Simeon told Mary when she brought her new born baby to the temple to present him to the Lord that he was destined for the falling and rising of many.

We are all affected by the presence, words and actions of others and they are changed by us. The context into which we are born and the environment in which we live raises us up or causes us to stumble.

Most of us were born into secure loving homes and look back on our childhood with joy. Our parents guided, nurtured, fed, clothed and provided much more than the basics we needed to survive.

Others look back in anger remembering the hurt done to them, through separation, cruelty and rejection. Some suffered horrendously in children’s homes. Others remember being fostered or adopted and although their parents were not genetically related to them, they grew up secure in the knowledge that they had been chosen.

In our family home we learn how to receive and give love, receive our names and gain our sense of identity as we learn how to imitate our Mums and Dads, play games, and use our imaginations to explore our future.

Our status and aspirations are heavily influenced by the families we are born into and it is difficult to rise above the expectations of others.

Children born to parents involved in crime will often end up in prison themselves. Those whose parents have never worked often adopt a lifestyle of reliance on benefits whereas those who come from privileged families usually receive the best education and opportunities in life.

The men in my father’s family were all Scottish miners who lived and died in the same village. My Father broke with the tradition partly because he had a grammar school education and partly because his horizons were broadened as a result of the Second World War. He never returned home to live after the war and his relationship with his family was never as close as it had been. They lived in two different worlds with different understandings and aspirations.

Dad eventually became a newsagent and expected me to carry on the business he had built up. Understandably he found my desire to be involved in Christian ministry difficult.

Jesus grew up knowing he was part of two loving families. There was the family from which he had come which consisted of his heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit, angels and the company of heaven. There he was rich and surrounded by light and love.

The family he was born into on earth was also full of love. Joseph, his adoptive father and Mary his mother did their best to give their son security, food, protection and nurture him in the wisdom of the Lord.

Joseph was a hard working carpenter so Jesus was trained in carpentry. Mary had other children so Jesus grew up in a normal home environment with brothers and sisters.

Through no fault of their own Joseph and Mary were poor. When they presented their son in the temple they brought a poor person’s offering.

Mary knew Jesus was special because of the message from the angel Gabriel when he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and the messages given to Joseph and the Shepherds when he was born. Simeon, the old man in the temple confirmed how special Jesus was in his prophetic outburst of joy which we call the Nunc Dimittis. Having seen the baby Simeon was ready to depart from this life because his eyes had seen the salvation which God had prepared in the sight of every people; Jesus was the light to reveal God to the nations and the glory of his people Israel.

Jesus’ vocation came from his family in heaven. In him salvation would be found for both Jews and Gentiles. He was the one all Israel had been looking for. The will of his heavenly Father was ultimately more important than that of his earthly family.

Jesus’ family tried to protect him from the suffering he would suffer if he fulfilled his heavenly calling and acted outside of the expectations of his family and those living in his home town of Nazareth.

Jesus was “destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel.” During his time on earth he rarely stepped outside the boundaries of Israel.

Jesus was born into a Jewish family into a tiny nation subjugated by the Roman Empire with all the limitations that placed upon him.

He was unable to perform many miracles in his home town of Nazareth because the leaders of the synagogue looked down at him.

Moving away from his family home Jesus became an itinerant minister. The sick, poor, repentant and those held by evil spirits were lifted out of their sin and poor health. They received life and wholeness.

The Jewish authorities, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Sanhedrin were never going to accept a mere carpenter’s son who had aspirations above his status who challenged the status quo.

The Roman authorities were never going to accept a Jew with a large following hailed as a King. They saw this as a challenge to the Empire.

Jesus was the stone upon which they stumbled. The rejection of Jesus by his own people the Jews eventually led to his crucifixion. Jesus led to the falling of many in Israel.

When Jesus spoke, as Simeon prophesied, the inner thought of many were revealed. The ambitious pride of the leaders of the Jews, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the political expediency of the Romans were revealed by what Jesus did and said.

When they failed to stop Jesus healing the sick and raising the dead it was inevitable they would seek to destroy him.

As Jesus suffered the horrendous pain of crucifixion, the sword which pierced his side also pierced his mother’s heart as Mary stood by the cross, helplessly watching him die. She had probably suffered many times before and shed many tears as she had sought to shield her son from evil.

Mary stayed with her son to the end along with Mary, the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Salome; a sister of Mary, and Mary of Clopas. Only one male disciple, John was brave enough to stay and watch.

Across the world we see many suffering for lack of food, education and opportunities. In Ukraine many cry because of the loss or severe injury of their children, mothers or fathers. Families are separated and beauty, homes, churches, and hospitals destroyed.

Many suffer because of the ambitious pride and political expediency of an Empire builder.

We also see the bravery of those fighting for freedom and truth, giving their lives to defeat evil.

Putin’s actions are leading to the fall of many Russians who are being killed fighting in his evil army as well as leading to the fall of much of Ukraine. What a waste!

Through his death and resurrection Jesus calls us to rise above the situations we find ourselves in. We are called to share his resurrection and glory as well as his suffering, and death.

We share in Jesus’ ministry of healing and salvation as we seek to rebuild those places that have been wasted and love those who are hurting.

Death is not the end of the story. We too have a heavenly Father and are called to be citizens of the Kingdom of heaven. Through the salvation Jesus won on the cross we shall rise to be with him.