I love today’s Gospel passage, and not just because I love a good fish fry. I love it because I am Peter.

When Simeon cradles the infant Messiah in his arms, he speaks of salvation and glory and revelation. He speaks of his own death. He speaks of the fulfillment of God’s promise to all people.

Jesus didn’t come to fix the brokenness of the world. He came to fix our brokenness. He offers us not relief from the trials of life, but an answer to the question of how to live in joy, in love and in purpose in the midst of these evil days.

Sometimes we forget, or even refuse, to bring small concerns and inconveniences to God because we think we should be able to handle them on our own.

It makes perfect sense that everyone thought John the Baptist was the Messiah. He was the guy pouring the water. But the Messiah was the man who came to be baptized.

The journey of the magi would have been treacherous and uncomfortable. Imagine the peace in their hearts as they approached the young Messiah and fell to their knees.

Every mother who has ever lost sight of her child in a crowd, even for a few seconds, knows the panic.

If you have ever been visibly pregnant, chances are that someone, somewhere, whom you do not know, has reached out to touch your stomach.