Posted by The WORD in other words (2018) by Fr Semie Rebayla SVD – University of San Carlos, Cebu City
December 29 – Octave of Christmas
Christmas season is like a photography. The God, who used to be invisible, had allowed himself to be seen close-up and macro size. The subject is baby Jesus. Camera lens was focused on the child.
In today’s Gospel, Simeon’s experience, however, was far more than any photographer’s, because he had not only seen the subject through a camera lens but with his very eyes; he had smelt and touched Him personally, had held Him in his arms. The baby must have felt the heartbeat of Simeon’s heart when he glorified God.
To have baby Jesus in our arms and to let him feel our heart’s longing is probably every believer’s desire. However, the question that lingers on my mind is: what or who led Simeon to that encounter? The text only says that Simeon was promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Messiah. It must be, thus, the same Spirit who led him to that encounter.
I believe that we always need that same Spirit to guide us to encounter Jesus in our daily experience. Many had seen the child but only few had glorified God for what they had seen.
John, in the first reading, reminds us that the sure way to Christ is keeping his commandments,“Whoever says, I know him, but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
Another year is about to begin. Let us pray to God the Father that He will send us His Spirit so that we can meet and recognize Jesus in every aspect of our human experience and keep his commandments.
Let the lens of photographers capture us doing God’s commandments throughout the year.
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