WHAT WOULD IT TAKE 

FOR YOU TO SAY OR PRAY 

YOUR NUNC DIMMITIS?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “What Would It Take For You To Say Or Pray Your Nunc Dimittis?”

As you know the Nunc Dimittis are the first two words in Latin of the prayer of Simeon in the Gospel of Luke 2: 29-32.

“Nunc dimittis

servum tuum,

Domine,

secundum verbum tuum

in pace.”

           "Now you can dismiss
            your servant,
            Lord,
            according to your word
            in peace."

In the Christian Church it became a traditional night prayer for folks before they went to sleep. It’s part of the Big Three prayers: the Benedictus for Morning Prayer, the Magnificat for Evening Prayer and the Nunc Dimittis for Night Prayer.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR YOU TO HAVE A GOOD DAY

The title of my homily is, “What Would It Take For You To Say Or Pray Your Nunc Dimittis?”

Before we get to the end of one’s life - as the prayer was said by Simeon when he met the Messiah in Mary’s arms, why not begin by asking that question of one’s day?

When saying our night prayers, we pause and reflect upon our day. What was it like? Did we do anything to make life sweeter for those around us? We might know mistakes and say we’re sorry, but why not concentrate on the positive things we did that day - the good dids more than the didnots - the positives instead of the dumb things or hurtful things?

What makes a good day for us? I’ve met lots of people who are getting married. Then sometimes tell me they didn’t realize till they met the right person, that they had a check list or what have you. Do we all unconsciously have a check list for what makes a good day?

We could ask that of a movie, a meal, a book, a vacation, a meeting - maybe some people have a check list for a sermon as well.

At the end of a day, can we go to bed in peace, grateful that we made the world better that day because we were there?

WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR YOU TO HAVE A GOOD LIFE?

Do we all have a list about what it takes to have a good life?

I strongly believe that we do. Moreover, for starters, we go through that check-list without even knowing we’re doing it - for others when we are in the funeral parlor or at a funeral service - concerning the person who has died?

Somewhere in Simeon’s life he came to the realization that he would not see death, till he saw the Messiah.  So every day when he came to the temple, he was watching. It was #1 on his bucket list - before he kicked the bucket.

What’s on our list - that if it happened - we could say and pray our Nunc Dimittis?

For many people it’s that someone in the family comes back to the family. For many it’s that we see our children who have dropped out of church back in church - for real. If I got a dollar for every time someone asked me the question: what happened that my son or daughter or 4 of them have dropped out or gone to another church - and they went to Catholic school? It’s usually a person - a relationship - a relative - that would get us to say Simeon’s prayer.

CONCLUSION

Sometimes folks see their dream and their prayer come true. A kid comes home. A kid comes back to church.

Some folks realize what Simeon came up with, that it is Jesus who is the Savior and Messiah who helps make this happen - especially when we put it into his hands.

Ooops! And there is often a catch: often, most of the time, this takes a lot of waiting and a long time before it happens - please God - soon!