The National tribune., 1890-01-23
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. ii. THE INFANT
JESUS AND SIMEON. III. The CANTICLE OF
SIMEON, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE NUNC
DIMITrIs. ~. SIMEoN's Prophecy AS TO
CHRIST
/. THE PURIFrcATIoN.
We shall get a clearer idea of the whole sub
iect If we include in the lesson three verses of
the context. We therefore call preliminary
and brief attention to them. The Mosaic law
as found in the book of Levitcus prescribes
distinctly that man child shall be circum-
cised at eight days Of ago, and that at the ex-
piration of 80 additional days the mother
shall take the child to the sanctuary, where she
shall present personal thank offering to Al
mighty God in the form of sacrifice IL she
be in moderate finances the Offering could be
pair of doves or two young pigeons. Accord
ingly Joseph and the Mother took the Babe,
Jesus, from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. q distance
of six miles northward, carrying him to the
Temple and presenting him to the Lord, at the
same time Offering the prescribed sacrifice. We
infer in her case the offering was that required
of such as were not able TO present lamb to
wit, turtle doves or pigeons. Compare V. 81
with Lev, 1881 Jesus having been born Dec.
%, he was presented at the Temple Feb. 2.
Hence, Feb. is known rs the day which cele-
brates The Presentation of Christ in the
Temple, commonly called The Publication of
st. Mary the Virgin" 1t is observed by the
Roman Catholic and Episcopal Churches. Often
1t is styled Candlemas in allusion to verse 80.
1t is said the custom originated in the Church
at Jerusalem while Marcia was ruling, to w.t.
about the middle of the fifth century. Pope
Galasus recognized it A. ID. 494
Suggestions
/. We ought to be punctiious about keeping
all OF Gods requirements, as were they who had
charge of the Child Jesus.
2. We should present our children to the
Lord. Parents in particular ought to put their
offspring into Gods hand Sunday school
teachers can present their classes to God by
prayer.
,. The principle Of sacrifice Is worthy our
example. Even the poor should give for re-
ligious purposes.
T. Mothers should seek the Temple to offer
God Thanksgiving for His providcntial inter-
positions. Some religious bodies have special
prescribed services for the use of mothers. All
this is well.
II. THE INFANT JESUS AND SIMEON.
l. Data
The account is given by st. Luke alone
VERSES % %. He wrote at Rome A. ID. 81.
Though traditional reports of that Temple
scene in which Simeon so figured must have
existed. yet, after space of over so years, they
could not be authoritative. The writer was
aided by the Holy Spirit, aud preserved only
the truth. We rejoice yet again that ST. Luke
gave US his Gospel, else We would never have
had any reliable information to that inter-
esting event about which we now study.
2. Time.
Holding to the 25th of December as the date
of the birth of Jesus we find ourselves in Feb
rnary, the second day, or 40 days from the Ma
tivity night. The son of Zacharias and Eliza-
beth was about seven months old. Thrty-three
days had elapsed since the circumcision of
Jesus.
3 Place
While circumcision can be performed at tho
home OF an infant, and hence anywhere in the
world sacrifices could be offered only at the
Temple. Hence we find ourselves in Jerusa-
lem at the Temple. The Great Altar was be-
tween the Gate NicanOr and the entrance to the
Holy Place In offering sacrifices devotees
stood near the Gate Ncanor We therefore fix
that rs the scene of this lesson.
We nOtico Christs first trip was TO Jerusa-
lem. and that to the Temple and that for the
performance of an ordained religious rite. He
visited Jerusalem many times thereafter. The
party probably went afoot.
l. Simeon
Much study has been given toward settling
the identity of Simeon. All reliable data at
hand are tho facts mentioned in this lesson lt
was natural that diligent inquiry DO made as
to one who discerned in the Infant Jesus the
promised Messiah. Tho Apocryphal Gospel of
tury. gives few items which we mention 1t
states he was son of Hillel and father OF CANA
liel. Hillel was the President OF the Sanhe-
drim, and was followed by his son Simeon of our
lesson. Gamalel, the son of Simeon became
the teacher of the young Saul (afterwaTd st.
PAUL. 1t is said he was one of those men
toned in ST. MATT 81 -. 50. He was the first
to be called Rabban, and had but six successors.
Said Gospel mentions him ~ the High Priest.
The lesson lets US into some facts. Simeon
means nearer, and hence one who obeys
Simeon resided in Jerusalem. More than else
we are interested in his religious character
lie was just and devout. He exempliied the
I" holiness and righteousness of L. 70. Com
pare TIL, 2: l0.) BY just " man Wa mean
one who is fair in all his relations with man
kind; by deyout" man. one who is true to
God. dev0ut man Is strict I'm obedience to
the first four commandments of the decalog;
"A just man is careful not TO violate any one of
the last six commandments just man may
lack devoutness. At times we meet devout
man who yet is in bad ropute among mer-
chants. Cornelius was like Simeon in that he
exhibited fully rounded character. He was an
example of both branches of the Christian life
tho external or objective, the internal or
subjectiye-the fnlflllment of duties to God
and TO man. (Acts. 10: 22.l With all the rest
of the Jews he expected the Messiah. In his
case however there had been special revela-
ton to the effect he would not die till the Ad-
vent had actually taken place. We do not
know how long he had waited from the time
of the revelation. We can suppose a goodly IN
teTval. We find the promise he was To live till
Christ came was made TO him by the Holy
Spirit The exact method we do not under
stand. There is evidence of patient waiting
The same voice who told him Christ was to
come before his decease moved him to 20 10 the
Temple at the very time the parents brought
in the Child Jesus. Some think he was the
priest who ofiiciated, and that 10 was while he
held the Infant in his arms in the Presentation
service that he became aware the Child was
the Messiah Then followed tho Nunc Dimit-
It's and the prophecy.
5. Verbal Explanations.
/. Behold" ". 25) Why this exclamation?
1t was not wonderful thing for man in
Jerusalem to be named Simeon. Adam Clark
thinks the peculiar holiness and honesty of
Simeon called out the, Behold Aud yet we
think there may have been some others at the
capital AS just aud devout as Simeon. May we
not better refer this TO the strange unique
revelation made to SimeOn2 lie was in that
particular a marked aud wonderful person.
p "See death" (V. 2G) The word see"
is used in antithesis to 'seen" in the same
verse Sec " means TO experience.
g. Custom of the law" ". 27.) See above
under the head, "The Publication"
4. The Consolation" ". PSI The effect
ia put for the cause. (Metonymy.) The Con-
soor means the Messiah
6. 1.-THE Lords Christ" (V. s6) Whom
prophets, priests aud Kings were ordained or
inaugurated, oil was poured on their heads rs