"And thy own soul a sword shall pierce" are words spoken by Simeon to Our Blessed Mother when she presented her first-born in the Temple, in accordance with the Law of Moses.
It is traditional to reflect on the Sorrows of Mary in the month of September. To this end, in the following posts I offer the words of the French scholar and preacher Bossuet, taken from his Elevation* on the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple. I have added my own (fairly literal) translation and occasional notes on Scriptural references.
*élévation: THÉOLOGIE. Mouvement de l’âme vers Dieu ; prière qui favorise et traduit ce mouvement. Elevation: theology. A movement of the soul towards God; a prayer that favours and translates this movement.
Laudetur Jesus Christus et Maria Immaculata.
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| The Presentation in the Temple. J-J Tissot. |
Ve ÉLÉVATION.
Sur le saint vieillard Siméon.
The Fifth Elevation
Concerning the old man, Holy Simeon
« Il y avait dans Jérusalem un homme juste et craignant Dieu; nommé Siméon, qui vivait dans l'attente delà consolation d'Israël, et le Saint-Esprit était en lui : et il lui avait été révélé par le Saint-Esprit qu'il ne mourrait point, qu'auparavant il n'eût vu le Christ du Seigneur. » Voici un homme admirable, et qui fait un grand personnage dans les mystères de l'enfance de Jésus. Premièrement, c'est un saint vieillard qui n'attendait plus que la mort : il avait passé toute sa vie dans l'attente de la céleste consolation. Ne vous plaignez point, âmes saintes, âmes gémissantes, âmes qui vivez dans l'attente ; ne vous plaignez pas si vos consolations sont différées : attendez : attendez encore une fois : Expecta : reexpecta . Vous avez long temps attendu, attendez encore : expectans expectavi Dominum : attendez en attendant : ne vous lassez jamais d'attendre. « Dieu est fidèle , » et il veut être attendu avec foi : attendez donc la consolation d'Israël. Et quelle est la consolation du vrai Israël? C'est de voir une fois, et peut-être à la fin de vos jours, le Christ du Seigneur.
"And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him.And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord."[1]
Here is a man most admirable, and he plays a significant role in the mysteries of the childhood of Jesus. Firstly, this is a saintly old man who is simply awaiting death; he has passed his whole life waiting for this heavenly consolation. Do not give yourselves up to complaining, ye holy souls, ye groaning souls, ye souls who live in expectation; do not complain if your consolations are delayed: wait and wait again; "Expect, expect again;" [2] You have waited for a long time, so continue to wait: "With expectation I have waited for the Lord." [3] Wait while you are waiting; never tire of waiting. "God is faithful,"[4] and He wants to be waited for with faith. Wait, therefore, for the consolation of Israel. And what is the consolation of the true Israel? It is to see on one occasion, and perhaps at the end of your days, Christ the Lord.
Il y a des grâces uniques en elles-mêmes, dont le premier trait ne revient plus, mais qui se continuent ou se renouvellent par le souvenir. Dieu les fait attendre longtemps pour exercer la foi et en rendre l'épreuve plus vive : Dieu les donne quand il lui plait d'une manière soudaine et rapide : elles passent en un moment : mais il en demeure un tendre souvenir et comme un parfum : Dieu les rappelle, Dieu les multiplie, Dieu les augmente : mais il ne veut pas qu'on les rappelle comme de soi-même par des efforts violents : il veut qu'on l'attende toujours : et on ne se doit permettre que de doux et comme insensibles retours sur ses anciennes bontés. « Que ceux qui ont des oreilles pour entendre,écoutent . » Telle sera, par exemple, une certaine suavité du Saint-Esprit, un goût caché de la rémission des péchés, un pressentiment de la jouissance future ; une impression aussi efficace que sublime de la souveraine majesté de Dieu, ou de sa bonté et de sa communication en Jésus-Christ; d'autres sentiments que Dieu sait et que saint Jean dans l'Apocalypse appelle « la manne cachée, » la consolation dans le désert, l'impression secrète dans le fond du cœur du « nouveau nom de Jésus-Christ, que nul ne connaît que celui qui l'a reçu . » C'est la consolation de Siméon dans ce mystère. Tous les fidèles y ont part, chacun à sa manière, et tous doivent le comprendre selon leur capacité.
