"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 Elevations* 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. |
XXIe ÉLÉVATION.
Sur Anne la prophétesse.
Twenty-first Elevation
Concerning Anna, the prophetess
« Il y avait une prophétesse nommée Anne, d'un âge fort avancé ; car elle avait quatre-vingt-quatre ans. Elle avait vécu dans un long veuvage, n'ayant été que sept ans avec son mari; et passa tout le reste de sa vie dans la retraite, ne bougeant du temple et servant Dieu nuit et jour dans les jeûnes et dans la prière. » Voilà encore un digne témoin de Jésus-Christ. « Elle survint an temple dans ce même instant, louant le Seigneur et parlant de lui à tous ceux qui attendaient la rédemption d'Israël (1). » Ce Seigneur qu'elle louait, visiblement était Jésus-Christ. Elle fut digne de le connaître et de l'annoncer, parce que, détachée de la vie des sens et unie à Dieu par l'oraison, elle avait préparé son cœur à la plus pure lumière.
"And there was one Anna,a prophetess, ... she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day."[1] Here is another worthy witness to Jesus Christ. "Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord; and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel."[1] this Lord Whom she praises, was Jesus Christ in person. She was worthy to recognise Him and to announce Him, because, detached from the life of the senses and united to God through prayer, she had prepared her heart for the most pure illumination.
Saint Luc a voulu en peu de paroles nous faire connaître cette sainte veuve et en marquer, non-seulement les vertus, mais encore la race même, en nous apprenant « qu'elle était fille de Phanuël et de la tribu d'Aser, » afin que ces circonstances rappelassent le souvenir du témoignage de cette femme : ce qu'il ne fait pas de Siméon, qui peut-être était plus connu. Peut-être aussi qu'il fallait montrer que Jésus-Christ trouva des adorateurs dans plusieurs tribus, et entre autres dans celle d'Aser, à qui Jacob et Moïse n'avaient promis que « de bon pain, de l'huile en abondance, » et en un mot, « des richesses dans ses mines de fer et de cuivre. » Mais voici en la personne de cette veuve, « les délices des rois et des peuples» parmi les biens de la terre changés en jeûnes et en mortifications. Quoi qu'il en soit, honorons en tout et les expressions et le silence que le Saint-Esprit inspire aux évangélistes.
Saint Luke wanted in a few words to tell us something of this holy widow so that we might make note, not only of her virtues, but of her ancestry, teaching us that she was "the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser," so that these details might recall the memory of this woman's testimony, something he didn't do with Simeon, who was perhaps better known. Perhaps he also wanted to show that Jesus Christ numbered worshippers in several different tribes, including the tribe of Aser, to whom Jacob and Moses had promised only "good bread, oil in abundance,"[2] and, in a word, "wealth in his iron and copper mines." But here in the person of this widow "the dainties of Kings and of people" among the good things of the earth changed into fasts and mortifications. Be that as it may, let us honour in all things both the words and the silence that the Holy Spirit inspires in the evangelists.
[1] And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. Et erat Anna prophetissa, filia Phanuel, de tribu Aser : haec processerat in diebus multis, et vixerat cum viro suo annis septem a virginitate sua. And she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. Et haec vidua usque ad annos octoginta quatuor : quae non discedebat de templo, jejuniis, et obsecrationibus serviens nocte ac die. Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord; and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel. Et haec, ipsa hora superveniens, confitebatur Domino : et loquebatur de illo omnibus, qui exspectabant redemptionem Israel.[Luc. ii. 36-38]
[1] Aser, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield dainties to kings. Aser, pinguis panis ejus, et praebebit delicias regibus.[Gen. xlix. 20]
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