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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
What is the meaning of Simeon's Prophecy	Lisara	Friday, December 21, 2012
Question: In Luke 2:22-35 it that Hans is "destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that is rejected, so that the secret thoughts of many will be revealed..." I do not understand what it means by that "Hans will be rejected so that the secret thoughts of many will be revealed..." First of all what does it mean by "secret thoughts being revealed" ? Second of all, what does it mean that Hans had to be rejected for this to happen? I started to tackle reading the bible after I started praying the Scriptural rosary about a year ago. Praying the Scriptural rosary is enlightening to appreciating the Scriptures, and therefore challenging to living the Gospel. Amen! Thank You Brother Ignatius and Merry Christmas! Thank you for your prayers. My oldest daughter ,23, is smiling more these days and says she loves me. I know you won't specifically know what I am refering to, but your prayers have helped.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Lisara: I thank God that I was able to help you in whatever it was the you needed for your daughter. The passage operative to your question is Luke 2:34-35: ...and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and the sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. The Navarre Bible commentary states: After Simeon blesses them, the Holy Spirit moves into further prophecy about the Child's future and his Mother's. His words become clearer in the light of our Lord's life and death. Jesus came to bring salvation to all men, yet he will be a sign of contradiction because some people will obstinately reject him — for this reason he will be their ruin. But for those who accept him with faith Jesus will be their salvation, freeing them from sin in this life and him raising them up to eternal life. The words Simeon addresses to Mary announced that she will be intimately linked with their Son's redemptive work. The sword indicates that Mary will have a share in her Son's sufferings; hers will be the unspeakable pain which pierces her soul. Our Lord suffered on the cross for our sins, and it is those sins which forge the sword of Mary's pain. Therefore, we have a duty to a tone not only to God but also to his Mother, who is our Mother too. The last words of the prophecy, "that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed", link up with v. 34: uprightness or perversity will be demonstrated by whether one accepts or rejects Christ. To your first question, about the hearts being revealed, Jesus will reveal the hearts of men, they will no longer be secret. The hearts of men, that is, his secret motivations and desires will be revealed by whether or not he accepts or rejects Christ. Ultimately, no one can stand neutral. Either they accept Christ or not. There is nothing in-between. To the second question, Jesus is a sign of contraction, that is, his coming to earth will not bring unity, but division, because some people will reject him. Jesus gives an example of this in Matthew 10:34-36 — "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household." God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

What is the meaning of Simeon's Prophecy

Lisara

Friday, December 21, 2012

Question:

In Luke 2:22-35 it that Hans is "destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that is rejected, so that the secret thoughts of many will be revealed..."

I do not understand what it means by that "Hans will be rejected **so that** the secret thoughts of many will be revealed..."

First of all what does it mean by "secret thoughts being revealed" ?

Second of all, what does it mean that Hans had to be rejected for this to happen?

I started to tackle reading the bible after I started praying the Scriptural rosary about a year ago. Praying the Scriptural rosary is enlightening to appreciating the Scriptures, and therefore challenging to living the Gospel.
Amen!

Thank You Brother Ignatius and Merry Christmas! Thank you for your prayers. My oldest daughter ,23, is smiling more these days and says she loves me. I know you won't specifically know what I am refering to, but your prayers have helped.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Lisara:

I thank God that I was able to help you in whatever it was the you needed for your daughter.

The passage operative to your question is Luke 2:34-35:

...and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and the sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.

The Navarre Bible commentary states:

After Simeon blesses them, the Holy Spirit moves into further prophecy about the Child's future and his Mother's. His words become clearer in the light of our Lord's life and death.

Jesus came to bring salvation to all men, yet he will be a sign of contradiction because some people will obstinately reject him — for this reason he will be their ruin. But for those who accept him with faith Jesus will be their salvation, freeing them from sin in this life and him raising them up to eternal life.

The words Simeon addresses to Mary announced that she will be intimately linked with their Son's redemptive work. The sword indicates that Mary will have a share in her Son's sufferings; hers will be the unspeakable pain which pierces her soul. Our Lord suffered on the cross for our sins, and it is those sins which forge the sword of Mary's pain. Therefore, we have a duty to a tone not only to God but also to his Mother, who is our Mother too.

The last words of the prophecy, "that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed", link up with v. 34: uprightness or perversity will be demonstrated by whether one accepts or rejects Christ.

To your first question, about the hearts being revealed, Jesus will reveal the hearts of men, they will no longer be secret. The hearts of men, that is, his secret motivations and desires will be revealed by whether or not he accepts or rejects Christ. Ultimately, no one can stand neutral. Either they accept Christ or not. There is nothing in-between.

To the second question, Jesus is a sign of contraction, that is, his coming to earth will not bring unity, but division, because some people will reject him. Jesus gives an example of this in Matthew 10:34-36 —

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household."

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum