Yesterday was the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, based on the event in Christ's life when Joseph and Mary brought him to the temple at 40 days old. Righteous Symeon received him into his arms and then prayed, "Lord, now lettest Thy servant depart in peace .... "

I'd read that many times before but today our priest, in his homily, told an amazing story about Symeon. Apparently Symeon was one of the seventy who worked on the translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek (the Septuagint, which means "seventy") three centuries before Christ was born. Symeon was translating the verse in Isaiah that said, "Behold a virgin shall conceive," and he thought, "Hmm, that can't be right," so he was going to take the word "virgin" out and replace it with "young girl." An angel of God stayed his hand and told him it was correct as "virgin." He then told Symeon, "You shall see these words fulfilled. You shall not die until you behold Christ the Lord born of a pure and spotless Virgin." He lived another 300+ years until a couple of days after the child, Christ, was placed in his arms.

That gives new understanding/meaning to the words "Lord, now lettest Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, a Light to lighten the Gentiles, the Glory of Your people Israel." Could you imagine having your life extended supernaturally for so very long with one purpose, and then finally seeing that purpose fulfilled? (I lose strength and faith after just days and weeks sometimes!)

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Warmly, Darla Juliana
"Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle" (Philo of Alexandria)