While I'm Thinking of Simeon...
Quick thought.
I am struck by the Church’s wisdom in placing Simeon’s canticle, the Nunc Dimittis, in the daily night prayer of the traditional Roman liturgy, namely the office of Compline. Perhaps it is obvious that sleep resembles death in some way—many poets have said so—and yet when we go to bed, we do not pray to wake again next morning; rather, we pray the prayer of Simeon: Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation. In other words, as we go towards sleep every night, we pray to the Lord that a peaceful and holy death may take us. I assume that the salvation we have seen refers especially to the Eucharist: having seen Christ in his divine substance there, we have enough. Life can add no more to the gift of Christ himself. Therefore, we pray for death. The desire for death is part of our daily night prayer.