WATCHWORD:
27 That day the Spirit led Simeon to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, he took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. 30 I have seen your salvation,31which you have prepared for all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
33 Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” Luke 2:27-35
Meditation:
Mary’s Sword
Speaking Mary’s imagined words in the book Simeon’s Sword, Mary Remembers, author Pastor Alice E.W. Smith writes: “Simeon said something about what Jesus was destined to do that I (Mary) did not understand at the time. The words were spoken with hope, peace, and certainty, but then, with a sadness that he had not shown before, when he said to me, ‘…and a sword will pierce your soul, too.’ I stood staring at the old man for a moment in disbelief. I realized that Simeon knew something that I had only suspected. Somehow, this beautiful baby, my son, was to suffer terrible things.”
As parents and grandparents, we wish for our children such things as love, health, happiness, wisdom, and ultimately, independence. But how, really, must it have been for Mary, considering the culture, the era, the stigma, the burden and the absolute faith that must have led Mary to embrace such an honor and a curse.
As a young bride-to-be, how would Mary have reacted to the incredible news of her virginal conception–and what of her family, friends, and her “intended,” Joseph? As a mother, how might she have handled the many wondrous events that took place in her young child’s life, while trying to keep some semblance of normality, in the remembrance of what Simeon said: “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise, And then to hear the elder add, “And a sword will pierce your very soul”, words that chilled Mary’s heart to her core.
Much of the world’s history is a direct result of the life of one man–Jesus Christ. Author Alice E. W. Smith has pondered these thoughts for many years, as she has studied and portrayed Mary’s life.
To Better Understand Mary’s Sword:
Join us on a guided meditation on Mary, the mother of Jesus. This is not a chapel service, it is a quiet, meditative experience, guided by cues, imagining what Mary endured Good Friday and Sacred Saturday in Jerusalem, nearly 2,000 years ago.
Join us at Timbercrest Retirement Community Chapel at 10 am, or later at Peabody Retirement Community Chapel at 3:15 pm, tomorrow, Saturday, April 4. The meditation can also be viewed on YouTube, at the Timbercrest Devotionals link.
Prayers:
Part of Mary’s Magnificat Prayer (modified):
Our souls glorify the Lord and our spirits rejoice in God our Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servants, remembering to be merciful, to lift us up with compassion and Love. This prayer we offer in the name of Jesus, with our gratitude. Amen.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
