Temple Trauma - #AtoZChallenge

Tim nodded to Simeon, seeing the aged prophet enter the temple courtyard. He couldn't greet him properly, as a customer had just approached Tim's money-changing table. The customer saw his nod and looked at the old man. "Friend of yours?" he asked. Every visitor felt a need to make small-talk.

"That's Simeon," Tim made the change for the man. "I see him around. He's waiting on the 'consolation of Israel'." The customer raised his eyebrows and moved on. Tim welcomed the next person in line. "Shalom!"

Simeon meandered the courtyard as if looking for something or someone, before settling near the stairs. Tim observed this new searching behavior with curiosity. Between customers he kept an eye on the comings and goings around Simeon - families, devout men, children distracting the animal sellers. One sweet young family had caught the eyes of everyone they passed. The baby in the woman's arms couldn't be more than two months. They were probably here to dedicate him, Tim thought. 

Between his customers, he noticed people kept stopping them on their way through the temple courtyard. Several times people wanted to coo over the baby or offer blessings to the parents. It happened often enough that Tim learned the parents' names were Mary and Joseph. As they approached the temple steps, Tim saw Simeon rise from his seat and lift his hands toward the baby. Ah! Maybe this was the family he'd been looking for earlier. Simeon began speaking to the parents.

Tim was turning back to his work when he and his customer both noticed Simeon's head jerk upward as his hand touched the top of the baby's head. His body went stiff as a board and Tim's instinct was to race over to check on him, but.. He glanced at his stunned customer and stayed put. They watched in open-mouthed horror, their transaction paused.

One hand on the baby's head, the other gripping Mary's arm, Simeon's eyes rolled back and a loud and dark voice boomed from him. "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many..." As loud as he was, the reverberation muffled some of the words. "...A sign... spoken against..." The words resounded as everyone stopped to watch. "...many hearts will be revealed." The otherworldly voice rose to a shrill pitch. "And a sword shall pierce your own soul!"

A beat later, Simeon unfroze. With a jerky movement his face turned down toward the child again. He blinked at the wide-eyed mother as if in a daze. Smiling benignly, he removed his hands from mother and child and resumed his seat on the steps. The father stared down at Simeon and ushered his family up the steps to the temple, through a path that now cleared around them.

Tim turned back to his customer, who glanced over to where Simeon sat back down unaware of what he'd done. The customer looked at Tim warily, gathered back the money he'd been about to change, turned, and left the temple courtyard.

Reference: The presentation of the baby Jesus at the temple is told in the book of  Luke, chapter 2, verses 21-38. Simeon comes into it in verses 25-35. Not much is said about who he is, and although the words he says are given, nothing explains the manner in which he spoke, or Mary's reaction. What do you think of my take on it? How would you react? Belief? Skepticism? Annoyance?