Homilies on Luke

Homily 15. Luke 2.25-29

HOMILY 15 Luke 2.25-29 Concerning Simeon, that he came to the temple in the Spirit, up to the point where it says, "Now you dismiss your seroant, Lord, in peace. " E MUST SEEK an explanation worthy ofGod's purpose as to why, as is written in the Gospel, "Simeon, a holy man and one pleasing to God, awaiting the consolation of Israel, received an answer from the Holy Spirit that he would not perish in death before he saw the Lord's Anointed.'" What did he gain from seeing Christ? Did he have only this promised to him, that he would see him, and derive no profit from seeing him? Or is some gift worthy of God concealed here, a gift that the blessed Simeon both merited and received? "The woman touched the fringe ofJesus' garment and was healed."2 Ifshe derived such an advantage from the very edge ofhis garment, what should we think ofSimeon, who "received" the infant "into his arms"?3He held him in his arms, and kept rejoicing and exulting. He saw that the little child he was carrying had come to release captives and to free Simeon himself from the bonds of the body. Simeon knew that no one could release a man from the prison of the body with hope of life to come, except the one whom he enfolded in his arms. 2. Hence, he also says to him, "Nowyou dismiss your servant, Lord, in peace."4 For, as long as I did not hold Christ, as long as my arms did not enfold him, I was imprisoned, and unable to escape from my bonds." But this is true not only ofSimeon, but of the whole human race. Anyone who departs from this l. Lk 2.25. 3. Lk 2.28. 62 2. Lk 8-44. 4- Lk 2.29· HOMILY 15 63 world, anyone who is released from prison and the house of those in chains, to go forth and reign, should takeJesus in his hands. He should enfold him with his arms, and fully grasp him in his bosom.' Then he will be able to go injoy where he longs to go. Consider how great a saving act had taken place earlier, so that Simeon should deserve to hold the Son ofGod. First he had received an answer from the Holy Spirit, that "he would not see death unless he had first seen the Lord's Anointed." 6 3. Then he entered the temple-but not by chance, or naively . He "came to the temple in the Spirit of God.'" "For, as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. "8 Therefore the Holy Spirit led him into the temple. Ifyou wish to holdJesus, and to embrace him with your hands, and to be made worthy of leaving prison, you too must struggle with every effort to possess the guiding Spirit and come to God's temple. See, you stand now in the temple of the LordJesusthat is, in his Church. This is the temple "built from living stones."gBut you stand in the Lord's temple when your life and your conduct are worthy of the title "church." 4. If you come "to the temple in the Spirit," you will find the childJesus. You will lift him up in your arms and say, "Now you dismiss your servant, Lord, in peace, according to your word."loAt the same time, notice that "peace" has been added to the dismissal and the sending forth. For he does not say, "I wish to be dismissed," but to be dismissed with the addition of "in peace." This same thing was promised to the blessed Abraham: "But you will go to your fathers in peace, after you have been cared for in a good old age."11 Who is the one who dies "in peace" if not he who has "the peace of God, which surpasses every perception and guards the heart"12 of him who 5. This passage is among the earliest witnesses in Christian literature to devotion to the childJesus. See also the end of this homily, where Origen encourages prayer to the childJ esus. 6. Lk 2.26. 8. Rom 8.14. 10. Lk 2.29. 12. Phil 4.7. 7· Lk 2.27· 9. 1 Pt 2·5· 11. Gn 15.15. 64 ORIGEN possesses it? \-\Tho is the one who...