Simeon’s Reward

 

New drawing : Simeon’s Reward”.

This past Sunday was the celebration of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Gospel passage from Luke (2:22-35) was read several times this week. It is the familiar narrative of the Presentation at the Temple , the Holy Family , turtle doves in hand , present themselves for purification. At the temple they encounter the aged holy man Simeon ( and the prophetess Anna, another day, another drawing), Simeon , having been promised by the Lord that he would not die until he bore witness to the Salvation, recognizing in the Christ child this reward , Simeon taking the child into his arms proclaimed:

” Now Master you can let your servant go in peace , just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel “.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nunc_dimittis#:~:text=Lord%2C%20now%20lettest%20thou%20thy,glory%20of%20thy%20people%20Israel.

With that Death is vanquished.

I tried to capture this poignant moment , the holy family navigating the darkness of a hostile, unbelieving pagan land and then arriving to the joy of Simeon .

The Venerable Bede was also moved by this scene :

“The old man, now worn out as it were with old age , should return to the childlike innocence of the Christian life”.
Venerable Fulton Sheen more poetically chimed in with :

“An old man at the sunset of his own life spoke of the sunrise of the world “.

Happy New Year 🕊