See

“‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace.’” (Luke 2:40).

For Revelation and For Glory (Scott Freeman)

There is a special type of Grace reserved for those who have faith.

You see, when we can see things with the eyes of faith, we can also understand that what we see might not be the full picture or the full answer to the question, and yet we can still believe.

Oh, to have a faith like that!  I cannot even begin to imagine it.  Imagine a faith that says I know that everything is okay and everything is GOOD no matter what is happening.  Imagine a faith where if I had no money or place to stay, I would still know that everything is GOOD and God is looking after me.  Imagine a faith where if my family or children or even I myself was sick unto death that I would still know with certainty that God is looking after me and everything is GOOD.  Imagine a faith where I am ridiculed and abused and still I know that God is looking after me and that everything is GOOD.

These are the sorts of thoughts in my head today because I have recently re-read the story of the Prophet Simeon…

You see, Simeon saw a young family.  He saw a teenage mother, and artisan father.  He saw an infant child.  He saw their poverty and their relative lack of importance.  People brushed past them that day.  People made sacrifices that were more impressive to Earthly eyes.  People watched that young family walk into the Temple and thought nothing of it.  They watched the Blessed Virgin adore God – HER SON – and thought nothing of it.  Perhaps they considered them weird for their great devotion?  Perhaps they overlooked them entirely because of their quietness?  Whatever the case, there were very few people who recognised DIVINITY in their midst – one of them was Simeon…

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ...he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, ‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace.’” (Luke 2:22-40).

Simeon was not granted this Grace to SEE God there just out of the blue.  He lived a holy life, trying always to please God and for all his long years he loved God.  And at the end of those long years, God granted him the Grace of being able to see HIM and therefore be able to die in peace…

And today, as I reflect on the example of Simeon, who was able to see God in that Holy Family, I am quite overcome.  For it seems that I have done little – if anything – to prepare myself for such a vision as that, and now I complain that God does not reveal Himself to me…

How I complain…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.