Three Times

Three times today I got to pray the Nunc Dimittis:

First, at Wilma's funeral. Our liturgy calls for this as the final canticle, with the antiphon from John 11: "I am the Resurrection and the Life..." The pastor may lay his hands upon the coffin as the canticle is being prayed. I always do. It's our way of connecting the words we are praying with this particular body and person: Wilma is the one who has departed now in peace, having seen the Lord's salvation. As Simeon held the Child and prayed: "Okay, I can die now" so she did too.

Second, at the Divine Service. Once we've received the precious body and blood of the Savior, we sing with Simeon: "I'm ready; take me!" For truly the very One whom Simeon held and to whom he prayed, has come among us in the self-same body and blood to give us His life that never ends.

Third, at Compline tonight. It's the end of the day. I'm exhausted and ready to go to bed. And the prayer we pray together is: Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace. Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace... The church's old way of saying: "if I should die before I wake..."

Three different settings for those words, and each filled with its own meaning. What a gift God gave us when the old saint took the Child in his arms and blessed God for the nations' Light and Israel's Glory!