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Firstly, the framing story: These verses, although statistically small, are in fact very important because they indicate the Jewishness of Jesus. We see how orthodox and observant Mary and Joseph were in their religious lives as the author highlights two major requirements of the Law of Moses that they undertake in their visit to the Temple with the infant Christ – the purification of the mother after childbirth (40 days in the case of a boy), and the dedication of the first-born son to God.

The purification of women following childbirth is chronicled in Lev. 12:1-8 where it states that following the birth of a son, a woman is ritually unclean for a period of 40 days in all. Incidentally, in the male dominated, patriarchal society of the time, a daughter was extra trouble for a mother – following the birth of a girl the period was 80 days. What this meant was that the new mother was unable to have any contact with sacred spaces or objects during this time. Presumably, this would mean that a mother, if delivered of a son, could not attend his circumcision on the eighth day since it was a holy rite.

The purification rite also required a sacrifice. In Luke’s account, he speaks of turtle-doves or young pigeons. This is an indication that Mary and Joseph were poor, because turtle-doves or young pigeons were a substitute for a lamb and a pigeon in cases of hardship. Although Lev. 12:6 describes the sacrifice as a sin offering, the kind of reading that appealed to those of the Augustinian and Thomist persuasions that sex of any kind was bad, and who extolled the virtues of virginity. However, many commentators think, and I certainly agree, that more accurate wording in this situation would be purification offering because the sacrifice did not have anything to do with sin per se.

You may think that the observation of a period following childbirth to re-attain ritual purity is nonsense, and something consigned to the dark days of history. However, if you did, you would be incorrect. Up until relatively recently, a similar custom was observed in some branches of the Christian church including our own. Whilst the liturgy of what was called The Churching of Women does not appear in The Shorter Prayer Book those of you who bring your own Prayer Books with you will probably have it. No doubt the liturgy was based on these requirements of the Law of Moses, observed by Mary as is evidenced by the parallels: [I shall read the rubric] The Woman, at the usual time after her delivery, shall come into the Church decently apparelled, and there shall kneel down in some convenient place, as hath been accustomed. At the conclusion, the rubric also states that The Woman that cometh to give her thanks must offer accustomed offerings.  So, like in the passage, there was an appointed time, an appointed place and an appointed sacrifice.

In addition to the purification of Mary, the passage describes the offering of the first-born male child to God. This harks back to the Passover and the escape of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, when all the first-born males, both human and animal, were killed. Only those of the House of Israel with the blood of a sacrifice on their door-posts were spared. As a result of the Israelite first-born males being saved, they were to be offered to God. Ex. 13:15 does, however, indicate that first-born male children may be redeemed for a sum of 5 Shekels (cf. Num. 18:16) so that they may give testimony about God’s goodness and strength wherever their families went. In the case of Jesus, this redemption did not occur. He was not bought-back by His family. A good example of another child who was not redeemed by his family was Samuel who, after his mother had weaned him, went to live in the Temple. (cf. 1 Sam. 1 – 2).

So, the first important point about the reading is that we see in these verses a picture of two young people, Mary and Joseph, who took their religion seriously, observing the requirements of Judaism carefully and faithfully.

The second area of the passage I wish to comment on is the pericope from vv. 25-35 which concerns Simeon, a man who, we are told, is ‘righteous and devout’. Such was Simeon’s faithfulness and holiness that the Holy Spirit had visited him and assured him that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. The Holy Spirit leads Simeon to the Temple when Jesus is being presented and, in so doing, we are presented with a moving scene where an old man now ready to die is holding a six-week-old baby who is, at long last, the consolation of Israel.

Simeon is moved to praise God and exclaims the Holy Spirit’s message that Jesus will be the means of salvation for all people, both Jews and Gentiles. We have already heard his song, (known as Nunc Dimittis after its first two words in Latin tonight) set to the music of Thomas Walmisley.

Amongst the euphoria of this occasion, Simeon then goes outside the Temple to the courtyard where Jesus’ mother, Mary, is waiting. Simeon’s words to Mary indicate that Israel’s consolation and the salvation of the Gentiles will not be without great cost. Jesus will bring truth to light and, in so doing, will cause all who come into contact with Him to make a decision which will have eternal consequences – there is no politically-correct way to describe this decision – it is simple: life or death. It is one’s reaction to Jesus that determines whether the movement of their life is towards or away from God. As much as we may wish to join the name of Jesus only to the positive, satisfying, and blessed things in life, the truth is that anyone who turns on a light creates shadows. This is what is literally meant by ‘making a difference’, and it is the reality that causes many to not be involved in evangelism or, indeed, preaching. After all, who would casually become an accessory in the radical alteration of the lives of others?

