of Simeon. That message was that he had seen the person who would give salvation, he had seen the savior promised into the world, he had seen the light prepared from the beginning of time. He had seen what was important in this life, and now he could leave this world because he was now ready for the next.

The person in Sheryl Crow’s song “Light In Your Eyes” has also seen the light, and now everything’s different, and everything’s fine. As a result, she believes that she and her world have to communicate with that Light: “You gotta talk to the One who made you,” she sings. She says: “This is the good stuff,” this is what is important in life.

Once Simeon had experienced what he considered important in this life, there was no need to worry about this life anymore. Once the person in Sheryl Crow's song had experienced what was important in her life, she could only thank the One who had given it to her. We are called to look at our lives, and realize that we have been given the Light, and it should do something about our outlook on life right now.

THOUGHT
 
PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we believe that you have given us your Son as the light of our lives, the light of our eyes. Give us the grace to live our lives guided by that light. Be with us, we pray. 

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©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America