Commentary of the Gospell

December 29, 2022

Waiting in Hope

Simeon is a symbol of the “waiting in hope” that the season of Advent was all about. He cherished a promise from the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah in person. However, given the times he lived in, with its reduction of religion to mere ritualistic services and an easy commerce for the spiritual leaders, one would have least expected the Messiah to appear then. Moreover, when someone waits for a long, long time, the wait can get monotonous, weary, and less intense and alert; and there is every chance that one may miss the target when it appears. Not so with Simeon. He waited in hope with fresh eyes, and he recognized the baby-Messiah who came by in swaddling clothes. When we pass through dark times and the daylight seems to be a distant dream, may Simeon inspire us to wait in hope for God’s breakthrough.

Paulson Veliyannoor, CMF - Claretian Publications Philippines