Rev. Cary M. Richert
1^st Sunday after Christmas (C)
December 31, 2006

Simeon's Swan Song
Luke 2:28-35

          There was an ancient belief that the Mute Swan was completely silent during its life, but might sing one heartbreakingly beautiful song just before it died.  Thus, the origin of the well-known phrase, "swan song," which has come to be associated with one final, great work or accomplishment by a person who seems to be aware of his/her imminent end.  For instance, "Swan Song" is the title of Franz Schubert's collection of songs, published in 1828, the year of his death.

As it turns out, Mute Swans aren’t actually completely mute during their lives, nor do they sing a special song as they die!  Nevertheless, the legend was so appealing that, in one form or another, it appeared in writings by Aesop, Shakespeare, Gibbons and Tennyson. ⁽¹⁾

          In a sense, we can apply the phrase "swan song" to the words of the man we meet in today’s text, Simeon.  Very little is known about Simeon.  As we heard in the Gospel reading, He was a righteous, Spirit-filled, Israelite man who lived in Jerusalem, and who was visiting the temple courts there.  In trusting faith and hope Simeon was waiting for the coming of Israel's Promised Messiah.  He learned by divine revelation that he would not die without seeing the Lord's Christ.

          Torah Law required that a woman be ritually purified 40 days after giving birth to a son. [Leviticus 12:1-4]   A first-born son was also presented to the Lord at the same time. [Exodus 13]  The purification and presentation was done at the Temple and required 2 blood offerings:  if you could afford it, a lamb and a pigeon … if you couldn’t, then two pigeons or doves.  By these blood offerings, atonement was made for the mother's ceremonial uncleanness resulting from her childbirth.  Because of their poverty, no lamb was used in Mary's purification.  Yet, she carried in her arms the Lamb of God who takes away the uncleanness of all sin . . . the first-born Son she and Joseph would present to the Lord God in His own house!

          Upon seeing the family arrive in the Temple courts, Simeon took the Baby in his arms and praised God.  The consolation, the freedom, the hope and comfort Simeon and Israel were waiting for . . . Simeon was literally holding in his arms in the person of the Baby Jesus!  In joy he proclaimed:

Now set free your servant, Master,
according to your word in peace;
because my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared before the face of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and glory for your people Israel. [Luke 2:29-32]

          Simeon's divinely inspired song is that of one who's enslaved, not by Rome or any other earthly authority, but enslaved by the great enemies of our salvation:  sin, death and the power of the devil.  Simeon, Israel, the Gentiles, all of us today . . . apart from Christ we're enslaved by the sin handed down to us from Adam. [Romans 5:12, 18a, 19a]  Destined for death and God's punishment.  Helpless to earn our own freedom from sin's horrible, eternal consequences.  Our souls forever empty of the peace that only Christ can bring.

God's gracious salvation is found only in the Baby Simeon was holding.  God opens Simeon's eyes to it, even though for Simeon salvation was, as Art Just notes, "cloaked in the forty-day-old Jesus, still wrapped in infant's clothing!" ⁽²⁾  With his Spirit-given understanding, Simeon is led to know that, the God in whom he trusted truly was faithful to His promise, as spoken by the ancient prophets . . . His promise to free His people and to give them everlasting peace. 

The salvation to which Simeon's eyes of understanding were opened, is universal, for all peoples . . . but not universalism (where everyone is saved no matter what they believe).  The Messiah in Simeon's arms would be a Light of revelation even to the Gentiles, who knew only the false gods of their own making . . . a Light that would lead them out of the darkness of their sin and unbelief.  God's promised salvation is a gift off His grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ, whose earthly journey began in a humble manger and led to a humble cross some 33 years later.

God's salvation of sinners culminates in Christ's death on the cross, when our Lord says, "It is finished." [John 19:30]   While Simeon didn't know at the time about the cross, and probably departed with his soul at peace before Jesus was crucified, we today do know about the Cross!  For us, the shadow of the cross falls over Simeon’s swan song, for the Christ Child of Bethlehem would be nothing . . . nothing at all . . . without the Christ of Calvary . . . and the Christ of the empty tomb. [1 Corinthians 15]

Simeon's swan song is our song today . . . the song of our Lord's Church.  As Simeon received special revelation by the Spirit to see God’s fulfillment of His promise, so also we receive divine revelation by God's Spirit, through His Word, to see and know the Baby in Simeon's arms as the Christ of our salvation . . . the Redeemer who bought us with His blood.

Gathered on the threshold of another New Year, as we contemplate the passing of time, we’re reminded that the day of our own departure from earth is unknown, but getting nearer with each passing day.  It’s not too late to possess the same saving faith that God gave Simeon.  Faith . . .

. . . that trusts the promises of God.

. . . that receives God's gifts given in Word and Sacrament.

. . . that sees in Christ alone our personal Savior from sin.

. . . that, when facing our end, sings the same swan song as Simeon:

Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace,
according to Thy Word,
For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation:
which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples . . . (which You, O Lord, have prepared . . . EVEN FOR ME!)

God grant it for Jesus' sake.  Amen.

NOTES:

(1)          From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_song

Aesop's fable of "The Swan Mistaken for a Goose"

Shakespeare's drama "The Merchant of Venice"

Gibbons' madrigal "The Silver Swan"

Tennyson's poem "The Dying Swan"

(2)          A. Just, Luke 1:1-9:50 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1996) 120.