Commentary on the Gospel of
Like many people, I have a bucket list. A bucket list is a s list of things you want to do or accomplish before you die. For many of us, the list includes travel or special purchases or career accomplishments. One of the great things about having a bucket list is that it gives you permission to spend time, money, and energy to achieve them.
In today’s Gospel, Simeon has a bucket list, but his bucket list has only one item on it: he wants to see the Messiah. Even more, the Holy Spirit has promised that he will be able to complete his list. Simeon has been preparing to check off his bucket list for his whole life. He has lived a life of prayer and faithfulness to God’s laws. That way of living disposed him to seeing the Lord.
We should all have Simeon’s single-mindedness. His goals were not wealth and fame and power. Instead, he focused every aspect of his life on the Lord and the Lord fulfilled his promise. Simeon met Jesus and his life was complete.
