ABC The Presentation

"Nunc Dimittus" 

In the gospel of Luke (2:22-38), we learn that Mary and Joseph, as devoted parents and devout Jews, brought the infant Jesus to the temple to “present him to the Lord”. This really means that the parents sacrificed two turtle doves and also Joseph and Mary consecrated the child (first-born male) to the Lord and also the male child was circumcised.

As a child, I learned of two of these three (I had no clue about circumcision). Yet, it was only when I joined the Episcopal church and began singing in its choirs that I learned most of the rest of the story. As I participated in the church’s music, I learned several versions of the “nunc dimittis”, sometimes called “The Song of Simeon.” To paraphrase the "nunc", “Lord, you have kept your word and allowed me to live long enough to see the world’s salvation”. So sometime earlier, Simeon had obviously been grousing to God about how long he had been waiting to see the world’s salvation and God has said, “No worries. You will see this with your own eyes.” And Simeon did.

What strikes us in the story is that Simeon just burst into song or praise. Simeon was just giddy that the long-promised Messiah was right there in his arms. We have memorialized this song from the Bible in a similar manner as we have memorialized other Biblical songs, like Miriam’s after the Israelites cross the Red Sea, or like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s song when God saved them from the fire, or most notably like Mary’s song, the Magnificat, when she heard she would bear the son of God.

What also strikes me about this story is lost Anna. I know I have a negative reaction to most things I view as anti-women, but this one does “take the cake” for me. Most don’t realize that Simeon was not the only one who witnessed Jesus’ presentation in the temple. Anna spent her life in the temple, worshiping God through prayer and fasting. When she saw Simeon bless Jesus, Anna burst into song or praise. Anna didn’t get a “nunc”; she barely got a verse in the gospel of Luke. While this makes me sad, I do remind myself that Anna too was giddy to see Christ, that Anna’s joy was also profound, that Anna sang and praised mightily. When I look at it that way, I’m mollified. 

If you'd like to read about one hymn in particular, let me know.