THE SONG OF SIMEON, THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST, AND THE GREEK OLD TESTAMENT

Gabe Martini

February 2nd marks the celebration of one of the twelve Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church year: The Presentation (or Meeting) of Christ in the Temple.

This is a feast that recalls the Gospel story of the infant Christ being presented to the elder Simeon in the temple (Luke 2:25-32), a man of great age. The Nunc dimittis or Song of Simeon is a recorded response as this old, frail servant of the Lord beholds the incarnate Lord of Glory for the very first time. In this moment, he knew his life was complete; he had fulfilled his purpose.

THE ORTHODOX SAINT VALENTINE

The ancient martyrology of the Church of Rome marks February 14th as the remembrance of "the martyr Valentine, presbyter of Rome" (Valentinus means "vigorous" in Latin). Unfortunately the historical data for the Saint is incomplete. 

The Martyrdom of the Saint in Rome 

Saint Valentine lived in Rome in the third century and was a priest who helped the martyrs during the persecution of Emperor Claudius II the Goth. The great virtue and catechetical activities of the Saint had become familiar. For this he was arrested and brought before the imperial court. 

"Why, Valentine, do you want to be a friend of our enemies and reject our friendship?" asked the emperor. 

The Saint replied "My lord, if you knew the gift of God, you would be happy together with your empire and would reject the worship of idols and worship the true God and His Son Jesus Christ." 

THE MEETING OF THE LORD

Byzantine icon of the XV century.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

On the fortieth day following the Nativity, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, as was customary according to the Law of Moses, brought the Infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, and Simeon and Anna, the prophets of Israel, being instructed by the Holy Spirit, met Him as the promised Christ the Saviour. And Saint Simeon the God­Receiver foretold to the Mother of God:Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed (Luke 2:34­35).

THE MEETING OF OUR LORD

Archbishop Dmitri (Royster)

On February 2nd the Church celebrates the great feast of The Meeting of our Lord in the Temple. The Gospel lesson for that day relates how the mother of Jesus brought Him to the temple, as was the custom and requirement under the God-given Law of Moses, of Israel (Exodus 13:2, 12; Leviticus 12:2-8). When the righteous Simeon, who received Christ in his arms at the temple, saw the child he knew immediately that this was the Redeemer promised by all of Israel’s prophecies, for the elder was inspired by the Holy Spirit (Luke 2:26-27). Being inspired he himself uttered prophetic words which form the hymn sung or chanted at the end of every Vespers service: "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared before the face of Thy people, a light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32).

THE MEETING OF THE LORD

As with all of the sacred events celebrated by the twelve great feasts, the Meeting of the Lord also is so rich in content that it is difficult immediately to grasp it. Let us dwell in thought only as it were on the historical meaning of the event.

On the day of the Meeting of the Lord, an encounter occurred between the Old and New Testaments. Old Testament humanity ­ in the person of the Elder Simeon and the Prophetess Anna ­ saw with it's own eyes, in the Person of the Child Jesus, the realization of all its expectations and the meaning of its own existence. Old Testament humanity, although it was not deprived of Divine Revelation concerning the meaning of life and even had communion with God to a limited extent, all the same, became increasingly more conscious of the limited degree of this communion. This humanity, through its best representatives, thirsted for something greater, and unto these people ­ the best of the Old Testament ­ God gradually revealed that in the future the fullness of good and the fullness of communion with God would be given, so that the spiritual thirst of humanity would be satisfied. Gradually, to the ancient prophets was revealed the mystery concerning the future appearance of the Messiah, the special Anointed of God, the Bearer of Supreme Truth.

HOMILY ON THE MEETING OF THE LORD

St. Theophan the Recluse

What a tender scene the Meeting of the Lord shows us! The venerable elder Simeon, holding the infant God in his hands, on either side of him are the righteous Joseph and the Most Holy Mother of God. Not far away is the Prophetess Anna, an eighty-year-old faster and woman of prayer. Their eyes are all directed toward the Savior. Their attention is absorbed by Him and they drink in spiritual sweetness from Him, which feeds their souls. You can judge for yourself how blessed was the state of these souls!

SERMON FOR THE SUNDAY AFTER THEOPHANY

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)

Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matt. 4:17)

With these profound and holy words, the incarnate Word began His preaching to fallen mankind. Outwardly, such simple teaching! But one must understand it with his very life: then these short and simple words which are contained in all of the Gospel will be revealed. Just as the holy Apostle Paul, when preaching the Gospel, which he did throughout almost all the known world, said that he testified “both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).

Discourse on the Reception of the Lord

Symeon, the Last of the Righteous

Since we shall not have enough time to mention the virtues of all the saints, let’s get to know the last of the righteous in this homily of ours. Who was the last of the righteous? The name of Symeon is to be found in the Gospel according to Saint Luke. He’s considered to be the first and the last: the last of the representatives of the Jewish Law and the first of those of the Law of divine grace. He was a Jew as regards religion, but a Christian as regards his gratitude towards God; a lawyer as regards his reading of the Law, but an angel as regards his understanding of it. 

Living the Life That Wells Forth Unto Life Eternal

Metropolitan John (Wendland) of Yaroslavl and Rostov (+1989) 

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!

For thirty years our Lord Jesus Christ did not reveal Himself in any way; He lived a domestic life.

At that time a special movement was underway in the people, which we now might call mass Baptism. People approached John the Baptist and received from him the ritual side of Baptism, that is, immersion in water. St. John the Baptist warned people that his Baptism was not sacramental: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance (Matthew 3:11).

He prophesied of Christ, saying that Christ would accomplish, along with Baptism, man’s complete rebirth: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire (Matthew 3:11).

The Reception of the Lord in the Temple (Candlemas)

Metropolitan Nikodemos (Vallindras) of Patras

With great emotion, Symeon the righteous holds the divine infant in his arms. His heart is inundated with joy. His gaze is fixed upon the heavens and his lips move devoutly, in the fervent prayer which has risen to his mouth at that blessed moment: “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart…”. This thrice-blessed elder then turns to Our Most Holy Lady, to tell her words of great moment. With the air of a prophet illumined by the spirit of God revealing the will of the Most High, he says, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign gainsaid”. 

Α Sermon for Reception’s Feast

SERMON IV (abridged).

This text is an abridgment of a sermon preached in 1626 by John Donne, Dean of Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London. Although it was actually delivered on Christmas Day, it seems equally appropriate to the Reception*, or indeed any manifestation (epiphany) of Christ’s presence. Donne was a leading figure among the Metaphysical Poets (17th century), and the influence of their “conceits” of comparison is evident here.