As the old saying goes, the one thing that is permanent in this life is change. On any given Sunday in this church, you can experience that same sensation within the microcosm of our congregation. Change is going on in all of our lives all the time. Look at Simeon, holding the baby Jesus. He has tears in his eyes.
Tears are appropriate at every ending in life, every time of leaving and letting go.
A chapter in Simeon's life is closing, and he knows it. Now, abruptly, it is over. This chapter of my life story has come to an end. I wonder if you have ever noticed that people often cry at times of life transitions, even those that are entirely welcome. This morning we stand poised on the threshold of a new year, the perfect time to contemplate endings and beginnings.