“Joy - Longing Fulfilled” by Colleen O’Sullivan

“Joy - Longing Fulfilled” by Colleen O’Sullivan

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

And yet I do write a new commandment to you, which holds true in him and among you, for the darkness is passing away, and the true Light is already shining.  Whoever says he is in the Light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.  Whoever loves his brother remains in the Light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.  (1 John 2:8-10)

 

“Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled:  My own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)

 

Piety

Open My Eyes, Lord – Jesse Manibusen

Open my eyes, Lord,

Help me to see Your face,

Open my eyes, Lord,

Help me to see.

Study

Arent de Gelder, Simeon’s Song of Praise, c.1700-1710, Mauritshuis, The Hague, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

I love this painting of Simeon meeting the infant Jesus.  Mary and Joseph present Jesus in the Temple.  They don’t personally know the older man, and he doesn’t know them, either.  But he comes to the Temple every day, hoping that today will be the day that God answers his prayer.  Simeon waited years for this encounter with Mary, Joseph, and their baby.  The artist perfectly captures on canvas that joy that fills a person’s heart when some long-desired, sincerely hoped for thing comes to pass. 

We all know what it’s like to long for something so intensely we can almost taste it or see it.  Maybe, at some point in your life, you longed for a spouse, someone to share the rest of your life with, to build a family with.   Or perhaps you’ve longed for a child with all your heart.  I’m sure children bounced around in the foster care system want a forever family more than anything else, a place where they can feel loved and cherished.   There are desires of many sorts living in our hearts.

Simeon’s desire, however, wasn’t for anything personal.  This older man had spent a lifetime praying that before he died, he would be privileged to see the Savior of the nations.  God had promised to send a Light powerful enough to dispel the darkness of the world, and Simeon wanted to live long enough to see this gift from Heaven.  He immediately recognizes him in Jesus!   He declares he can now die in peace, having seen God’s salvation embodied in this tiny child. 

The world lay in darkness in Jesus’ day – the Jews subjugated to the Romans as well as the majority of the Jews to the Pharisees and scribes.  The poor of the world were of no concern to the rich and powerful.  Surrounded by COVID-19, isolated from family and friends, aware of growing unemployment, hunger, and homelessness, we, too, struggle with darkness.  But Jesus is the Light, which continues to dispel the darkness of the world.  God calls both you and me to open our eyes to that Light. 

As proclaimed by John in our first reading, the Good News is that Light shines upon us even now and is at work dispelling our 21^st-century darkness.  Where people live out their faith, they are living in that Light.  I think of the tens of thousands of people employed caring for COVID-19 sufferers.  I also think of others developing and administering vaccines, running food pantries, keeping churches open, trying to adapt to new types of schooling, etc. – all these and many other efforts amount to a fair bit of Light in our midst.  

Action

In prayer today, share the deepest longings of your heart with the Lord.     

 

Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arent_de_Gelder_-_Simeon%27s_Song_of_Praise_-_1047_-_Mauritshuis.jpg