Mine Eyes Have Seen

Remembrance Service - December 30, 2007

The Rev. Kenneth R. Elkin

Two of the faithful were serving in the Temple that day.

Simeon and Anna, two who were holding onto the hope of Israel despite the turmoil of Roman occupation of the land,

were busy with their regular activities centered upon prayer to the Lord God, the Almighty One.

Over the years they must have seen hundreds of first-born boys presented in the Temple.

It is a regular occurrence.

By a gift of the Holy Spirit,

they are able to look at an ordinary couple and young son approach and see in them the fulfillment of the ancient hopes.

It is the high point of Simeon's life;

what could possibly be greater?

Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen your salvation.

It must have seemed outrageous to any others who observed the scene:

The old man and then the old lady babbling on that way;

quite outrageous if one takes seriously what the folks were saying.

And yet, isn't it nearly as outrageous as when we take a person to the waters of baptism,

and say that because Jesus was here before you, opening the way through the watery chaos of death

to the new life which begins now and is brought to completion in the life to come,

we can make bold to sing as Simeon has sung.

Mine eyes have seen your salvation!

Outrageous! Amazing! Wonderful!

That is the kind of thing that we are to remember, and to hold dear on the sad and lonely days.

Recalling that makes it possible for us to go on, day after day, despite the problems we all face.

This afternoon we gather carrying the weight of many memories.

Some are happy, others very sad.

Some are about things which brought families and households together; others about things including death that fractured community.

But all of these memories take second place to one tremendous fact:

God has made a promise to hold onto every one of his baptized, and he intends to make good on his promise.

We may have spent years trying to run the other way,

but he is as patient as ever,

trying to entice us to respond to his love with our love for him and for one another.

Just as Simeon was to hold onto the hopes of Israel and look for their fulfillment in Messiah,

so are we bid to hold onto the promises of Holy Baptism , to anticipate their fulfillment, and sing as did Simeon a song of joy at God's faithfulness.

The promise which we received at Holy Baptism is not just about the end of our lives; it is about today as well.

No matter what our problem, sadness, or loss, the promise is there for us to hold: our eyes, too, have seen a bit, just a bit of the Lord's salvation.

Oh, the wonder of it all, that the Lord of the universe cares about the troubles and sorrows of you and me.

As Hebrews says this afternoon,

this Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters,

does not shrink from suffering for us,

and desires to bring us together as his called and responding people.

Oh, the wonder of it all!

We take our remembering to another level:

The meal fellowship at the Lord's Table which we have enjoyed with those who have died has not come to an end.

It continues tonight as well.

When we gather at the Table, it is with all of our beloved, the saints of every age, and the whole company of heaven.

Our laments are heard by the Father, and in God's good time will be transformed.

Our thanksgivings, even though they sometimes be weak and faltering, are to become echoes of the words of Christ our great High Priest.

Our praises, even those with tearful voice, are caught up by the Spirit of the risen Lord Jesus and blended with the hymns that sound forever around the throne of God.

Lord, let your servant depart in peace,

for mine eyes have seen your salvation.

Oh, it is true, it has been true, it will be true, forever. Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.