Something unexpected happened when Mary and Joseph presented baby Jesus in the temple. An elderly man named Simeon approached them. Simeon was a man of profound prayer and faith who was always in the temple and rarely left. He devoted his entire life to God, praising and listening to Him.
Like Joseph and Mary, God was central to
Simeon’s life. His life of prayer consumed him, and he became attuned to the presence and prompting of the Holy Spirit. He was genuinely contemplative, and the Spirit assured him that he would not die until he saw Christ. Simeon lived with this assurance. He was patient and waited on God. He was convinced that what the Spirit assured him would be real someday.
We live busy lives and want instant gratification; waiting is unknown
or forgotten to us. Simeon reminds us today that God is faithful and trustworthy. We must cultivate the habit of waiting for better things: things that bring us life, help us be the people God desires us to be, and help us in our journey with the Lord.
Are you patient? We are assured by the Spirit, who gave Simeon the same assurance. We need to be attuned to the Lord's presence in our lives. Prayer will help raise awareness of God's
presence and activity in our daily lives.
Reflections by Morongoa Selepe
