for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.
Jesus tells us to love our brothers. This is at once the oldest commandment and the newest. It is the newest because Jesus reveals it's true meaning to us. He tells us to love others as he first loves us, by laying our lives down for friendship.
Jesus reveals the truth behind the law that words alone could never express.
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
He is the light to the nations because he reveals the Father to us. He does not do this in an abstract way but rather by living to do the will of the Father. He shows us the Father so that from now on we can say that we do know him and have seen him.
Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
We need to allow Jesus to show us the way to love. Without his help we slip back into self-love, unwilling to allow the cross to contradict our own personal ways of living.
So let us rejoice like Simeon to see this newborn baby who comes to show us the way.
The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.
No comments:
Post a Comment