Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

Luke 2:25-26

One of my greatest joys is watching families celebrate immediately following graduation. These intimate moments are the culmination of four years of hard work, and for our students from historically marginalized groups, is the outcome of generations of resiliency in the face of adversity and struggle. I will never forget watching one elderly man, likely in his 90s, weeping with joy as he embraced his great-grandchild. He witnessed, in the last years of life, this wonderful familial achievement. We truly stand on the shoulders of our ancestors!

Luke introduces us to Simeon, an old man in the waning days of his life. Simeon was righteous, full of the holy spirit, and along with his people, had been waiting for the “consolation of Israel” for generations. Israel had long suffered under their own sin and the sin of foreign oppressors. Here, Luke echoes those great verses in the Old Testament, which also serve as the rousing opening lines of Handel’s Messiah: “Comfort, O Comfort my people, says your God” (Isa. 40:1). Israel was in desperate need of comfort! Can you imagine the joy, the tears, the relief, when word finally comes to Simeon that the wait is over?…Comfort! At last!

Having received the comfort that only the Messiah can provide, Simeon knows he can die in peace. He also knew this consolation was not only for Israel, but available to the entire world! What else in life do we need more than the comfort brought by our Savior?

Lord, our eyes have seen your long-awaited salvation; a light for the Gentiles and glory for Israel. Help us receive the comfort only you provide.