People of the First Christmas: Simeon and Anna

Welcome back to my mini-series here on Ko‑fi entitled People of the First Christmas. While Christmas may have come and gone for another year, now is the perfect time to reflect on those who encountered Jesus during His early years—long before He was a young lad of twelve or began His ministry around the age of thirty. This week, I will focus on two remarkable individuals, Simeon and Anna, who recognized Jesus as the Messiah when He was still a baby. They witnessed His presentation in the Temple by the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, in accordance with the Law of Moses.

I shall begin by examining what the Gospel according to St. Luke has to say about Simeon. The Bible describes him as a righteous and devout man, eagerly anticipating the consolation of Israel, with the Holy Spirit upon him. The Gospel also states that Simeon knew he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. Before I dive into what Simeon prophesied about Jesus and the Virgin Mary, I want to take a moment to reflect on what the Bible says about his character. The main thing I noticed is that he was righteous and devout while looking forward to the Messiah’s coming. Do we look forward to our Lord’s second coming and strive to be faithful to Him, or do we live for ourselves without concern? This is something we need to think deeply about and decide what path we need to follow going forward.

The Gospel says that when Simeon’s eyes laid upon Jesus, he took the young child in his arms and praised God for fulfilling the word He had spoken to him—namely, that Simeon would see the Messiah before his death. Jesus’ earthly parents were amazed by what Simeon said about Him. Simeon then blessed Mary and gave her the following prophecy from Luke 2: “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Now, I want to examine Simeon’s encounter in the Temple. Firstly, Simeon praised God for fulfilling His Word. We too ought to praise God whenever we witness His promises being fulfilled in our lives. Secondly, Jesus’ parents were amazed by what Simeon had said about Him. One might think that by this time, Mary and Joseph would have realized that Jesus was no ordinary child, but rather the fulfillment of divine prophecy. Yet, it appears they still hadn’t fully grasped the significance of who He really was. Finally, let’s consider Simeon’s prophecy to Mary. Throughout the Gospels, we see how Jesus’ ministry revealed the inner thoughts of many. I believe the sword Simeon mentioned symbolizes the deep sorrow Mary would experience, especially as she witnessed her Son’s suffering and death on the Cross for our sins.

Now I want to examine the other person in this story: Anna. According to St. Luke, she was the daughter of Phanuel and a prophetess from the tribe of Asher. She had been faithful to her husband during their brief seven-year marriage and then lived as a widow. She never left the Temple, fasting and praying both night and day. What a powerful testimony of someone who was faithful to God their whole life—never wanting to leave His house and always seeking to speak with Him after fulfilling her duties as a wife.

The Gospel says that when Anna saw Jesus, she began to praise God and shared the truth about the child with all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. I wonder, do we do the same thing when we witness what God has done in our lives? Perhaps we just say a quiet prayer of thanks and then forget about it, instead of sharing the good news with others who could use something to brighten their day. This is something we should commit to doing if we are not yet doing so already.

Both Simeon and Anna had profound encounters with the baby Jesus. Though Jesus may no longer be a baby, our encounters with the Lord are no less significant. If anything, they are more important, for He is the only Way to the Father and the sole means of being saved. If you haven’t already trusted Him with your life, I encourage you to consider doing so today—it’s a decision you will never regret.

Thank you once again for reading another blog post in this mini-series. Next Saturday, I will be concluding this mini-series by examining the visit of the Magi to the young Jesus when He was about two years old. If you don’t want to miss it, consider following me here on Ko‑fi if you aren’t already!

If you enjoy what you see here on my Ko‑fi page and my other channels, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Any contribution is welcome and will be used to help me produce more family-friendly content for you to enjoy!