We heard Simeon sing his song this morning not only in the gospel lesson, but in the anthem, in the beautiful and dramatic piece from Randall Thompson's, The Nativity According to St. Luke, interpreted wonderfully this morning by Ronald Banks. It is appropriately heard as a song, because Luke divides the story of the birth of Jesus into several acts, each act with dialogue, and a song, the way an opera has arias. One scene even has angels singing.

We are familiar with most of these scenes. The Annunciation to Mary: the angel comes to Mary, tells her she is going to have a baby. Mary sings, "I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word." Then Mary visits Elizabeth, and sings the great aria, the Magnificat, "My soul doth magnify the Lord for he has exalted the low e…