One Sword Go Pierce

One moment of pure joy for di temple. One old man dey sing, one baby dey sleep, two young parents dey wonder. And then di old man voice go down, and e look di mother straight for face.

We still dey for di temple courts for Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph don bring baby Jesus to present am to di Lord. One man wey dem dey call Simeon, wey di Holy Spirit lead, don carry di pikin for im hand and praise God: my eyes don see your salvation, light for di nations and di glory of Israel. Dis na big big words to hear about your son wey be six weeks old. And Simeon never finish to talk.

Luke talk say Joseph and im mother wonder for di tins wey dem talk about am. E amaze dem. Even after di angel Gabriel, Elizabeth greeting, Joseph dream and di shepherds story, e still dey shock dem. Every new voice dey add something. And now Simeon bless both of dem. E ask God goodness over dis young family. Maybe e put hand for Joseph shoulder. Maybe e gently give di baby back to Mary. And then e talk to her directly.

See, God don set dis pikin for di falling and di rising of many people for Israel, and for sign wey people go talk against. Simeon dey tell Mary say her son go divide people. Some go stumble and fall because of am. Oda people go rise up. E go be sign from God, but sign wey many people go argue against and reject. Through am, Simeon talk, di thoughts of many hearts go open for everybody to see. How people take respond to Jesus go show wetin really dey inside dem.

And then, for di middle of dat sentence, Simeon add something just for Mary. Yes, one sword go pierce your own soul too. Imagine to hear dat, as you dey hold your baby close. Simeon no dey threaten her. E dey prepare her. To love dis pikin go one day bring her deep pain. She no go only rejoice over am; she go suffer with am. Luke no tell us wetin Mary talk. Maybe she no talk anything. Maybe she hold Jesus small tighter. But we don already know wetin Mary dey do with words like dis. She dey keep dem, and she dey think about dem for her heart.

Simeon words fit one pattern for di prophets. Isaiah talk say di Lord imself go become stone wey some people go stumble on and fall. And Simeon word to Mary come true for di gospels. Many years after, John gospel tell us say Mary stand near di cross where dem crucify her son. Many Christians don understand dat moment as di sword wey Simeon see before e happen.

Simeon warning dey Luke chapter two, verse thirty-three reach thirty-five. Joy and sorrow, side by side, for di same day for di temple. To follow Jesus full with joy, but e no dey always easy. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. How you fit stay close to Jesus, for di happy days and for di hard days too?