MOTHERING SUNDAY (The 4th Sun of Lent)
Click on the links for an introduction to the series, and the techniques of reading with your head, heart and hands.
The notes below refer to the Gospel for Mothering Sunday. Some churches may use the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Lent instead - Luke 15.1-32 – or use other readings that reflect the theme of mothering.
Luke 2.33-35 (1 Sam 1.20, Psalm 34, Colossians 3.12-17)
33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
HEAD QUESTIONS
This passage is so brief that it is especially important to read it in context. I strongly suggest reading from Luke 2.22-38
WHO?
“the child”: From the wider context, we know that this is Jesus. There is nothing about him that would single him out as a special child (he doesn’t glow in the dark, as paintings of the nativity might suggest!). But Simeon, guided by the Holy Spirit, spots him in the crowd and acclaims him as “destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel” . His life will affect everyone: some will be encouraged and lifted up, others will be challenged, but no one will be unaffected.
“father and mother”: Joseph and Mary. Note that Joseph is called his father, because that was the role he took on.
Simeon: In verse 25 we discover that Simeon was “righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him.” We are also told that God had promised him that he would not die “before the he had seen the Lord’s Messiah”. We aren’t told how old he is, but from his response to seeing Jesus “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace”, it is usually assumed he is an old man, near to death. This is backed up by the fact that he is accompanied by another Temple regular, Anna, who is “of a great age” (verse 36).
In this brief passage he is portrayed as a prophet – someone who listens for the voice of God, the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and passes on what he hears.
WHERE?
This encounter takes place in the Temple in Jerusalem. This was the only place where sacrifice could be offered, according to Jewish law. This meant that the Temple was an immensely significant place for Jewish people, the centre of their national life, and the primary place where they expected to encounter God. The Temple was immense and impressive, consisting of a series of courtyards, one inside the other. It would have been crowded with people bringing sacrifices – pigeons, sheep, oxen - and also crowded with people debating, praying, preaching and meeting one another, all at the same time. It was not a quiet hushed, church-like space, but noisy and chaotic.
WHEN? Jesus is about forty days old at this time – around six weeks - the age at which the Jewish law said parents should offer this particular sacrifice. In the Church’s liturgical year, this story forms the heart of the feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (commonly called Candlemas, because Simeon acclaims Jesus as the “light that enlightens the Gentiles”), which falls on Feb 2, 40 days after Christmas. Luke’s Gospel doesn’t include any stories about Jesus being visited by the Magi, or fleeing to Egypt to escape Herod. After this they will simply go back to Nazareth, where they came from.
WHAT?
“the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him” Look at the verses immediately before this passage. What had Simeon said about Jesus that so amazed Mary and Joseph?
HEART QUESTIONS
• Imagine yourself in this scene. What do you want to do or say?
• Are there times when people have seen something in you or someone special to you which has surprised you?
• In what ways might the message of Jesus either challenge you or lift you up, bringing about the “falling and rising”. Which do you most need today?
• Jesus is very young in this story. Simeon and Anna are very old. What might this story have to say about the importance of both ends of the age spectrum?
• Simeon tells Mary that “a sword will pierce your own soul too”, foreshadowing the pain she will feel as her son meets opposition and is eventually crucified. This is an uncomfortable reading for Mothering Sunday, but it reminds us that being a parent can be painful, frightening and costly. Where might we be aware of that in our own lives, or the world around us now?
HANDS QUESTIONS
• What might this story be prompting you to do today?
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