Simeon was a righteous and devout man of Jerusalem to whom, Saint Luke tells us, the Holy Spirit had revealed that he would not die before seeing the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple, Simeon took the child into his arms, blessed God, and prayed the words now known as the Nunc Dimittis: 'Lord, now you let your servant go in peace.' He is commemorated on October 8 in the Roman Martyrology.
Simeon spent his whole life waiting in patient hope, trusting a promise he could not yet see. When the moment came, he recognized God's presence in a small child and let go of everything, even life itself, in peace. His example teaches us that faithful waiting is never wasted, and that those who trust God can face the end of life not with fear but with gratitude.
Lord, like Simeon, let us recognize You in the ones You place in our arms, and when the time comes to let go, grant us his same peace. Amen.