Candlemas Sunday

† At the beginning of the expansion of the family of Jacob, whose name would be changed to Israel, Simeon is identified as the second son of Jacob and Leah. He was so named, because “GOD heard that Leah was unloved by Jacob, [who was more devoted to Rachel than to Leah.]’’ (cf. Gen. 29,33) Even though Jacob held more emotional allegiance to Rachel, GOD favored Leah as much as Rachel, blessing her with many sons. If you remember from the story in Genesis 27, Jacob deceived his father Isaac before he died, and stole the final blessing reserved for his eldest son, Jacob’s fraternal, twin brother, Esau. In the near east, a blessing was extremely important, because “in ancient Hebrew culture, blessings were … pronounced by patriarchs, priests, and kings, and were believed to have tangible impacts on the lives of those who received them.”¹ And this is why Jacob supplanted his brother Esau, because he longed for the divine favor that was to come down from Abraham through his father Isaac. Thus, was he appropriately, named – for Jacob’s name means ‘supplanter’.

Considering the importance of the blessing preserved for the eldest son of the Hebrew family, and the seriousness of his diabolical thievery, Jacob fled from Esau, who promised to kill Jacob after their father died. (cf. Gen. 27,41) Jacob fled to the city of Haran, north of the Euphrates River. There he met with his uncle Laban, his mother’s brother. Interestingly, after working for Laban for seven years with the promise that he could marry Laban’s youngest daughter Rachel, Laban tricked Jacob out his blessing, just like Jacob had recently done to Esau. By having Leah, the oldest daughter, disguise herself as Rachel on the night of their anticipated wedding, Laban was able to marry off his eldest, as well as his youngest daughter. Even though Jacob was allowed to eventually marry them both, because of Laban’s supplanting of his daughters, Jacob grew to favor the one over the other. Jacob’s frustration with Laban over his duplicity led to his disregard for Leah, paying less attention to her than to Rachel. – For this reason, Leah prayed to GOD to have mercy, and to bless her with many sons to comfort her in her loneliness … and GOD did just that. – Leah would become the mother of four of Jacob’s sons, because GOD had favor on Leah. All of Leah’s sons were especially named – there was Reuben, Levi, Judah – but when she gave birth to her second son, she gave him a peculiar name, for she understood YAHWEH GOD was with her. At this child’s birth, she said, “‘Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.’ And she called his name Simeon, [which means ‘GOD heard’]” (Genesis 29,33).

‘In Israel’s society, where oral tradition was paramount, the ability to hear and understand was crucial for maintaining relationships. This was especially true when considering covenant faithfulness in relationship to GOD.’ Thus, Leah, enlightened with the truth of GOD’s favor towards her in faithful relationship, named her son, Simeon, which means, in effect, ‘GOD hears me, and wants to have a relationship with me.’
In principle, this story of GOD’s faithfulness in hearing Leah and blessing her with many sons, reveals that GOD takes the first step towards those who hear Him and faithfully obey His commandments. That is because, He is the perfect Father who desires from His children, only what He promises to give them, first.
As proof of this theological truth, when Israel was afflicted by the Pharaoh in Egypt, the LORD GOD came to rescue Israel and deliver her from Pharoah’s bondage, because He heard her cries for mercy. And this He did, without any special request by Israel. The LORD tells Moses at the incident of the burning bush: “I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant [with her]. Therefore, say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great [acts of justice]” (Exodus 6,5-6).

We cannot underscore the importance of biblical hearing or listening enough, especially as it relates to maintaining relationships with one another, but most especially with GOD. For, GOD is not a respecter of persons, He not only wants us to listen and hear Him, but He also wants us to know that He hears us, and that He is the One who takes the initiative in relationship with us. GOD’s providence of stepping towards mankind first, is the basis for GOD’s historical, present, and future acts of redemption as it relates to Israel and the Church.

You see, GOD desires a covenantal relationship with a ‘free’ people, made in His image and likeness, who can, and will respond to His faithfulness and trustworthiness with reciprocity. – Thus, being ‘free’ and ‘like’ Him, GOD steps towards us, seeking to establish a relationship of mutual devotion in faithfulness, spiritual monogamy, and life-long loyalty in love. GOD’s idea of relationship is uniquely defined by hearing His Word – which leads to faithful doing. And the doing GOD loves, is the faithful doing of His commands, which reflect His own nature and character. — The people who emphasize a personal relationship with GOD, do so through hearing and obeying GOD’s commands presented by JESUS Christ His Son, in the New Testament.

In today’s Gospel lesson, we are privileged to see an emblematic representation of this hearing and obeying what GOD desires from His people. On the 40th day after JESUS’ birth, according to the Law of Moses, the Holy Family comes to the Temple for the presentation of JESUS to GOD. – At the same time, we find a man, one Simeon, being led by the Holy Ghost, into the Temple. According to the Holy Scriptures, Simeon is a just and devout man of GOD, waiting for the Consolation/Messianic Salvation of Israel.” (cf. Lk. 2,25).

On the one hand, you have the Holy Family, abiding by what was written in the Law, and on the other hand, you have Simeon, ‘listening,’ not to what was written, but to what was being spoken by the Holy Ghost in his heart. Simeon was straining to hear GOD, for he also wanted GOD to hear him.

Like Leah, true believers long to hear GOD’s Word and understand His leading before they move or act. – And what did GOD promise in His Word that Simeon was waiting to hear? –I believe that he was waiting to hear the promise that was read from Malachi 3 in today’s Old Testament Lesson: “And the LORD, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant in whom you delight” (Malachi 3,1).

Simeon had read, heard, and listened to GOD’s prophet Malachi, and he prayed that GOD might not let him die until he saw the promised hope of Israel’s redemption described by this prophet. – And so, on the fortieth day after JESUS’ birth, Simeon was heard. – He came into the Temple, and laying his eyes upon the Christ Child, he approached Joseph and Mary, took JESUS into his arms and said: “LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; [to be] a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (St. Luke 2, 29-32).

YAHWEH GOD is the GOD of listening, hearing, and obeying. We learn this today in our Gospel Lesson concerning the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, particularly through Simeon, whose name means, ‘heard’. Simeon, a devout and faithful man of Israel, anointed by the Holy Ghost, hears GOD, but is also heard by GOD. – Being given the special dispensation to see and to know the Christ, Simeon takes JESUS, the Light of the World, and elevates Him, like the priest with the Eucharistic Host, declaring His glory: the Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of the faithful of Israel.

This declaration of Simeon is no supplantation of the truth. For, all through Epiphany, which this feast of the Presentation of Christ is paramount, we have been persevering in our prayers, in the hope that JESUS, being the ‘Light that lightens the Gentiles’, will help us ‘have the fruition of the Glorious Godhead’; ‘that He might help us know the things we ought to do’; ‘the He might help us access the peace of GOD all our days; ‘that He might help us receive the grace of GOD to defend us from all the dangers and necessities of this life’; and ‘that through Him we might receive GOD’s protection and strength to support us in all our dangers’. At this time, we must not grow faint or lose hope. We must continue to be a people that hears and expects to be heard by GOD. We must trust in Him who has been presented as the glory of Israel and the Light that lightens the Gentiles, in Ellis County – even JESUS. Amen.

1 BibleHub.com. “Hebrew Lexicon review of word ‘unloved’”. Accessed 29 January 2025. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8130.htm