An elderly man made his way across the temple steps in Jerusalem that morning. He was a familiar figure at the temple, and many–both priests and worshipers–nodded greetings to him as he passed. His smile, which was naturally infectious on even the bleakest days, beamed on everyone with an added brilliance today; there was almost a boyish bounce in his shuffling steps. He took up a position beside a wall in the main court and stood there beaming at everyone with the air of a man whose firstborn son is coming home from a visit with the king. 

    “Father Simeon,” a young Levite named Ithamar greeted him with the title of respect his age and wisdom entitled him to. “You are looking well today.”

    “Thank you, my son. How is your wife today?” As the conversation turned to the young man’s family, Ithamar’s curiosity about the air of excitement hanging around the old grew. As soon as was politely possible, he turned the attention back to the old man’s excitement. 

    “You’re looking young and spry today, Father Simeon, “ he teased. “What’s put that spring back in your step?”

Simeon chuckled as he answered, “I’m waiting for the Messiah, of course!” It was his standard reply and a standard joke between him and all the priests with whom he was friendly.

At least, they all took it as a joke–after all, wasn’t the entire nation waiting for the Messiah? Hadn’t Israel been waiting for her Messiah for hundreds of years? Most people had come to think that they would be waiting for hundreds more years to come.

But many a priest had walked away from conversations with the happily eccentric old man wondering if perhaps the he was more than joking, if perhaps he really was waiting for the Messiah and if perhaps the Messiah would really appear, perhaps even in the near future. Ithamar had made many a mental note to check the prophecies again, especially the places where the prophets gave specific dates and times, to see if maybe the Messiah’s appearance was closer than it seemed. But those mental notes were usually covered over by other mental notes of more pressing urgency and the young man had never looked into the matter more.

Once again, he made a mental note as he bade Simeon a good day and rushed off to take care of his temple duties.

    Simeon chuckled to himself. He often chuckled to himself, and there was usually an amused twinkle in his eye as he watched the people around him. They amused him. But today, he was positively beside himself with anticipation. He scanned the crowd as though watching for a face he knew intimately well.  He even chuckled at himself—“Simeon, old boy,” he said to himself, “You’ve been waiting 50 years for this day, a few more hours won’t matter a bit! Just relax. Too much excitement can’t be good for your old heart!” But he didn’t listen to his own advice. He was too excited.

And then, there they were! A young couple with a baby. They had just been in to dedicate the child and were making their way to the exit with their 8-day-old little one. He had chosen his waiting place well–they would have to pass him on their way out.

He chuckled again with glee at the whole situation. He knew it was more than a coincidence that he was there at the right place and the right time. He’d been waiting his whole life for this moment. He had spent his life becoming friends with the God of Israel, and in the course of their friendship, God had showed Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the promised Messiah, the man that all Israel had longed for: to come and save them from their enemies. And earlier that morning, God’s spirit had whispered to Simeon to go to the temple–the Promised One had arrived.

    As the couple reached him, Simeon greeted them and stretched out his grandfatherly arms to hold the baby. Tenderly he held the little one, rocking him back and forth as though this tiny boy was the world’s most precious treasure. 

    “Lord,” he said aloud conversationally, “You can let me die in peace now.  I have seen Your salvation, and He is just as precious as You said He would be. Here He is for everyone to see. He will be a light for those who have not known You as Israel has known You. And Israel will rejoice that He is theirs!”

    He spoke to God as though God Himself stood with them. Completely missing the astonished looks on the faces of the baby’s parents, Simeon handed the little one back to his mother. Laying a wrinkled hand on the father’s right shoulder and the mother’s left shoulder, he told them with a solemn gladness that was very different than the usual twinkle in his eye, “This boy of yours is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against–and a sword,” he looked straight at the mother, “will pierce your own heart also–so that the inner motives of many people will be revealed. God bless you both.” He nodded at them and then made his careful way back across the temple court and down the steps towards his home, leaving the new family standing there with puzzled expressions on their faces. The joy in his own heart sang a song that seemed to drown out all the sounds of the temple and the busy city of Jerusalem. At the bottom of the temple steps he chuckled at himself as he stopped to catch his breath.

“Simeon, you forgetful old man,” he heckled himself, “you forgot to ask their names! You didn’t even properly introduce yourself! What would your wife say if she had been there to see you?”

Fictionalized account based on Luke 2:21-35

jmc 2010/sept

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