O Dieu et Père de miséricorde, faites-moi entendre ce nouveau nom de votre Fils : ce nom de Sauveur que chacun de nous se doit appliquer par la foi, lorsque Dieu dit à notre âme : « Je suis ton salut ». La voilà la consolation de Siméon : voyons comme il y est préparé.
There are some graces unique in themselves whose first appearance never returns but which continue or renew themselves through memory. God makes some wait a long time in order to test their faith and make the trial more demanding. God confers these graces when it pleases Him and in a sudden and rapid manner; they pass in an instant, but there remains a sweet memory, fragrant like a perfume. God recalls them, God multiplies them and God increases them. But He does not want us to remember them by the power of our own efforts; He wants us always to wait for Him; and we should only permit ourselves sweet, almost insensible, returns of His past gifts. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."[5] Such will be, for example, a certain savour of the Holy Ghost, a hidden sense of the remission of sins, a presentiment of future delight; an impression, as efficacious as it is sublime, of the sovereign majesty of God, or of His goodness and of His communication in Jesus Christ; or other feelings that God knows and that Saint John in the Apocalypse calls " a hidden manna,"[6] the consolation in the wilderness, a secret impression deep in the heart of "a new name written, which no man knoweth, but he that receiveth it."[6] This is the consolation of Simeon in this mystery. All the faithful share in it, each after his fashion, and all must understand it as best they may.
O God and Father of mercy, give me to know this new name of thy Son: this name of Saviour that each of us must take on through faith when God says to our soul: " I am thy salvation."[7] This then is Simeon's consolation. Let's see how he is prepared for this.
Notes
[1] [25] And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him.
Et ecce homo erat in Jerusalem, cui nomen Simeon, et homo iste justus, et timoratus, exspectans consolationem Israel : et Spiritus Sanctus erat in eo.
[26] And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
Et responsum acceperat a Spiritu Sancto, non visurum se mortem, nisi prius videret Christum [Luc. ii. ]
[2] [10] For command, command again; command, command again; expect, expect again; expect, expect again: a little there, a little there.
Quia manda, remanda; manda, remanda; exspecta, reexspecta; exspecta, reexspecta; modicum ibi, modicum ibi.
[13] And the word of the Lord shall be to them: Command, command again; command, command again: expect, expect again; expect, expect again: a little there, a little there: that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Et erit eis verbum Domini : Manda, remanda; manda, remanda; exspecta, reexspecta; exspecta, reexspecta; modicum ibi, modicum ibi; ut vadant, et cadant retrorsum, et conterantur, et illaqueentur, et capiantur [Isa., xxviii]
[3] [2] With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me.
Exspectans exspectavi Dominum, et intendit mihi [Psal. xxxix]
[4] [3] But God is faithful, who will strengthen and keep you from evil.
Fidelis autem Deus est, qui confirmabit vos, et custodiet a malo. [II Thessal. iii]
[5] [15] He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat.[Matt. xi]
[6] [17] He, that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches: To him that overcometh, I will give the hidden manna, and will give him a white counter, and in the counter, a new name written, which no man knoweth, but he that receiveth it.
Qui habet aurem, audiat quid Spiritus dicat ecclesiis : Vincenti dabo manna absconditum, et dabo illi calculum candidum : et in calculo nomen novum scriptum, quod nemo scit, nisi qui accipit.[Apoc ii]
[7] [3] Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul: I am thy salvation.
Effunde frameam, et conclude adversus eos qui persequuntur me; dic animae meae : Salus tua ego sum.[Ps. xxxiv.]
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