Learning from Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, and others, I remind myself that holy texts describe what is always happening in our lives.
I’m thinking about this reading heard at Church today.
Mary and Joseph are told that Jesus is the guy. The guy to save the world. (Does every parent imagine this?)
Whether I’m thinking about my children, or my projects, or myself – I push the grandiose thoughts away. Who me? Who am I to change the world? Who am I to stick my my neck out?
I especially love this reading because of the two faithful ones, Anna and Simeon. They’re both very old. They had waited and waited for the promise they heard from God. I often despair that my own promise, the one I’ve made to myself and the one I thought I heard long ago, will never happen. It is hard to keep faith in my callings.
Anna and Simeon, did you despair? How did you keep faith all those years?
Books – Jungian Interpretations of the Bible
Luke 2:22-40 NRSVue
22When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah., 27Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the law, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word, 30for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32a light for revelation to the gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
33And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed 35so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”
36There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38At that moment she came and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.