Simeon, it could be said, provides a kind of ‘reality check’. He is the one who makes it clear that the life of Jesus and his family will not be immune from difficulty. There will be good times, and bad times. The old man speaks particularly of the kind of pain that Mary will suffer that is like no other – the terrible corruption of the normal order whereby she will have to bury her own child.

And thirdly, Anna. The truth of Simeon’s witness is confirmed by Anna, an elderly prophetess who lived in the Temple and spent her time praising God and fasting. She too is drawn to Jesus and recognises the impact He will have, commenting particularly on the hope of redemption for Jerusalem which, along with the Temple, represent Israel’s hope before God. And Jesus will return to Jerusalem because, as both Anna and Simeon have testified, God is leading Israel to the Messiah, just as God is giving the Messiah to Israel. Unfortunately, the blindness of the people of Jerusalem is demonstrated when Christ returned to the city as no one recognises the Messianic visitation for what it was.

These two aged servants of God, Simeon and Anna, could be said to represent Israel in miniature. They certainly represent it at its best: devout, obedient, constant in prayer, led by the Holy Spirit, at home in the Temple, and longing for the fulfilment of God’s promises. They are ready to, as Simeon sang, ‘depart in peace’ as they know they have seen the Christ, and God has kept His promise. Later in the Gospel, Jesus told the disciples, Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Anna and Simeon are representative of those in Israel who accepted Jesus. Those who rejected Him misunderstood their own tradition and therefore were not capable of recognising Him as the continuation of their historic hopes and expectations.

At the end of the passage, the Holy Family, having kept the Law, return to Nazareth where the Christ child grows in strength, wisdom and divine favour.

A number of things come from this passage which impact on us in our own situations:

Besides the examples of faithfulness and constancy of service, one can see how Christian ministry requires constancy and an awareness of its demands. In praising Jesus, Simeon does not deny that the Messiah’s course will be hard. Indeed, the same could be said for the Messiah’s followers. Ministering in any way in a world hostile to God can mean becoming the objects of hostility and ridicule. If Jesus faces division and rejection, those who follow Him can expect the same. However, it is not all doom and gloom because, despite everything, Jesus triumphs.

To see Jesus is to see God’s salvation. To see Jesus is to see God’s light and revelation. Jesus reveals God’s way to us – although since He is not here in bodily form, He operates through His body on earth, the Church. This, in turn, means that we, members of that body, are in fact little incarnations of Jesus. We do not share in the perfection of Christ, but our testimony to Him should be such that the hope He represents should be seen in us. In our opportunities to serve others, people are given a chance to see Jesus. As He said, Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for Me.

Simeon’s sense of identification with doing God’s will and then surrendering to the timing of his own death showed his absolute commitment to God’s timing. Could we do likewise? Having seen Jesus and known him, Simeon was at peace. Everything in his life paled in comparison. Other details about things he did are inconsequential because he saw the glory of Jesus. For him, as for us, the past means nothing once we see and believe in Jesus the Messiah. In this knowledge and relationship we move onto a higher plateau, away from the old order regardless of its nature.

Simeon knew that he could be content with his life because he had witnessed God’s salvation for himself. He could be content, even in the face of death, because he knew that he had been carrying out the Lord’s call. He goal was, as ours is, to know God with whom we will have a relationship forever. Contentment means knowing the source of life who can help us see even beyond our own death.

Another important point for us to bear in mind is that no one retires from God’s service. The age of Simeon and Anna demonstrates that the term ‘retirement years’ is a misnomer. Indeed, I know many people here in the parish and in other places who have been freed up by retirement to get involved in ministry in a way they never could when they were employed. I also know a number of wonderful ‘prayer warriors’ – and the interesting thing about them is many of them are elderly and infirm, and don’t get around very well, but what a blessing they are to God’s church and people as they faithfully intercede on behalf of many.

Finding contentment doing God’s will is something that we can all attain as we faithfully and carefully undertake the ministries to which he has called us.