Nunc Dimittis, But Not Right Nunc

Towards the end of Evening Prayer and Compline, we pray together The Song of Simeon, a.k.a. Nunc Dimittis (Latin for “Now let…”). As much as I love Evening Prayer and Compline, especially when I get to pray them with others, I often have many other things on my mind that I want and need to do before the end of the day. Therefore, I frequently feel restless when we pray, “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word.” Why? Because it feels to me like Evening Prayer and Compline should end right there. “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace. Amen! Have a nice evening, everybody!” But both Evening Prayer and Compline continue on quite a bit longer, potentially much longer depending on how many personal intercessions and thanksgivings are offered. The “peace” my restless self too often wants, is not the peace Simeon prayed/sang about, but rather just more time to do more things.

This Wednesday was the celebration of The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple. It was at that presentation that the aged and devout Simon sang the Nunc Dimittis long before the prayer was given its Latin name (Lk 2:22-40). Luke tells us that miraculously, the “Holy Spirit was upon him” and brought him to the temple to show him Jesus! One wonders if Joseph or Mary knew Simeon at all, or if they were completely shocked that a very elderly stranger walked up, took their little baby, prophesied about him, and sang a joyful prayer to God because of him. (Shortly after, the aged prophetess Anna did likewise!)

Simeon and Anna in the Temple – Rembrandt, 1627.
Hamburger Kunsthalle. Public Domain.

Simeon’s peace from the Lord came because his eyes had seen God’s salvation! Despite knowing he was in the winter of his life and living in a world full of injustice, cruelty, and darkness, the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that somehow, through Jesus, God would save not just Israel, but also all the nations! This gift from the Holy Spirit brought a deep peace/shalom to Simeon that few, if any, of us could imagine. I doubt Simeon rushed off after this moment to sweep his floor, watch YouTube, or accomplish one more thing before bed, though he certainly must have had things he still needed and wanted to do. His peace could have very well included quite a few more years of watching the little baby Messiah grow and become strong and filled with wisdom and the favor of God (Luke 2:40). If so he must have surely, like Mary (Luke 2:19), pondered these things in his heart.

Lord willing, each of us has a fair number of years left to ponder these things in our hearts as well (and then all of eternity to dwell in perfect peace). If you’re like me when you pray, “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace…” I pray that our Lord will help us in that moment to dwell more on the true peace that is “…according to your word,” rather than on the other demands and desires of our hearts that are restless apart from our rest in Jesus. That little baby presented at the temple was and is our true peace!

John Laffoon
Deacon
Minister to Youth & Families