“My eyes have seen your salvation.”
Today’s Gospel brings us into the heart of the Temple in Jerusalem, a place of prayer, sacrifice, and expectation. Mary and Joseph come in quiet obedience to the Law of Moses. There is nothing outwardly extraordinary about them: a young couple, poor enough to offer two turtledoves, carrying a small child. Yet within their arms is the fulfillment of centuries of hope.
This passage teaches us first about faithful obedience. Mary and Joseph do everything “according to the law of the Lord.” They do not seek attention. They do not claim privilege. Even though Jesus is the Son of God, they submit humbly to God’s command. This reminds us that holiness is often lived not in dramatic moments, but in faithful, ordinary obedience to God’s will.
Into this scene steps Simeon, a righteous and devout man who has waited his entire life for one promise: to see the Messiah before he dies. His waiting is not passive. It is patient, prayerful, and guided by the Holy Spirit. Simeon represents every believer who waits sometimes for years for God’s promises to be fulfilled. And when the moment finally comes, Simeon recognizes what others might overlook: salvation hidden in weakness, glory wrapped in infancy.
When Simeon takes the child into his arms, he proclaims one of the Church’s most beautiful prayers:
“Now, Lord, you may let your servant depart in peace.”
Why can Simeon face death without fear? Because he has seen Jesus. This is the heart of Christian hope. Peace does not come from having everything resolved in this world, but from encountering Christ. Once we truly meet Him, fear loses its power.
Simeon also reveals a profound truth: Jesus is salvation for all peoples, a light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. From the very beginning, the Gospel is universal. Christ is not confined to one nation, culture, or generation. He belongs to the whole world.
Yet this joy is not without suffering. Simeon turns to Mary and speaks of a sword that will pierce her soul. Love and suffering are inseparable in the Christian life. To follow Christ is to accept that faith will cost us something. The same Child who brings salvation will also bring division, challenge hearts, and expose hidden intentions.
Then we meet Anna, the prophetess—elderly, faithful, constant in prayer and fasting. She represents perseverance. She does not leave the Temple. She does not grow bitter with age. Instead, she becomes a witness, speaking of Jesus to all who are waiting for redemption. Her life teaches us that no season is wasted when it is lived in prayer.
The Gospel ends quietly, with Jesus returning to Nazareth, growing in wisdom and grace. God’s greatest work unfolds slowly, patiently, often unseen.
This reading speaks powerfully to us today. We live in a world that demands speed, recognition, and certainty. Yet God works through waiting, humility, and trust. He comes to us not always in power, but in silence. Not always in clarity, but in faith.
The question this Gospel leaves us with is simple but searching:
Do we recognize Christ when He comes to us quietly in the ordinary, in obedience, in waiting?
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus Christ,
You are the salvation prepared for all peoples,
the light that shines in our darkness
and the peace our hearts long for.
Like Simeon, teach us to wait with trust.
Like Anna, teach us to persevere in prayer.
Like Mary and Joseph, teach us humble obedience
even when we do not fully understand Your ways.
When fear or uncertainty troubles our hearts,
help us to remember that seeing You is enough.
Let us live each day in faith,
so that when our journey ends,
we too may depart in peace,
having placed our lives in Your hands.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.